The normal usage in the UK desn't follow this. Beer and ale are fairly generic terms. "Lager", "Bitter" and "Pale Ale" (for example) are fairly specific. If so

The normal usage in the UK desn't follow this. Beer and ale are fairly generic terms. "Lager", "Bitter" and "Pale Ale" (for example) are fairly specific. If someone says "would you like a beer?" and then offered be a pale ale, a lager or a bitter I wouldn't feel I'd been decieved. They are all beers. If someone says "would you like an ale?" then the ony one that wouldn't quite fit would be the lager.