The preference of each beer drinker is his or hers alone, however, the key to ales and lagers is the ingredients, and the fermentation process from which all the brands or styles are produced. Depending on the brewmaster's preference, it is the yeast which makes a beer an ale or a lager. Ales, for the most part have been around longer than beer. Hops were a later addition to the brewing ingredients, and were first introduced to the brewing process by Flemish brewmasters. As I mentioned, the key to producing ales or lagers depends on the kind of yeast being used.
Ale yeast is what is known as a top fermenting yeast.
The amount of time it takes will depend on the temperature the combined ingredients are being stored. The ale yeast ferments rapidly, the average fermentation time is about 7 to 8 days. Thus, once the process is completed, the beer should then be drank at a warm temperature, and shortly after the completion of the process. Lagers, on the other hand, are made from lager yeast. It is the opposite of ale yeast because where ale yeast rises to the top when fermenting, lager yeast tends to grow and settle on the bottom.