According to CAMRA, who is the authority in the UK, ale is a beer and can also contain hops. http://www.camra.org.uk/about-real-ale http://www.camra.org.uk/abo

According to CAMRA, who is the authority in the UK, ale is a beer and can also contain hops. http://www.camra.org.uk/about-real-ale http://www.camra.org.uk/about-real-ale Also for anyone who likes beer and is visiting the UK, I would recommend having a look at their good beer guide to find the best pubs for beer, or perhaps try to go to one of their sponsored beer festivals.