Answer to Question 1
The intention of novelty beers (or as the industry uses the phrase extreme beer) is to appease a small group of the consuming marketplace, yet garner a larger amount of interest and contention along the way with the broader mainstream public. The novelty beers are something original and interesting or exciting, though often for only a limited time. The range of novelty can be quite mild and or extremein some examples even shocking.
Answer to Question 2
Ales are usually copper in color but sometimes darker, and they use a top-fermenting style yeast strain (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) that is generally fermented at warmer temperatures (5570F.) and relatively quickly in about 35 days. Ales convert less sugar into alcohol leaving a more noticeable body with some slight residual sugar after fermentation. At these relatively warmer fermentation temperatures ales produce by-products called esters that are more evident in taste and aromawhich many regard as a distinctive character of ale beers.
Lager category of beers utilizes bottom-fermenting yeast strain (Saccharomyces uvarum or carlsbergensis) which means they ferment toward the bottom of the fermenting vessel. Lagers typically undergo a lengthy 715 days primary fermentation period at cold temperatures (between 45 and 55F). Lagers style beers are typically given a long secondary fermentation (ranging from 32 to 39F) throughout what is referred as the lagering phase.