Within the lager category, consumers will find pilsners, octoberfest, bock, and dunkel. Many people can taste the difference between lagers and ales. Ales tend to taste robust and complex. Lagers tend to taste smooth, clean and malty. The malty, sugary liquid used to create beer is called wort.
Yeast eat the sugar in wort and create alcohol as a by-product.
Yeast that ferment at the top of the wort are ale yeast, Yeast that ferment at the bottom of the wort are lager yeast. Lagers and ale taste different because the each ale and lager yeast thrive in different environments. Ale yeast ferments at warmer temperatures, usually 60 to 75 degrees. The process results in a faster fermentation that creates fruity-tasting esters and imparts flavors unique to ales. One historical advantage that ales have held over lagers is that brewing ale generally requires no refrigeration.