It's a matter of terminology. From my understanding, some 200+ years ago in the UK, ale was used for non-hopped malt beverages and beer was used for hopped malt

It's a matter of terminology. From my understanding, some 200+ years ago in the UK, ale was used for non-hopped malt beverages and beer was used for hopped malt beverages. The terms eventually evolved to mean the same thing, as pretty much all brews became hopped. The interpretation will vary a lot depending on the culture and the century you are digging into. Some references: https://zythophile.co.uk/2009/12/14/the-long-battle-between-ale-and-beer/ https://zythophile.co.uk/2009/12/14/the-long-battle-between-...