# Lager vs. Beer in Britain **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 31, 2009, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166 "2009-12-31T07:28:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166/41 "2010-01-04T14:50:18Z")
> [@Rayne\_Man](#): > > An old joke was “can you define a human being?” > > The answer being “somebody who can turn decent beer into Watney’s red barrel by drinking it and then visiting the gents” See also: You can taste the hop in Ben Truman’s ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166/42 "2010-01-04T14:53:18Z")
I’ve heard of Stout for brit beer. What’s the difference in bitter and stout? ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166/43 "2010-01-04T14:54:34Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’ve heard of Stout for brit beer. > > What’s the difference in bitter and stout? Stout is a very dark and rich tasting beer, as in Guinness. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Philosopher)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166/44 "2010-01-04T15:54:00Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > in Australia and I believe most other commonwealth countries Ales (bitters) are served cold. Try a Coopers Pale Ale ice cold some time. Personally I like the british Ale’s like old speckled hen but I like them cold… chilled at home of course as you can’t get them cold out at a pub… I have no idea why you would drink them warm nowadays, surely it’s a hangover from the days before wide spread refrigeration. > > Ask random people that don’t know the history and don’t have some snobbery of “ales must be warm” in their head, if they taste better cold or room temperature and I’d bet cold would win. They “taste better warmer” because being cold dulls the flavour, and British ales have very lively flavours. It’s the same reason Scottish people say you should never drink whisky with ice in it, because it dulls the flavour. Now personally I don’t like ale that much, so I’d probably prefer it cold. But for someone who appreciates British ales in the way they’re supposed to be appreciated, warmer is better. ---
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166/45 "2010-01-04T16:32:11Z")
> [@The\_Great\_Philosopher](#): > > They “taste better warmer” because being cold dulls the flavour, and British ales have very lively flavours. It’s the same reason Scottish people say you should never drink whisky with ice in it, because it dulls the flavour. > > Now personally I don’t like ale that much, so I’d probably prefer it cold. But for someone who appreciates British ales in the way they’re supposed to be appreciated, warmer is better. Yes, but as \*\*Rayne Man \*\*and others have pointed out there is warm and warmer. Ales have complex flavours that will be lost if drunk ice cold but equally drinking them at the the temperature of a “warm room” - say 20 degrees C ( 68 degrees F) or more - won’t improve their flavour and “blood warm” would be disgusting :eek: ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166/46 "2010-01-04T16:55:08Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > how do you design an ale to taste better warm? its bollocks, I still maintain that if you did a blind test and asked 10 random “non UK” people who has never heard of the this “ale must be warm” idea if they preferred the taste of an ale like speckled hen warm or cold they’d pick the cold one any day. 11-13C is still “cool” in my book, not warm. Some people have the idea that ales should be served room temp. It should be cellar temp, which is closer to 50-55F. Anyhow, if you want to know why ale is supposed to taste “better” warm is because the yeasts they are brewed with ferment the beer at higher temps (about 20C) and the fruity esters, phenols, and other flavor compounds they produce are a signature part of the way these types of beer are meant to taste. Lagers are fermented at colder temperatures with yeast that does not throw a lot of these kinds of yeasty flavors into the brew. Lagers are supposed to be clean, crisp beers with subtle flavor. Serving an ale at refrigerated temps (say 2C-4C) really does kill a lot of the flavor characteristics that makes an ale taste so good (to me, at any rate.) It’s like with a good red wine. Serving it that cold smothers the aromas and the flavors that characterize the wine. Let that wine come up to cellar temp or a little bit warmer (up to around 15C), and the aromas and flavors can be fully enjoyed. I personally don’t pay quite this much attention to it, as I’m just as likely to have an ale in the fridge as lying out in a case on the floor, but I do prefer cellar temp ales when they’re on offer at the pub. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166/47 "2010-01-04T17:40:20Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’ve heard of Stout for brit beer. > > What’s the difference in bitter and stout? Bitter tastes well, bitter (like Boddingtons), and stout often tastes like coffee, or has some “roasted” taste in it (like Guiness or Murphy’s). ---
**Author:** ![Jaledin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Jaledin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaledin)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166/48 "2010-01-04T18:13:26Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Are you shitting me? There are plenty of Americans that say “a beer”, “gimme a cold one” or “beer me.” Those people are Philistines of course. :o I do this in various shitty bars or taverns where I’m known, but never exactly like in the movies – it’s usually part of a (somewhat) broader “conversation.” For example, “Oh, hey, not much, you, hey, yeah, I’ll have a beer, whatever,” or something similarly incoherent. It’s pretty common in the French version of a shitty neighborhood cafe to just say the equivalent of “Gimme a beer” as well. Not recommended if you’re a tourist with limited linguistic abilities – the barman will likely give you something expensive and gross just to fuck with you, exactly as would happen if you’re a foreigner trying to “act local” in the US, perhaps. One of the great things about French drinking habits is that there are really two classes of drinks (aside from wine, which is probably more like a food or a hobby than a drink): (1) normal/ordinary and (2) fancy/everything else. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166/49 "2010-01-04T19:22:00Z")
> [@Rayne\_Man](#): > > Stout is a very dark and rich tasting beer, as in Guinness. Now that that’s out of the way, I’ve always wondered… what’s the difference between a porter and a stout? ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166/50 "2010-01-04T19:36:25Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > Now that that’s out of the way, I’ve always wondered… > > what’s the difference between a porter and a stout? They seem to be more or less the same according to this [Wiki Article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_(beer)) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166/51 "2010-01-04T19:39:13Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > Now that that’s out of the way, I’ve always wondered… > > what’s the difference between a porter and a stout? There is a lot of overlap in the terms. Generally, modern beer style guides would say that stout always has roasted barley in it, and porter doesn’t. But historically, that won’t hold true. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2010, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166/52 "2010-01-04T19:56:00Z")
> [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](#): > > Bitter tastes well, bitter (like Boddingtons), and stout often tastes like coffee, or has some “roasted” taste in it (like Guiness or Murphy’s). A bitter is basically a type of pale ale. It’s what I would characterize as a light-to-middle-of-the-road ale. Depending on what you normally drink, it may or may not be “bitter” to you. I’d say it’s in the same bitterness range as a Sam Adams Boston Lager, perhaps a little less. A bitter can range anywhere from 3-6% abv. It’s less bitter than an American pale ale or Indian pale ale (IPA). A stout always has roasted malt and usually roasted barley in it. It’ll generally range from 4%-7% abv, or in the 10%+ abv for imperial stouts. A stout will pour a deep brown or black. A bitter will pour light golden yellow to amber. In a stout, the malt taste is in the foreground. In a bitter, it’s more of a balance between the malt and the hops. I wouldn’t say either flavor dominates. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166/53 "2010-01-05T12:40:20Z")
You can find the CAMRA guide to beer styles [here](http://www.camra.org.uk/page.aspx?o=180657). Porter was developed in London in the early 18th century. The name came from its popularity with London’s market porters. The strongest versions were known as stout porters but over time just became stouts. The Irish stouts like Guinness, Beamish, and Murphy’s are known as dry Irish stouts and use some unmalted roasted barley in the mash. A rare style that you can occasionally find is a Milk Stout that is slightly sweet due to added lactose sugar. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2010, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166/54 "2010-01-05T23:39:22Z")
> [@kferr](#): > > A rare style that you can occasionally find is a Milk Stout that is slightly sweet due to added lactose sugar. I love milk stout, so smooth and filling. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166/55 "2010-01-06T00:22:07Z")
> [@kferr](#): > > A rare style that you can occasionally find is a Milk Stout that is slightly sweet due to added lactose sugar. Mackeson’s is the only one of these I’ve encountered, and only in cans (I used it in my Christmas pud). ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166/56 "2010-01-06T00:25:12Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Mackeson’s is the only one of these I’ve encountered, and only in cans (I used it in my Christmas pud). If you make it to Colorado Left Hand occasionally makes a milk stout that is great. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166/57 "2010-01-06T00:38:16Z")
> [@wolfman](#): > > If you make it to Colorado Left Hand occasionally makes a milk stout that is great. You’ll find it in the Midwest, too, or at least I’ve seen it in Chicago in several bars. You’ll also find milk stout marketed as a “cream stout.” Bell’s has a good one, too. So does Sam Adams. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166/58 "2010-01-06T08:26:56Z")
Not so many years ago hospitals in the UK used to give out bottles of Guinness to some of their patients (including nursing mothers) because of the supposed health benefits of the stuff. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166/59 "2010-01-06T11:44:29Z")
> [@Rayne\_Man](#): > > Not so many years ago hospitals in the UK used to give out bottles of Guinness to some of their patients (including nursing mothers) because of the supposed health benefits of the stuff. And for many years Mackeson was advertised with the catch-phrase “looks good, tastes good, and by golly it does you good”. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166/60 "2010-01-06T11:59:17Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > And for many years Mackeson was advertised with the catch-phrase “looks good, tastes good, and by golly it does you good”. I can remember those TV commercials staring the famous actor Sir Bernard Miles (Joe Gargery in the 1946 version of Great Expectations) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lager-vs-beer-in-britain/523166.md?page=4)