Whats the difference between a lager and an ale?

Answer 1

the yeast

a lager uses a yeast that floats, and is typically brewed at a colder temperature.
an ale uses a yeast that sinks, and is brewed at warmer temperatures

Answer 2

The answer is the yeast as others have stated. Lagers are not necessarily filtered, however the fact that the yeast lays on the bottom and dies necessitates moving the fermenting wort to a new tank every so often to avoid off flavors. This helps produce a clearer beer as each time the liquid is moved more particulates are left behind. With that said most beer produced in large batches, lager or ale, is filtered to create a consistent result in the finished product

Answer 3

A modern ale is commonly defined by the strain of yeast used and the fermenting temperature while Lager is the English name for bottom-fermenting beers of Central European origin. Differences between some ales and lagers can be difficult to categorise. Steam beer, Kölsch and some modern British Golden Summer Beers use elements of both lager and ale production. Baltic Porter and Bière de Garde may be produced by either lager or ale methods or a combination of both. However

Answer 4

While Ales and Lagers usually use different yeasts; Ales top and Lagers bottom fermenting. The primary difference is that Lagers are filtered so they appear clearer and less cloudy than Ales.