Well put Don, but to say "ale" or "lager" is not enough. You would not order a glass of wine or a plate of food, you need a further description. "Lager drinker" could mean anything. It sounds like it is a reference to a style of commercially made Pilsner, but when people use simple terms like "lager" they are ignoring some fine beers.   If you don't like pizza, you don't necessarily hate all Italian food.

Real ale has become a catchphrase that makes it simple to compartmentalize a certain style of beer. Luckily the world offers much more.