FAQ
What is the difference between ale and lager?
What is the taste difference between Molson's Dry and Ice beers?
What are the origins of dry beer?
Does "light" beer refer to lower calories or lower alcohol?
What are all the types and characteristics of the beers that Molson makes?
What is the difference between ale and lager?
The key difference between an ale and a lager is the type of yeast used in fermentation. Ales are fermented with what are known as "top-fermenting" yeasts and lagers are made from "bottom-fermenting" yeasts. In addition, ale and lager yeast strains lend their own particular flavour and aroma characteristics to the beer. Other differences between ales and lagers depend largely on the ingredients traditionally used to brew them.

Ales were traditionally brewed in the British Isles, whereas lagers developed as part of the Continental European brewing tradition. Ales are often served warmer than lagers, which reflects the temperature at which they were actually fermented.

Ales are typically fermented warm (at about room temperature) with a yeast that rises to the top of the beer near the end of fermentation. Ale fermentations are generally of a shorter duration than lagers, although the cold ageing time may be just as long. Ale recipes often contain a higher amount of hops, malt and roasted malts; hence they typically have a more pronounced malty taste and bitterness. The warmer fermentation temperature also lends a distinctive nutty and spicy character to ales.

Historically, lager beers were of German tradition, brewed in the alpine caves of Bavaria and other parts of Europe where cooler temperatures prevailed. Lagers are typically fermented with yeast adapted to low temperatures (8-15°C or 46-59°F), hence the fermentations are of longer duration as compared to ales. At the end of fermentation lager yeast settles to the bottom of the tank where it is collected for reuse. The term "lager" comes from the German word "lagern" which means to "store". Lagers are stored at low temperature and usually for longer times than are ales. This low temperature process combined with a bottom-fermenting yeast results in distinctively milder, more fruity aromas and a clean crisp taste. The perceived bitterness is often, though not necessarily less intense than for ales.
What is the taste difference between Molson's Dry and Ice beers?
The Molson Dry recipe was created to produce a very smooth, clean beer possessing a delicate hop aroma, a smooth finish and no aftertaste. This is done by creating the precise brewing and fermenting conditions required to reduce the amount of residual sugars in the finished beer without sacrificing taste. Molson also uses a special blend of imported "noble" hops added at a critical point in the brewing process to enhance the brew's hop aroma and deliver a smooth and pleasant bitterness to the beer.

The Molson Black Ice recipe was developed to create a beer with its own unique flavour, aroma and bitterness in a beer of higher alcohol content. In addition, Black Ice is brewed using a unique ice filtration process, which has the effect of smoothing out the flavour by removing more of the harshness of certain natural beer tannins. The Ice Brewing process delivers beers of higher alcohol strength without the harsh taste.
What are the origins of dry beer?
Dry brewing originated in Japan in 1987 when Asahi introduced Asahi Super Dry. With a taste unlike regular Japanese beer, which until then had been modeled after traditional full-bodied German beer, Asahi Super Dry was an immediate success in Japan.

This prompted Kirin, Japan's largest brewer, to introduce Kirin Dry, which also became a hit with Japanese beer drinkers. When Japanese brewers started exporting dry beer to the United States, U.S. brewers took notice and soon offered their own versions of dry beer.

With the launch of Molson Special Dry in 1989, Molson became the first major Canadian brewer to introduce a dry beer. Characterized by a distinctively smooth taste and a clean finish with no aftertaste, Molson Special Dry was an instant hit with Canadians and soon became one of Molson's most popular beers.
Does "light" beer refer to lower calories or lower alcohol?

The "light" designation has a different meaning in Canada than in the U.S. In Canada, the definition of "light beer" is a beer of 4% or less alcohol per volume and 2.6% or more alcohol per volume. Calories are not considered in the Canadian definition. In the U.S, however, "light" refers to fewer calories.

Some brewers use a special process to break a portion of the unfermentable sugars into simpler, fermentable ones, creating a beer with fewer calories and an alcohol content comparable with regular beer. Such a beer, having fewer calories than its full-strength version but greater than 4% alcohol, would attain a "light" designation in the U.S. but a "regular" designation in Canada.

What are all the types and characteristics of the beers that Molson makes?

With more than 40 popular brands, Molson Breweries makes a beer for virtually all tastes. From refreshing lights to the fuller taste of traditional ales and lager beers, Molson brews beers that are found in the following main categories:

Lager

Lagers are made with our own bottom-fermenting yeast fermented slowly at cool temperatures and cold aged in our cellars. The end results are the smooth, crisp, clean tasting beers that are gaining more popularity worldwide.

Ales

Ales are brewed in the traditional manner at warmer temperatures (18-20ºC) with our own true ale or top-fermenting yeast. Ales are traditionally more spicy and malty in flavour with a distinctive hop character.

Light

Light beers are brewed in a similar fashion to ales and lagers but contain less alcohol and calories than regular strength beers. Light beers in Canada range between 2.6% and 4% alcohol by volume.

Dry

Dry beers are lagers that are "dry brewed" to create a beer with a smooth, clean character and minimal aftertaste. Dry beers are typically 10-15% higher in alcohol than regular beers.

Ice

Molson uses its unique ice filtration process to create Ice beers, which have a distinctive full-flavoured, clean taste for superior freshness and perfect drinkability. Molson is a leader in the ice beer category.

Non Alcoholic

Non-Alcoholic beer appeals to those who like the taste of beer, without the effects of consuming alcohol.

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