The Slow Disappearance of “Real Beer”
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Posted: October 15, 2007
Categories: Beer Styles, Craft Beer
Tags: Cask Conditioned Beer, Real Ale
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Thats right, I’m talking about cask conditioned beer. What has happened to the beer lovers of this country to make all of those great brewpubs out there give up on their casks?
For those of you out there who know and love cask beer, I’m sure you can identify my dismay on the subject. Cask conditioned beer can be a true treasure for us avid beer drinkers who know the history and delights that the style has to offer.
What Is Cask Ale?
Some people reading this may not realize the beauty in a good cask ale or may not even know what a cask ale is. So, let me first explain what can make these beers so distinctive and why we need to make sure they stay around. Cask beer is brewed in the same way that the regular beers which your local microbrewery provides. Cask beer is then transfered to a cask (also called a firkin) and the yeast is not filtered from the beer during this transfer.
Along with the yeast remaining in the beer, additional hops are added for bitterness and aroma. Since the beer was not separated from the yeast, it continues to work, providing the beer with natural CO2 carbonation rather than a forced carbonation like most brews outside of this style.
The Beer is then hand-pumped to the bar or serving area by what is known as a beer engine, which is basically pulls to beer via siphon from the cask’s cellar to where it is to be poured.
What Makes Cask Beer Different?
There are several factors that distinguish cask ales from the other beers you’ll find on tap. The first thing you will immediately notice when you drink your first cask beer is the temperature. Casks are stored in the cellar, not the cold box with the rest of the kegs.
Cask beer will typically be served around 15 degrees warmer than the regular draft beers. This may turn some beer drinkers off immediately, but the rewards of an intensified flavor and distinct mouthfeel are some attributes that can really puts cask beer apart from the standards.
If you’re not interested in the sound of a warmer beer, look over some of CFWAY’s posts about beer temperature to familiarize yourself:
Another signature element present in cask beer is a creamier body, which lends both to the mouth-feel and taste as stated earlier. The body is creamier because the beer is naturally carbonated, often resulting in less carbonation than a force carbonated beer. Less carbonation means less air in your beer, the result is creamy, delicious treat.
Do remember that cask beers can only be ales. Ales are typically the only beers that should be consumed at a higher temperature due to the fact that they are
usually more heavily hopped, which acts as a natural preservative and the warmer temperature is more likely to reveal and off flavors that a lager might have.
Many brewpubs are giving up their cask offerings because the general public doesn’t seem to have a pallet for these unique beers that are quickly becoming a rarity in the U.S. Mainly because when a brewer puts on a cask beer, there is really only a short window of time for the beer to be sold before it is no longer a good product, usually 4-7 days, but higher alcohol beers can stay on cask for a longer period of time.
And if you ask any brewer what he hates to do the most, it’s probably dumping the beer he worked hard to produce right down the drain instead of into the glasses of customers who make him money.
Try a Cask Brew Next Time
So the next time you venture to your local brewpub for an evening of craft beer, ask the bartender if there is a cask conditioned ale available. Try to notice the differences between the cask beer and the other colder, more carbonated beers you sample that evening. And if you know and love these beers already, make sure you voice your opinion so we can keep these beers around for the enjoyment of all craft beer drinkers.
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Nice to see you around here Johnny.
Miss you, John. You always write great posts!
This ties in nicely with my latest post.
I have a few comments on your article, though:
“Along with the yeast remaining in the beer, additional hops are added for bitterness and aroma”
Not true in most cases. Yes, lots of cask beers are dry hopped, but only a minority.
The Beer is then hand-pumped to the bar or serving area by what is known as a beer engine
Not necessarily. Cask ale can be served in a number of ways without compromising the natural carbonation. The simplest method is simply tapping the barrel on stillage or on the bar and then dispensing via gravity. There is no need for a bar to install a beer engine set up to serve cask ale. There are also air pressure and even electric pump systems in use in some parts of the UK - they’re pretty rare though.
Cask beer will typically be served around 15 degrees warmer than the regular draft beers.
You’re right to say “typically”, because there’s no reason why you can’t lower that temperature. For example, Fullers serve it’s golden ale Discovery chilled by cooling the lines. Because of this, this comment isn’t accurate:
Do remember that cask beers can only be ales
Bottom fermented beers can be cask conditioned, and indeed they sometimes are, in the UK and elsewhere. I appreciate the point about temperature, but then there’s no reason you can’t chill the beer line if you’re using a beer engine or insulate the cask if you aren’t. Beer is served directly from tapped barrels on the bar in German taverns without difficulty - see here.
The simplest method is simply tapping the barrel on stillage or on the bar and then dispensing via gravity. There is no need for a bar to install a beer engine set up to serve cask ale.
This is totally possible, but I doubt breweries that also feature food would want some gnarly barrel sitting out in plain view. I guess metal kegs would have to be used.
Bottom fermented beers can be cask conditioned, and indeed they sometimes are, in the UK and elsewhere.
True, technically lagers can be cask conditioned. But on your site you say in a comment that this is “in theory”. I’d love to try a cask lager. Any examples?
I think a barrel on or behind the bar looks great!
As for examples of cask lagers, try Harviestoun Schiehallon or Cain’s Lager for starters. I could name about half a dozen others from Britain. Also, I believe some US breweries such as Brooklyn make their lagers available in cask form.
I hope I can get my hands on some cask lager then. We’ll see though — even cask ale is rare in my hometown
All good comments on my post. This site is geared towards everybody, from the person who knows nothing about beer to someone who has studied different styles and processes involving the production and serving of beer (like yourself). This post does leave out every little detail regarding cask beer, but if included everything I could, the post would be four pages long and no one would care to read it. This one is about the majority of cask beers you’ll find in the U.S., Cheers.
Check this out if you’re in the Philly area.
Where to find Cask Beer (Real Ale) in the Philadelphia area.
http://www.caskalekev.blogspot.com/