Cask Beer: Where To Buy And Enjoy Fresh Brews

Cask beer is available at various breweries, bars, and online retailers. For instance, the Wooden Cask Brewing Company in Northern Kentucky offers a standard menu of 18 Wooden Cask beers, a rotating menu of small-batch brews, wines, and an extensive bourbon selection. In addition, some online retailers like Oakham Ales and Cask Supply provide cask-aged beers and the equipment to serve them. Cask beer can also be found at specific locations in the US, such as Town Hall Brewpub in Minneapolis, Civil Life in St. Louis, and Machine House Brewing in Seattle.

Where to buy cask beer

Cask beer in the US

Cask beer, otherwise known as "real ale", is an English import from old countryside pubs. It is unfiltered, naturally carbonated, and served at cellar temperature. While it may be an acquired taste, it is growing in popularity in the US.

Where to Find Cask Beer in the US

Cask beer can be found in a number of US cities, including:

• Portland, Oregon: Bailey's Tap Room, which has an ever-rotating selection of hard-to-find microbrews, including two always-tapped firkins.
• Santa Monica, California: The Daily Pint, which pours a rotating selection of cask ales from several SoCal breweries.
• Brooklyn, New York: d.b.a. Brooklyn, a friendly neighborhood beer bar that offers three cask ales on hand pumps and hosts occasional festivals with more than a dozen tapped casks.
• Cambridge, Massachusetts: Lord Hobo, a gastropub that offers three cask lines and often an additional cask on gravity.
• Denver, Colorado: Pints Pub Brewery and Freehouse, housed in a century-old building, offering a traditional English cask ale experience.
• Tulsa, Oklahoma: James E. McNellie's, an Irish-style pub that installed a cask line, bringing cask ales back to the state after many decades.
• Newport, Kentucky: Wooden Cask Brewing Company, a modern microbrewery designed to honor traditional English pubs, with a 4000-square-foot taproom featuring 18 Wooden Cask beers and a rotating menu of small-batch brews.

Cask Beer Festivals in the US

In addition to the above establishments, there are also cask beer festivals held in various US cities, such as the annual cask ale festival at Yards Brewing in Philadelphia.

Cask beer in the UK

Cask beer, or cask ale, is a popular drink in the UK. It is a type of beer that is served from a cask, typically made of stainless steel, and dispensed using a hand pump or beer engine. Cask beer has a rich history in the UK, with its own unique system of measurement that dates back to the mid-15th century. Today, there are many places where you can buy and enjoy cask beer in the UK.

Pubs and Bars

The most traditional place to find cask beer in the UK is at a pub or bar. Many pubs in the UK, especially those that are Cask Marque accredited, serve cask ale. Cask Marque is an independent award given to pubs serving great-quality cask ale. Their qualified assessors check the temperature, appearance, aroma, and taste of the cask ale served in pubs to ensure it is in perfect condition. So, if you're looking for a guaranteed good pint of cask beer, look out for the Cask Marque award when choosing a pub.

Online Retailers

If you're looking to buy cask beer to enjoy at home, there are several online retailers in the UK that specialise in cask beer and ale. These retailers offer a wide range of cask-conditioned beers, carefully selected by experts, and delivered cold and ready to rack. Some popular online retailers for cask beer in the UK include Pivovar, HB Clark, and UK Brewing. These websites offer a variety of cask beers from different breweries, and some even offer advice and resources for serving and dispensing cask ale.

Breweries

Another option for buying cask beer in the UK is to go directly to the source and purchase from breweries. Many breweries in the UK offer fresh cask beer for sale, either for pickup or delivery. Some well-known breweries that offer cask beer include Sharp's Brewery and Timothy Taylor's Brewery. Breweries may also have taprooms or onsite shops where you can purchase their beers to enjoy on-site or at home.

Festivals and Events

Finally, cask beer can often be found at festivals and events in the UK. Beer festivals, such as Cask Ale Week, are a great opportunity to try a variety of cask beers from different breweries. These events often showcase exclusive or limited-edition beers, and you may even be able to purchase casks or polypins to take home.

Storage and Consumption

It's important to note that fresh cask beer has a limited shelf life and should be consumed within a few days of opening. When ordering cask beer for delivery, it's recommended to specify a delivery date or ensure that you are ready to consume the beer upon receipt. Proper storage and dispensing techniques are also crucial to ensure the best quality and experience when enjoying cask beer.

Cask beer in Canada

Cask beer, or real ale, is a beer that is only half-ready when put into the cask and needs to be fermented twice—once in the brewery and once in the pub cellar. Cask beer is typically poured out using gravity without the need for CO2 to push the beer out. Cask beer is often stored in a cask keg, which is made of stainless steel and comes in two main sizes: pins (4.5 gallons/20.46L) and firkins (9 gallons/40.9L).

In Canada, UBC Group is a major supplier and distributor of beer equipment, including cask kegs and parts. They offer fast shipping across Canada, affordable pricing, and a great warranty. Wooden casks and parts are also available from Canadian Homebrew Supplies Inc.

If you are looking to buy cask beer in Canada, Town Hall Brewpub in Minneapolis is known to have beer on cask.

Cask beer online

Cask beer, also known as real ale, is a traditional brew that has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years. This unfiltered and unpasteurised beer is served without the use of extraneous carbon dioxide, giving it a natural carbonation. While it may not be as widely available as other types of beer, there are still plenty of places where you can buy cask beer online.

One option is to visit the website of a specific brewery that produces cask beer, such as Oakham Ales, which offers a range of cask-aged beers for sale on its website. Their beers are cellared like fine wines to allow for the full development of aromas, flavours, and conditioning, resulting in a supremely smooth drink.

Another option is to utilise online resources and apps that can help you locate cask beer suppliers near you. For example, the CaskFinder app provides information on 10,000 accredited pubs and 10,000 beers with tasting notes. It also includes a pump scanner, ale trail, and beer festival finder, making it a comprehensive tool for cask beer enthusiasts.

Additionally, online communities and forums, such as the r/beer subreddit, can be a valuable source of information. Here, beer enthusiasts share their recommendations and experiences, providing insights into specific breweries, pubs, and regions known for offering cask beer.

By combining these online resources and tapping into the knowledge of fellow cask beer aficionados, you can easily find reputable sources for purchasing cask beer online and enjoying this traditional brew from the comfort of your home.

Cask beer equipment

Cask Equipment Kit

The cask equipment kit is the foundation of your setup. It typically includes a firkin, which is a type of cask with a specific capacity of 10.8 US gallons. The firkin is used for storing and serving the beer.

Firkin Cooling Probe

Temperature control is crucial for cask beer. The firkin cooling probe helps maintain the optimal temperature for your beer, ensuring it is served at the perfect drinking temperature.

Beer Engine

The beer engine, also known as a hand pump, is used to draw the beer from the cask. It creates the traditional hand-pulled pint, which is a signature of cask ale. The "single-pull Aston clamp-on beer engine" with a brass finish adds a touch of elegance to your bar.

Cask Tap

The cask tap, or cask shive, is a vital component that allows you to access the beer inside the cask. It typically has an L thread and a single outlet, and it can be made of plastic or other materials.

Other Accessories

Depending on your specific needs, you may also require additional accessories such as a drip tray to catch any spills or a beer line cleaner to maintain the quality and hygiene of your beer lines.

By investing in high-quality cask beer equipment, you will be able to serve delicious, traditional real ales to your customers and provide them with an authentic drinking experience.

Frequently asked questions