Cask Conditioning

I was thinking about doing an Oktoberfest and cask conditioning it until October. I don't know anything about cask conditioning and hoping for some help. Give me any information that would help. Thanks

This thread may offer some help, at least for serving.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=10529


EDIT: Welcome to the boards.

thanks man...will definately help on servin...still don't how to get it started tho...what type of cask do I need and any other info would be great.

Until someone smarter than me steps up...I can't see why you couldn't use a corny keg. A local bar here serves cask ale and I assume its served from a regular stainless steel keg.

I know there are several members with more insight, hopefully you'll get a few more bites.

greatly appreciated...i was trying for a more tradtional version...using a wood cask and actually hammering in a tap and all that... trying to be festive.haha

Slappy White said:

greatly appreciated...i was trying for a more tradtional version...using a wood cask and actually hammering in a tap and all that... trying to be festive.haha

Click to expand...

Would it be carbonated?

yeah...i would add sugar like if I was bottling instead of using a CO2 system. Im just guessing that would work. I'm not sure...

There is a podcast from basic brewing that covers cast conditioning... hmm.. I'll try to look up the link..

Edit: here it is: http://cdn3.libsyn.com/basicbrewing/bbr12-06-07cask.mp3

As far as I know I believe that cask conditioning would be carbing the old fashion way ie add your sugar and let it sit. Cask ale for serving purposes is by which you would not use CO2 to move the beer out of the keg rather you would either pump it out or pore it out (firkin). Cask ales are open to the air allowing air to effect the beer, but this is only in serving, the carbing is much like you would carb in the bottle add the sugar to the beer and seal up the keg. I do this all the time with my beer because I don't like the idea of force carbing for one I don't like wasting the CO2 and for another it just gives all the more time for my beer to age, I usually let my beer naturally carb for a at least 2 weeks and I don't know any reason why you couldn't do this for months even years depending on the beer.

What type of wood is best for casking an oktoberfest. I'm doing a 5 gallon batch, so should I get a cask that leaves little room for air or leaves a good bit of room? What way do you get the beer out of the cask?

Thanks for all of your help so far. I'm definately getting a better idea of how to go about this.

That podcast was right on. Thanks.