Cask conditioned beer

I've been there but it sounds like the problem may be worse now than my heyday visits of 15-20 years ago.

It's the Achilles heel of cask ale, sadly.

 

I've mostly had good experiences in Wetherspoons, but have come across the odd one where they were clueless. Or couldn't give a shit.

 

I know US brewers who are very selective about which bars they'll give casks to. With good reason.

 

Go there and get the Bacon Bomb!

 

No doubt, I think bars should also be selective, especially when the latest DIPA with peppers, fruit and basil cask comes out (shudders). I will never forget being at a bar that was serving that. It took all my will power to not laugh at the brewery rep that was giving out samples.

 

That's a shame because my nearest three 'Spoons pubs serve very good beer.Our nearest won our Branch award for the Best Cask Mild in the Mild in may Trail last year.

I so rarely get given even an indifferent pint these days that it makes me wonder where you went. But I live in a cask beer area ,almost all our pubs sell it (a few years ago it was 100% including the clubs as well) and it's the same where I spend the summer months on the North Norfolk coast.Which is an amazing change from not that long ago when cask beer in Norfolk was as rare as three legged unicorns and all you could get was Watneys.

 

My experience was mostly but not entirely in London. The bulk of visits 15-20 years ago, but the last 4 years ago (London).

The experience in London and southern towns was indifferent-to-good. Better in the midlands to north (Leicester, Leeds, Manchester). Pretty bad - this was mid-90's - in Edinburgh. I hope it's better now.

 

Here in UT Squatters/Wasatch makes some pretty tasty cask's.

Cheers!

 

Dude -- all due respect -- u haven't a clue what cask ale is.

 

I had an IPA on cask (Georgetown Lucille) yesterday and found it to bring additional elements in the flavor and texture. Agree that not every beer should be cask conditioned, but a proper one done right is a marvelous thing.

 

For what is essentially a chain of identical pubs, i'm always shocked by how much variance there is between one 'Spoons to the next.

 

Too right. There are two in my town fairly close to each other. One is basically a barn for young revellers and it's keg only, the other is really cosy and has several pumps. I just wish they'd learn how to keep the damn stuff.

 

Then why do you continue drinking there?? Any place large enough to have a Wetherspoons must have at least one other pub serving proper cask ale.

 

I drink at loads of different places. On Saturday I went to six pubs.

 

I'd be interested in hearing if anyone here has been to Macleod's out here in Van Nuys. They specialize in cask conditioned British styles. I've been there once, enjoyed everything but I don't have much experience with casks or British styles.

 

My point was simply if you've "never had a decent pint" there, why do you continue to go to Wetherspoons? Not many would continue to go to a restaurant if they'd never had a good meal there.

 

It's quite popular: http://www.greylodge.com/fri13th.html

 

It's a really nice pub and my friends like it too. They couldn't give a monkeys about the beer.