What’s the Difference Between Brewing a Lager to Brewing Other Styles of Beer?

At first glance, brewing a lager might seem very similar to brewing other styles of beer. The core ingredients remain the same: water, malted barley, hops and yeast. However, the key differences lie in the type of yeast used, fermentation temperatures, conditioning time, and often the choice of malt. Together, these factors give lagers their distinctive clean and crisp character.

Yeast: The Biggest Difference

The most important distinction between lagers and ales is the yeast strain used during fermentation.

Lagers are brewed with the yeast strain Saccharomyces pastorianus, while ales typically use Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Lager yeast ferments differently and tends to produce fewer fruity esters and flavour compounds. This results in the clean, smooth and subtle flavour profile that lagers are known for. In contrast, ale yeast produces more expressive aromas and flavours, which is why many ales display notes of fruit, spice or complexity.

Fermentation Temperature

Another key difference is the temperature at which fermentation takes place.

Lagers are typically fermented at cooler temperatures, usually around 7–13°C, while ales ferment at warmer temperatures between 15–22°C.

The colder fermentation slows down yeast activity and reduces the production of flavour compounds. This helps create the crisp, refined character commonly associated with lagers.

The Lagering Process

The term “lager” actually comes from the German word lagern, meaning “to store.”

After fermentation, the beer is held at cold temperatures in a process known as Lagering. This conditioning stage can last several weeks or even months and allows the beer to:

Develop a smoother, more rounded flavour

Become clearer as proteins and yeast settle out

Achieve a balanced and refined finish

While many ales can be packaged relatively quickly, lagers benefit from extended maturation and patience.

The Role of Malt

Although yeast and fermentation temperature play the biggest roles, malt choice is also important when brewing lagers.

Many lagers are brewed using lighter base malts that provide a clean, delicate malt backbone without overpowering the beer. Traditional European styles often rely on high-quality continental malts to achieve this balance.

At Thornbridge Brewery, we often use German lager malts when brewing our lagers. These malts are prized for their purity and consistency, contributing subtle notes of bread, honey and light sweetness that support the crisp finish typical of the style. Their clean profile works perfectly alongside the cold fermentation and extended conditioning that define lager brewing.

Time and Production

Because of colder fermentation temperatures and the additional lagering period, lagers generally take longer to produce than many ales.

An ale might be ready in two to three weeks, whereas a lager may take four to eight weeks or more before it is ready. This extended process also requires careful temperature control and more tank time within the brewery.

A Style Defined by Precision

Lagers are often described as simple or easy-drinking, but that simplicity can make them one of the most challenging styles to brew well. With fewer strong flavours to hide behind, every part of the process, from ingredient quality to fermentation control, needs to be carefully managed.

Classic styles such as Pilsner showcase this beautifully, highlighting delicate malt character and crisp hop bitterness in perfect balance.