DtG, your use of "ale" and "beer" intrigued me. The link you gave was for another discussion site, and the users did not really give credit to their source, so , I had to dig further!

Apparently, the distinction of "beer" and "ale" is apparently unique to England! You were 100% correct about the addition of hops. Up until about 1300, the English were drinking "ale" - which was an unhopped brew. I doubt if modern drinkers would recognize it though! It

The English were relative latecomers to the hops experience. Hops had been introduced several centuries earlier. Also, in some of the Baltic countries the word for beer is "alus" , in Estonian it is ölu, in Finnish it's olut,the Swedes call it öl, and the Norwegian and Danish word for beer is øl!   

For more information, I would like to direct you to Michael Jackson's website. No, not the pop singer with all the problems, this is Michael Jackson "The Beer Hunter". He has authored several books on beer, hosted a television series, and if you ever have a chance to attend a tasting that he supervises - go for it!! Here is a page on his website that discusses the above - http://www.beerhunter.com/documents/19133-001511.html

Now I am thirsty again!!