What is the difference between keg and cask ale?

What is the difference between keg and cask ale?

First, it’s best to explain exactly what the differences are between the two. In a nutshell, casked beer tends to be less fizzy and served at 11-13°C through a handpull, whereas kegged beer is usually fizzier and served at a cooler temperature, generally between 2-8°C through a beer font.

What are the four most common problems with cask ale?

Research shows that the most common faults on beer dispense are:

• Fobbing 39%
• Temperature 18%
• Head 15% (Source: The Publican)

What is a shilling beer?

Shilling ratings are sometimes denoted by the old currency symbol “/-,” with “80-shilling” becoming “80/-.” The modern drinker, when these antiquated terms are used, simply knows to expect a beer of “normal” strength (4.5% to 5.5% alcohol by volume) to be designated “80 shillings” and something lighter below this …

Why is cask cheaper than keg?

Keg beers cost more to produce than cask beers and customers at the bar expect cask to be cheaper. It’s cheaper than a Peroni will cost and it’s only 80p extra to have that same beer cold (it costs the bar money to chill the beer) and fizzy (it costs the bar and the brewery money to get the beer to the customer fizzy).

What’s the difference between a cask and a barrel?

A barrel is typically large, 55 gallons, and made of wood or metal. A cask is smaller, always made of wood, and intended for the storage of liquids.

Is cask ale the same as real ale?

Cask ale, also known as cask-conditioned beer or ‘real’ ale, is beer that undergoes secondary fermentation in the barrel. Brewers of cask ale don’t interfere with it, they don’t filter it and they don’t pasteurise it. Using a hand-operated hydraulic pump, the beer is then drawn up from the cellar into the glass.

When must cask ale be flushed with water?

If you are fortunate to have surplus cask ale pumps it is good practice to flush through the line with cold water when changing a cask. Dirty beer lines are a major sin. Cellar temperature should always be 11-13°C and remain constant.

Why is my cask ale cloudy?

Beer that comes out of the tap too frothy and gives a pint a head that is too big – known as fobbing – is another common problem and can be caused by high cellar temperatures and dirty beer lines. Too cold and it will chill haze the beer, which will present to the customer as cloudy in the glass.

What is Scottish beer called?

“Scotch ale” was first used as a designation for strong ales exported from Edinburgh in the 18th century. The term has become popular in the US, where strong ales with low hop levels and a malty sweetness which may be available in Scotland under a different name are sold in America as “Scotch ales” and “Scottish ales”.

Why is it called real ale?

Real ale is the name coined by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) for “beer brewed from traditional ingredients, matured by secondary fermentation in the container from which it is dispensed, and served without the use of extraneous carbon dioxide”.

What makes a cask ale special?

Cask ale is kind of special, even in a craft beer realm of “everything is unique and special,” because it’s basically beer from an old timey stance, nothing that Budweiser could ever approach. Cask ale is pumped into the cask with “finings”—stuff that can help clarify the beer.

What is the difference between keg beer and cask beer?

Unlike keg beers, the cask beer can be best served at 55°F, as in this temperature, you can enjoy the beer’s unfiltered texture and allow it to emerge in its original flavor. The word “Cask” can be used for containers of any size that are used for cask-conditioned ale.

What is “cask-conditioned beer”?

But a brewer and a connoisseur will prefer the term “cask-conditioned beer”, for it best expresses the unique character of Britain’s great contribution to the world of fermented grain: a beer that reaches maturity not in the brewery but inside its cask in the cellar of a pub.

What are some common misconceptions about cask beer?

Misunderstandings About Cask Beer. Cask beer is delicate and highly perishable. Consequently, if it is poorly casked or handled, there can be disappointing results. Usual complaints are the beer is totally flat, muddy in appearance or served too warm.