What makes a beer a lager?

What makes a beer a lager?

Lager beer uses a process of cool fermentation, followed by maturation in cold storage. The German word "Lager" means storeroom or warehouse. The yeast generally used with lager brewing is Saccharomyces pastorianus. It is a close relative of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast used for warm fermented ales.

Is lager stronger than beer?

This yeast also has greater tolerance to alcohol, hence it is capable of producing stronger (higher alcohol content) beers. Saccharomyces uvarum—so called “bottom fermenting” or “lager” yeast—is more fragile. … If the only beer you had ever tasted were heavy and hoppy ale beer, lager would indeed be a revelation to you.

Is Guinness beer a lager or ale?

Color in beer is misleading in both ales and lagers in fact. Guinness Stout—to name just one dark brew consistently dismissed as engine oil by novices—is a actually a light-bodied, low-alcohol ale of around 4.2 to 5.0%ABV, depending on the version you're drinking.