Visitors to the U.K. may know it as warm, flat beer. But to cask fans, it’s the suds equivalent of single-malt Scotch. Cask beer is made only from the basic four ingredients: barley malt, yeast, hops, and water. No fizz is added, and it’s properly served at 55 degrees (compared to the U.S. standard of around 40). To serve it, barkeeps manually pull it up from the keg with a hand pump or “beer engine.”
Cask brews contains live yeast. The natural (albeit low-level) carbonation allows contrapuntal themes of malt and hop to develop into a symphony of flavors. It’s nectar, brother! (Counterpoint: The missus describes it as “sour and cardboardy.” Admittedly, it’s an acquired taste.)
Until
recently, you had to go across the pond to acquire it. No longer. Local Surly
Brewing is offering cask versions of its beers, and a few brewpubs and bars
around the Cities are “pulling the beer engine” on local and imported
casks.
Where to Get It Warm and Flat
Bars that serve cask typically have special nights when they offer it, because tapping the kegs—and letting the beer “rest” at various points along the way—is a time-consuming process.
The Bulldog
Wednesday nights
401 East Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 612-378-2855
www.thebulldogmpls.com
The Happy Gnome
Thursday nights
498 Selby Ave., St. Paul, 651-287-2018
www.thehappygnome.com
Barley John’s Brew Pub
Tuesday nights
781 Old Highway 8, New Brighton, 651-636-4670
www.barleyjohns.com
Town Hall Brewery
Every night
1430 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis, 612-339-8696
www.townhallbrewery.com
Surly Brewing’s casks are served at bars and restaurants all over the Twin Cities, and not always at set times. The brewery’s Web site (www.surlybrewing.com) will tell you where you can sample it.
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