Do you see lagers on cask?

I hope you get to go sooner than later.

 

Shelton offers a few Franconian lagers on gravity cask. I've actually tossed around the idea of buying one for a Denver BA tasting, but just haven't gotten around to it.
I know that the Bull & Bush has ordered a set of 6 for the last two years. There might be more but I know you can get Mahr's U, Mahr's Hell, Mahr's Bock, Lowenbrau Buttenheim Keller, Weissenohe Bonator, Weissenohe Organic, and Aufsesser Festbier.

 

Yeah Herrburgess said it better than I could. I wasn't necessarily aware of its status as being exemplary for its style, I just knew that I really liked it from the bottle (and I love Mahr's in general). So when I saw it was on cask at NERAX I got excited because I imagined its fruitiness and otherwise (forgive me for this terrible descriptor) ale-like qualities, would work well on cask. Just had no idea others would flock to it at the event. It had its own line while none of the other beers did. Normally you just order from a bar tender who can get you any beer you want.

 

I have had Mahr's Ungespundet-hefetrüb on numerous occasions on draft (CO2), bottled and on cask (multiple times). I personally would not describe it as being fruity or ale-like.

To me the dominant flavor of Mahr's Ungespundet-hefetrüb is a complex malt profile of bready (or doughy), grainy and just a slight hint of caramel. There are hop flavors there but in my opinion they play second fiddle; there are some floral and herbal flavors with just a hint of grass/hay-like flavors. There is also a subtle yeasty flavor to the beer due to the fact it is unfiltered.

The aspect of the cask delivery is that it provides a nice soft mouthfeel which seems to compliment the complex maltiness and background hop flavors nicely.

This may seem to be an oxymoron, but Mahr's Ungespundet-hefetrüb on cask is the most complex but subtle beer that I have ever tasted.

Cheers!

 

That's interesting to hear. I definitely agree with the descriptions of bready, herbal, and caramel. But I do get a noticeable essence of apple, banana, and maybe even a little peach, which I attributed to the unfiltered yeast. I haven't had it on tap yet, only bottles, so I wonder if I'd notice a difference on tap. My lame "ale-like" comment (I really did cringe when I wrote that, hah!) only stems from the fact that all those flavors are things I first associate with British ale, and flavors I personally love to see on cask...which is why I was so interested in trying it.

You said you've had it on cask multiple times - is this all in PA?

 

I definitely get a rather pronounced hop character from fresh Mahr's U. The IBUs are purportedly 30+ for that beer. I can see where you're picking up some apple, as Kellerbier is typically bottled very "young" (especially for a lager), and some of that residual yeast might result in a bit of yeast bite. That said, I've never picked up on any banana.

 

“But I do get a noticeable essence of apple, banana, and maybe even a little peach, which I attributed to the unfiltered yeast.” Well, everybody has a different palate. I personally do not perceive any of those fruit flavors in Mahr's Ungespundet-hefetrüb but I have a different palate than you. I have never read that the presence of yeast can result in fruity flavors being perceived. I do note some yeasty flavors in Mahr's Ungespundet-hefetrüb but those flavors are yeast-like flavors.

From my homebrewing experience, fruity flavors are the result of esters produced by ale yeasts. Since Mahr's Ungespundet-hefetrüb is a lager, brewed with lager yeast (and I assume fermented at colder temperatures), there should be little to no esters in this beer.

“You said you've had it on cask multiple times - is this all in PA?” Yes, the Philly area has an awesome selection of beer both imported and US craft brewed.

Cheers!

 

Not to mention good food there.

 

Sly Fox Brewing will sometimes offer their lagers on cask at the brewpub; they serve them on the beer engine (hand pump):

“Keller Pils
By public demand, an unfiltered version of our award-winning Pikeland Pils straight out of the beer cellar occasionally appears on tap. A Northern German style Pilsner brewed with imported German Pils malt and hopped with German and Czech hops. Light in body, light straw in color, dry and UNFILTERED.
11.7 OG | 44 IBUs | 4.9% ABV”

Standard Pils
A keller, or unfiltered Pils, hopped exclusively with German Spalt hops. Brewed in conjunction with former brewer, and current owner of the Standard Tap, William Reed to be released at the kickoff of Philly Beer Week for 2011 and again in 2012.
11.5 OG | 47 IBUs | 4.8% ABV”

Cheers!

 

Thanks

 

Not to mention they will tap a firkin of the winning goat's Maibock once their spring goat races are over. Apparently they will often tap additional firkins at the brewpub during the month of May.

 

I know that Red Hare Brewing Co. out of Marietta GA, has done a firkin of their Long Day Lager it was infused with lemon and blue berries, quite tasty. They are one of the few GA breweries that make a traditional lager using bottom fermenting yeasts and conditioned longer and colder than their ales.