Beer is the broad category that is made up of ales and lagers (and some hybrids).  Ale was the only form of beer up until the accidental discovery of lager.  Fermented under warmer conditions, usually somewhere between 50° to 77°F, ales tend to have a more complex taste and are brewed for a shorter period of time than lagers.

 

Ales can be aged like wine and spirits.  There are some sour ales and lambics that actually use the wooden barrels from wine and distilled spirits to age the beer, giving them a very unique taste and complexity.  

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Probably the biggest distinction you'll here between ales and lagers is where the yeast flocculate. Flocculate simply means "to gather"(be sure to check out the Craft Beer Glossary).  With ales the yeast like to hang out at the top of the fermentation tank.