Nothing like a few words about beer to jump start your brain on a Monday morning, right?
How long did ale and beer remain as separate brews? Most drinkers, I think, know that “ale” was originally the English name for an unhopped fermented malt drink, and beer was the name of the fermented malt drink flavoured with hops, a taste for which was brought to this country from the continental mainland about 1400.
I’m not sure that most American drinkers do. Feel free to educate yourself.