1. Cask Ale

2. What is Cask Ale / Real Ale Cask ale is conditioned in the barrel. – Fermentation continues in the barrel for several days – Usually a clarifying agent has been added such as isinglass, finings, Irish moss etc. Cask Ale must be consumed quickly – Low in alcohol – Fresh is best – This beer is very fragile and needs to handled properly

3. Fragile Beer Once a cask is tapped it is exposed to air – Oxidation sets in quickly – CO 2 can be released over time Care must be taken to avoid disturbing the beer Ideal to serve within 3 days

4. Conditioning the Beer Beer goes into the cask just before it hits final gravity (in order to access some remaining fermentable sugars) Yeast is added to the cask in addition to priming sugars Conditioning (aging / fermentation) is accomplished at 19-21C for 4-5 days and then is cellared to stop fermentation (2 weeks)

5. Cask Equipment Pin(20 litres) Firkin (40 litres / 9 gallons) Shive – plug on side of cask Spile – allows for venting / goes into Shive – Can be hard (no release of CO2 or soft (some release of CO2) Stillage – rack to hold cask Keystone – where spout goes on the day of cask being tapped Sparklers – similar to nitro faucets – it goes into a beer pump and aerates the beer creating a creamy head

6. Serving Cask Beer Ideal at cellar temperature (12-15C / 52F) Use a beer engine / hand pump