Pale Ale

pale ale. (peiyl eiyl')

    In England, an amber- or copper-colored, top-fermented beer brewed with very hard water and pale malts; the bottled equivalent of a bitter but drier, hoppier, and lighter. Distinct from darker brews such as brown ale, stout, and porter, pale ales are brewed from original wort gravities of 1.044-1.056 (11-14 °B) and contain about 3.4 percent alcohol by volume. Classics of this style include Bass Pale and Worthington's White Shield. Pale ales are sometimes called Burton ales because the popularity of this style of beer originated from the versions brewed in Burton-on-Trent in the 1780s. Syn: light ale. Rarely called: dinner ale. See also: India pale ale.