ItвЂ™s important to note that lager is not a type, but rather a family of beers that includes bright lagers, amber lagers, dark lagers, bocks, doppelbocks, kellerbiers, rauchbiers, Oktoberfests and, maybe the most popular, pilsners. There are outliers in the lager and ale categories.)

Ales are also generally fermented at room temperature, while lagers are fermented in cold cellars, usually in the range of 45-55 degrees Fahrenheit. An ale, on the other hand, is made with top-fermenting yeast.

So what exactly makes a lager? A lager is a beer thatвЂ™s made with a bottom-fermenting yeast - a yeast that, when itвЂ™s done fermenting, drops to the bottom of the tank. вЂњBut in general craft lagers can be great gateways to the wide world of craft beer.вЂќ вЂњThis is not to say that a first-time drinker wouldnвЂ™t appreciate the bold roasted flavors, big body of a stout, or the bitter hops of an IPA,вЂќ says Mark Hunger, master brewer at Great Lakes Brewing Co. Lacking the hoppy nose or acidic bite that people attribute to craft beer, craft lagers are approachable yet much more flavorful and complex than a Budweiser. And despite their mainstream appeal, recent years have seen a big bloom in lagers made by craft breweries, previously the domain of ales.ДЇor craft breweries itвЂ™s a win-win scenario. TheyвЂ™re inherently drinkable: not hoppy, bitter or malty like their IPA counterparts. The most popular beers in America - Bud Light, Coors Light, Budweiser and Miller Lite - are all types of lager.

American pilsner beer brands