Pale ale is a name given to beers using pale malts which are top fermented. It is another name for Bitter. The term pale was first used to distinguish them from dark porters. For a while Brewers would often use the term Pale Ale when selling the beer in bottles, and Bitter when selling the beer from the cask; but over time this distinction has vanished.

India Pale Ale was a British October Pale Ale beer bought for export to India. This beer made prominent use of hops, unlike the Porters and other dark, mildly hopped beers which were common at that time, which helped to preserve the beer on the long voyage. This Pale Ale was copied by the Burton brewers and became the Bitter of today.

In the USA, the Association of Brewers ([1]) has defined an American-style pale ale as ranging in color from deep golden to copper, with a bitterness, flavor, and aroma dominated by hops. Pale ales have medium body, and low-to-medium maltiness.

Common Pale Ales

• Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Pale Ale (UK)
• Timothy Taylor's Dark Mild (UK)
• Bass Ale (UK)
• Sierra Nevada (USA)
• Coopers (Aus)
• Summit's Extra Pale Ale (US)