what is lager

Lager is a type of beer that has been brewed and conditioned at low temperatures. The term "lager" comes from the German word for "storage," as the beer was traditionally stored before drinking, often in cool caves where it was fermented. Lagers can be pale, amber, or dark, with pale lager being the most widely consumed and commercially available style of beer. The primary characteristic of lager is that it is a bottom-fermented beer, meaning that the yeasts used to ferment the beer gather at the bottom of the fermentation tank. Lager yeasts can tolerate much lower temperatures than yeasts used for ales, typically between 45 and 55 degrees Fahrenheit, which reduces the number of by-products during the fermentation stage and produces a cleaner, crisper beer. Most lager beer brands are made from fermented barley, which gives the lager its distinctive yellow-brown hue. Lagers rose to prominence in 15th century Germany and were only brewed during the winter months to prevent spoiling, but 19th-century refrigeration techniques made it possible to brew during the summer, too, and made the brew even more accessible.