So I am very familiar with the main Boston beer bars and am a devoted fan of several. Slightly different question here. (although the answer could be the same) Strictly speaking of real cask ale.... which are the best/most consistent bars to enjoy a quality pink fo cask? THanks
Personally, I find the CBC to be the most consistent in terms of quality and availability. Whether it's something offbeat or a dry-hopped version of one of their standards, I'm almost always impressed. Redbones generally has at least one on, but I find the offerings to be very hit or miss. Lord Hobo hits for a high average with quality, but they're not likely to have one on most times I'm in. I'm really interested to see where this goes. I can't say that I know of any one spot in particular where I'd be confident in walking in knowing I could get a quality pint of cask as a go-to.
Agreed with CBC. I feel like it's usually just a simple IPA offering though, maybe dry-hopped. But I'll (shockingly?) say that British Beer Co's are the place to go for a reliable cask at all times - tasty, fresh, and reasonably priced. I frequent the Walpole location, where there is always one on, and usually it's something pretty interesting. I've had casks ranging from Brewdog, DFH 75 (long before it was bottled), random out of market DIPAs, and all sorts of assorted locals. Bukowski's is usually good for a more run of the mill cask, albeit with a billion dollar price tag. Ditto Stoddard's.
Greg, if you are looking for imported stuff, Deep Ellum usually has something good on, but check their website ahead of time. NERAX has a twitter account that you can follow (or just check the website) that lists who has what cask on when. https://twitter.com/#!/NERAX It is pretty useful and updated frequently.
Cool, loaded that on twitter and 5 minutes later got a Tweet that Wormtown Be Hoppy is on at Lower Depths. I am headed towards Longwood area tonight. Never know where I may end up. Be Hoppy is one of my favorites. On Cask it might be real nice.
And you may already know this, but just in case there is the First Annual Lager Cask Fundraiser For One Mission at The Tavern in Framingham featuring 12 Jack's Abby Lager Casks plus other breweries on Saturday, May 19th from 4pm to 7pm. More info here: https://www.facebook.com/events/355420494509880/
I I enjoy the BBC, however on the south shore, they seem to be lacking on the cask department. At the Plymouth location, I feel they are more on point with beer and beer selection but I don't recall seeing a cask on hand when I have been there. The Pembroke location has cask ale but doesn't know what a cask is, or a least most of the staff doesn't know what cask ale is. The few times I do get it it seems to be hit or miss. I have heard many positives about the BBC in Walpole and I think Framingham. The place to go for cask ale on the south shore is the Union Brewhouse in Weymouth, casks are every Thursday, always fresh ussually last a day or two and are well selected. Facebook ussually has a decent update regarding the cask on hand that day.
If you're in downtown Boston, Stoddard's on Temple Place usually has a few interesting local beers on cask. If you friend/follow/like/whatever-the-verb-is-today them on facebook, they often post about cask beer events.
Thank you! We have a couple more cask events coming up next week. Our Thank You party at Deep Ellum will take place next Monday, May 7 with three UK casks. The second event is at the Tavern at the End of the World on Saturday, May 12 with 1 US & 2 UK casks.
I can vouch for the BBC in Walpole. I'm there often. Cask is usually on and I enjoy it from time to time. Regarding Union Brewhouse - Cask wasn't on last time I was there, but I'm reluctant to get cask from a place that serves me beer in frozen glasses. Poking fun... nice staff down at Union, though.
For what it's worth, CBC had their Pale Ale on cask tonight with Simcoe hops. I hadn't had the pale for a while, so maybe that was it, but it was damn tasty.
Awesome...I'll have to make it a point to sneak over there this week. The hops really pop in their casks.
I was told by a bartender at CBC last year that they recently tweaked their pale ale recipe. I don't often order it at the bar unless its on cask but its a great beer to bring home a growler of.
