Traditional cask-conditioned beer is coming back in favor
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Erik Ogershok, head brewer at Real Ale Brewing Company, confirms that firkins are re-emerging as a point of interest in the local scene. “Real Ale has been producing cask ale for upwards of eight years,” he says. “The demand is definitely going up. We just bought 100 additional firkins. We now have 200 firkins, and we’re not even a major player in the U.S.”
Nate Seale, Head Brewer at (512) Brewing Company agrees: “There’s definitely a resurgence going on right now. It’s a combination of people re-appreciating the tradition and the craft in doing it, but also people are recognizing there’s a whole lot of potential for experimentation with firkins, too.”
What makes cask ales appealing to craft beer fans isn’t necessarily the opportunity to geek out on vintage production methods, but the fact that the procedure alters the flavor and drinking experience. Ogershok likes to cask-condition beer for several reasons, including the taste when it’s carbonated naturally instead of artificially. Because the barrels can’t hold high levels of C02, the beer comes out less carbonated, so it’s more mellow, making it easier to drink. “It should also be warmer, which is good. Your tongue is not numb from freezing temperatures, and you can taste the ingredients, spicing or hops,” Ogershok said.
Seale and Ogershok both agree that beers best suited to firkins are those with roots in English styles. “Anything from the pale ale family or U.K. based. American ale styles work well, and in Belgium they do Lambic in firkins,” Ogershok said. “We also do tons of IPAs in casks.” They should also be consumed as quickly as possible, because deterioration begins as soon as the cask is tapped. Ogershok says depending on the beer, when day three hits, the fresh luster starts fading. (External forces can be used to modify the beer inside the cask; this