FraterPerdurabo: See, the problem is that when us non-English types come around and ask for beer, we get served ale! Honestly, I don't see how you guys can drink it. It's warm and it's bitter. And nasty. I have been to a fair amount of places that campaign for 'real ale,' but unfortunately I cannot really tell the difference.
I've only just spotted this sooo small education time.
All beers are not Ales, though all Ales are beers. Entries in brackets after the type below are an example of the beer
Modern Lager,(Fosters), what many people call a beer outside the UK and Ireland it's quick brewed and multi-filtered most of it's flavour comes from the yeast used (and in the US the adding of rice for some reason) uses female hops which give it a sweeter after taste. Cooled to upto 0 degrees usually very fizzy.
Bitter, (Stones), Slower brewing time the Malted barley is lightly flamed giving it a darker colour male hops lead to a MUCH stronger after taste.
Smooth,(John Smiths) close to a bitter but with a much rounder after taste uses a mix of both hops almost coffee flavours (personally preferred over a bitter)
Stout/porter (Guinness) dark roasted malts where almost all the sugar is caramelised very dark almost black colour stronger coffee tastes and hints of chocolate in its flavour
All of the above have nitrogen injected at the tap causing a head and very slight sparkle and normally sold at the same temp as Lagers yes thats right THE SAME TEMP.
Ales, there is nothing set for an ale the only rules are it must be made with 1.Water (duh) 2. Malted barley 3.Hops 4.Yeast. After that anything goes they come in a multitude of flavours, colours they really are a matter of taste and cover everything from Lagers to Porters in flavour and looks. They even branch out a little Buffy's Hop leaf for example uses hop leaves in the brewing process giving it a much more floral flavour. Theres also a cadburies Ale which uses chocolate in the brewing process...
Btw CAMRA (the real ale campaign) also includes continental lagers as part of their charter the only thing they are really against is the modern chemical brewing methods used by companies like Fosters etc in the UK.