English cask ale

for anyone interested in trying some American Cask Conditioned Ales then you can do no better than visit the longest established Beer Festival selling American Cask Conditioned Ale. Yes The Great British Beer Festival 12th - 16th August at Olympia in London where we will have 105 casks of lovely beer for you.

 

I know of two places near me that offer authentic cask ale. Both places are English-style pubs.

I had an opportunity to try cask-aged Bell's Two-Hearted and I thought it was a revelation, but some others I was with said they didn't care for it.

 

I've seen cask beer at several bars here in the US. Victory normally has a few cask offerings at their brewery. Their Uncle Teddy's Bitter is awesome.


According to their website they currently have HopDevil, Summer Love, Uncle Teddy's, and Headwaters on the hand pumps.

 

When in SF I highly recommend OP to check out Magnolia's on Haight and Masonic - they specialize in English-style ales and have several on pump. Toronado down the hill usually has a 2-4 from cask as well.

 

If in Baltimore, you would be happy to visit the Pratt Street Ale House, a venue that has been solid behind the English-style of cask ales (including some hevenly porters and stouts); another venue would be Wharf Rat, which also features these type of beers - Oliver Ales to be precise.

 

Cask ale has never been, and never will be a novelty if done right. It is my favorite form in which beer is dispensed (not so say you can't be in pubs, even in the UK that serve cask in deplorable condition). Experiencing well conditioned cask and UK beers in traditional settings, like experiencing the beer culture in any country is amazing. It has nothing to do with hype, rarity, or true novelty. In many ways, almost the opposite in what the US "beer culture" as become (at least what is often portrayed on this and similar beer websites in the States).

One more edit...Hay Merchant in Houston has 5 casks on at all times. Almost always in great condition. While I think some cask they have on offer fall into the novelty category, like DIPA's with any number of peppers, and spices thrown in. Many times is just Saint Arnold Ellisa, 512 Pecan Porter, or something from Real Ale. Which are amazing.

 

I know several bars near me that always try to have a cask beer and I do like to try what they have. Personally I would love to see more English style cask ales, they are a real treat to have the few times I had a chance to try them.

 

I love cask....IF it's properly done. Numerous bars around Boston have beers on cask, but many treat it as a selling point and the cask is a mess. Unless I know it's a bar that handles cask properly, I refuse to order it.

Fortunately, NERAX (New England Real Ale Exbihibition) has an all-cask event twice per year in Massachusetts with both US and UK casks (imported from the UK). It is a truly unique festival and the beer is delicious! NERAX is easily my favorite beer event of the year.

 

Have seen, and drink, cask ales in Vancouver, Toronto, Seattle, SF... It's not as easy to find as, say, an IPA, but it's there if you go to the right places.

 

I think cask conditioned ales are a great idea also. I've had a Stout and an IPA on cask at Arbor Brewing in Ann Arbor, both were excellent. A couple of new breweries in the Detroit Metro area are listing some cask ales, but I haven't been to either one yet.

 

If you come to Boston, there's a fest a couple times a year of all cask-conditioned beers. Usually split about 50 - 50 European (mostly Great British, but there have been a few firkins of German beers the past couple years) and American; mostly Northeast - though Stone sent a cask of Ruination some years back that was phenomenal.
look up NERAX ( www.NERAX.org)
There are a ton of bars that serve cask beers here in the New England area, and a lot of them actually consult with the NERAX folks to make sure it's done right.

 

This is the kind of beer scene I want to see common and widespread. Ales light enough you can drink them as sessionable fresh from cask, and with enough taste and complexity you can enjoy more of them. Which makes the pubs sociable and lively. I want more session ales, these styles are easy to quaff and an art of their own. I can enjoy them year round and never be bored. Cask Ale for me.

 

Casks go very quickly around here, though I'm not sure why many places list it as "___ on firkin". One of my favorite new locals taps one (of their own) every Friday. I prefer Red's Rye, one I always call "my desert island beer", on cask, and would love to try more of my favorites. Bitters of course, but also strongs in particular.

 

See my post above, although I think we disagree on the conditions of the casks at Boston bars. Admittedly they've slowly improved as beer increases in popularity, but I'm still a bit hesitant when it's not a bar that I know properly handles cask.

 

At this point things are fine. Better than ever really. Only time will tell.

 

I love cask ale & wish I saw it more often around here. Having said that, if not handled, dispensed & sold quickly, I would just as soon pass. If I see it in a new place, I try to get a sample first. James Mc Nellies in Tulsa does a great job with the Marshall ales they rotate through there for the most part. If I could get a pint like I was getting in England every day. I would be much fatter! Loved me some Fullers London Pride & ESB, don't even give them the time of day here in bottled or keg form, mere shadows of their Cask versions...

 

We have lots of cask options here in Seattle. Many of our beer bars and brew pubs have at least one cask. We also have a yearly fest that features several dozen breweries bringing several beers to be served via cask. And we have a brewery, Machine House Brewing, that brews only traditional English styles which are all served on cask at their taproom (usually 5 beers).

As if that's not enough, you can get cask beer at Safeco Field when watching the game:
http://blog.seattlepi.com/washingto...ners-add-cask-conditioned-beer-to-the-lineup/

 

Having spent my formative years in England, I love cask ale. Just ensure that it's well-kept and there really is nothing else like it.

 

Mmmmm...Fuller's ESB & countless other bitters on cask in London is what did me in to this craft. Couldn't drink too many! Thankfully they were all around 4% or I wouldn't remember any of the historical sites we went there for!