Anyone making any Real Ale?

[jacksonbrown]

Just wondering if anyone out there is making any Real Ale. For those unfamiliar, real ale is cask conditioned, gravity poured, generally served room temp and with with carbonation in 1.5-2.0 range (please correct that if I'm wrong).
Also I'm wondering, since i don't own a cask to condition in, could I just bottle condition any old ale and serve it at cellar temp and simply add less dextrose to achieve lower vols (thank you Beersmith)? Or is there something more that goes into it? Great Taste of the Midwest had a Real Ale tent which was excellent! I spent much of my time there as there were many good brews to sample.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

Er, That's what all us ale brewers are doing, but without the cask! This could turn out to be an interesting thread!

This old thread might interest you. https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=16366&highlight=camra

It's full of people dismissing the very thing you are looking for!

PS Follow the link to CAMRA. They saved Britain from BMC but some people don't realise that in the thread. CAMRA was intended as an antidote to commercial breweries and is right behind home brew.

 

[jacksonbrown]

I guess to clearify, I'm wondering if anyone uses as cask for conditioning and serving.

 

[zoebisch01]

Hehe, good catch. You almost had the whole forum coming down on you .

I personally haven't done the cask thing. I am not sure many here have.

 

[Revvy]

A couple of people have built beer engines for it....https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=10529&highlight=Beer+engine

 

[TheFlatline]

Most of the conditioning casks I've seen run to the absurd expense (80 bucks for half gallon????) and I doubt I'll do anything like that.

Also, to make "real" ale, you'll probably have to do some wild fermentations until you get something that works, and reuse that yeast trub like nobody's business.

Finally, if you want to make Renaissance or earlier "ale", ditch the hops and use other bittering agents. Beer around Elizabeth's reign was made with hops, ale was made with everything else.

Just don't ask me what pissgreens are.

 

[Orfy]

I have cask conditioned.

Real ale doesn't have to be gravity served. A pump is more normally used although I generally gravity served due to not having a pump.

Bottle conditioned is also classed as real ale.

So lots of people on here do.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

As stated by Ohio, almost all of use have made real ale. That is just another way of saying non-force carbonated, or bottle-conditioned, and generally implies a better quality beer. As far as casks go, I would really like to do it someday, but as mentioned earlier, for now it is cost prohibitive.

I think serving from a cask would only be realistic for a party, else you would end up with flat beer.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

I have cask conditioned.

Real ale doesn't have to be gravity served. A pump is more normally used although I generally gravity served due to not having a pump.

Bottle conditioned is also classed as real ale.

So lots of people on here do.

Can we have some cask porn pics please?

 

[Sir Humpsalot]

I bottle in growlers sometimes and use a deliberately low carbonation level to prevent explosions. I feel this is close to cask conditioned... you've got the low CO2, the O2 presence, etc. All that's missing is the pump and sparkler!

 

[DubbelDach]

Can we have some cask porn pics please?

We filled a pin with IPA 2 months ago and drank it recently. Had about 15 people over to kill it. Dryhopped the IPA with a big bag o'Cascade leafs.

Filling it, to serving it, to taking the hop bag out, to seeing the yeast sludge in the bottom:

http://s268.photobucket.com/albums/jj39/bamjaydoc/RYPA_pin/

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

http://s268.photobucket.com/albums/jj39/bamjaydoc/RYPA_pin/

Oh yeah!!...Oh baby!! Stick it in my face!!


oops! sorry....gotta clean up the mess now.

 

[DubbelDach]

Oh yeah!!...Oh baby!! Stick it in my face!!


oops! sorry....gotta clean up the mess now.

Yeah.... Those pics at the end there in the bathtub, I pulled out the sack and it dripped all over my pants (I was a little tipsy), and.......

Wait, we talking about cask porn still?

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

Yeah.... Those pics at the end there in the bathtub, I pulled out the sack and it dripped all over my pants (I was a little tipsy), and.......

Wait, we talking about cask porn still?

Er, I'm not sure, but this was the money shot for me!

 

[jacksonbrown]

Sweet! I love the beerporn.

 

[Revvy]

Well that gave me a chubby!

Where did you get the pin? And did you modifiy it? (I noticed that there's a welded piece with a bung hole (man, that sounds suggestive) on the top.

Can one of these be modified and used as a pin?

I'd drink me some two hearted ale, or water my lawn with heinie's if I could make a mini pin out of it...especially if I could make it work with one of those DIY beer engines.

 

[flyangler18]

Man, I'd love to try this! Definitely give us the scoop on where you got the pin!

Build journal perhaps?

 

[homemadebeer]

not sure if it counts as "real ale" but i tried an unhopped spice ale recipe once.. in the style of ye olde englande

it was interesting, but i'm not desperate to try it again

 

[mmb]

Love buying the Bell's mini kegs. It's a great excuse to drink a bunch of beer and get totally blotto.

"But honey, if I don't get this done this weekend, it'll "ruin" the beer with O2."



I want a cask breather like the Pastor has on his alter. I've a good ESB that needs to be low carb pushed.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

not sure if it counts as "real ale" but i tried an unhopped spice ale recipe once.. in the style of ye olde englande

it was interesting, but i'm not desperate to try it again

Not surprising it wasn't good. In those days beer was not so much about enjoyment, more about disease control. Interesting experiment though!

 

[david_42]

I guess my early use of 5L kegs would qualify as REAL ale. The dispensing system I had never held pressure.

I don't see much difference between a pin and a cornie. I use just enough pressure to dispense for most of my ales, but using a beer engine does change the flavor. Even more so, if you use a sparkler.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

I guess my early use of 5L kegs would qualify as REAL ale. The dispensing system I had never held pressure.

I don't see much difference between a pin and a cornie. I use just enough pressure to dispense for most of my ales, but using a beer engine does change the flavor. Even more so, if you use a sparkler.

I'm not criticising here, not in the least. Just doing some chest beating here.

That "Real ale" tag is not really relevant on this forum. It was a campaign tag used by CAMRA to get their point across against carbonated pasturised keg beer in the days when they needed such a device to stop Britain being over run with BMC style brewers. WE the bottlers and caskers are the "Real ale" brewers of America, even more so than some of the micros. Viva la revolution!

Hmmmm Now I come to think on it, maybe America could get a boost for the micros from a USA styled CAMRA!? :rockin:

 

[menschmaschine]

Hmmmm Now I come to think on it, maybe America could get a boost for the micros from a USA styled CAMRA!? :rockin:

I've thought about this. We could call it CAMBRIA... CAMpaign for a Beer Revolution In America.

 

[homemadebeer]

Not surprising it wasn't good. In those days beer was not so much about enjoyment, more about disease control. Interesting experiment though!

well the english resisted hops for a few centuries after flemish immigrants started using them

so i figured there might be some reason why to it

and i wouldn't say it tasted BAD, just that the spices in my recipe didn't really balance the malt profile.. it starts off tasting great, but you quickly tire of it. it "fatigues" the palate if that makes sense.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

I've thought about this. We could call it CAMBRIA... CAMpaign for a Beer Revolution In America.

Or.. Cohesive Revolution Against P!sswater

Or maybe not.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

well the english resisted hops for a few centuries after flemish immigrants started using them

so i figured there might be some reason why to it

and i wouldn't say it tasted BAD, just that the spices in my recipe didn't really balance the malt profile.. it starts off tasting great, but you quickly tire of it. it "fatigues" the palate if that makes sense.

Probably just 'cos Brits are stubborn and/or a bit dumb. The Romans showed us plumbing, and we forgot all about that too until about three years ago.

 

[menschmaschine]

Probably just 'cos Brits are stubborn and/or a bit dumb. The Romans showed us plumbing, and we forgot all about that too until about three years ago.

Dude, you're hilarious. Glad to have you on here... you just crack me up.

I always wondered in the UK if they ever heard of a mixing valve... or am I really supposed to put a plug in the drain of a nasty public restroom sink and fill it up with warm water from separate hot and cold taps to wash my hands?:cross:

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

I always wondered in the UK if they ever heard of a mixing valve... or am I really supposed to put a plug in the drain of a nasty public restroom sink and fill it up with warm water from separate hot and cold taps to wash my hands?:cross:

I always used the toilet bowl for hand washing. If it was too cold then you just pee in it first. I never used the brown soap though, it was kinda sticky.

 

[Eskimo Spy]

I'm making a Hogs Back Traditional English Ale right now. While I'm not cask conditioning, I am bottle conditioning, using 1.3 volumes of CO2 to try and truly replicate the style.

It's for a brit that I work with, he is from the Tongham, Surrey area. Hogs Back is a small brewery in that area, and he loves their TEA and summer ale, and he really wanted a "real ale" like he could get back home, so I offered to try. I hope I hit this one out of the park, he's a really great guy.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

I'm making a Hogs Back Traditional English Ale right now. While I'm not cask conditioning, I am bottle conditioning, using 1.3 volumes of CO2 to try and truly replicate the style.

It's for a brit that I work with, he is from the Tongham, Surrey area. Hogs Back is a small brewery in that area, and he loves their TEA and summer ale, and he really wanted a "real ale" like he could get back home, so I offered to try. I hope I hit this one out of the park, he's a really great guy.

That is my exact same reason for brewing here. So I can get a little of what I grew up with. Your friend will NOT be dissapointed with your effort.

 

[Revvy]

WE the bottlers and caskers are the "Real ale" brewers of America, even more so than some of the micros. Viva la revolution!

Preach it brotha 'Brit!!!

I wrote us up a theme song!!!

Battle Hymn of the "Homebrew-public" Lyrics by Revvy


Mine tongue has known the glory of the taste of real ale;
Whether homebrewed or micro, no matter stout or pale;
It hath loosed the tongue of many be it a man or female;
Ale's truth is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Our Homebew-jah! Glory! Glory! Homebew-jah!!
Glory! Glory! Homebew-jah!! Ale's truth is marching on.

I have seen the ads for all sorts of tasteless Macro Beers;
They have builded it an altar on their lies and on our jeers;
But I can taste real ale's flavors through the veil of my tears;
Ale's day is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Homebew-jah! Glory! Glory! Homebew-jah!
Glory! Glory! Homebew-jah!! Ale's truth is marching on.

Ale is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave;
It is Wisdom to the mighty, It is Succour to the brave;
Full of hops, and malts, and yeast, it is what true beer fans crave.
Ale's day is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Homebew-jah! Glory! Glory! Homebew-jah!
Glory! Glory! Homebew-jah!! Real Ale's truth is marching on.

 

[DubbelDach]

My friend got the pin here: http://www.ukbrewing.com/casks.cfm for his wedding. He takes it down to Troeg's from time to time and they fill it for him (last fill was Troeg's Pale Ale dryhopped with a bag of Simcoe, which I then used as the 60 minute addition for this IPA). As we were drinking that Pale Ale for his daughter's birthday, the thought of filling it with our swill was born.

I have a video that I need to upload of me hammering in the spile and taking the first drink.

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

Battle Hymn of the "Homebrew-public" Lyrics by Revvy


Mine tongue has known the glory of the taste of real ale;
Whether homebrewed or micro, no matter stout or pale;
It hath loosed the tongue of many be it a man or female;
Ale's truth is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Our Homebew-jah! Glory! Glory! Homebew-jah!!
Glory! Glory! Homebew-jah!! Ale's truth is marching on.

I have seen the ads for all sorts of tasteless Macro Beers;
They have builded it an altar on their lies and on our jeers;
But I can taste real ale's flavors through the veil of my tears;
Ale's day is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Homebew-jah! Glory! Glory! Homebew-jah!
Glory! Glory! Homebew-jah!! Ale's truth is marching on.

Ale is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave;
It is Wisdom to the mighty, It is Succour to the brave;
Full of hops, and malts, and yeast, it is what true beer fans crave.
Ale's day is marching on.
Glory! Glory! Homebew-jah! Glory! Glory! Homebew-jah!
Glory! Glory! Homebew-jah!! Real Ale's truth is marching on.

Someone pass that man a beer! His genius might grow and devour his taste buds!

 

[Orfy]

I have 3 or 4 plastic barrels (The type used at lots of beer festivals) but favour the cornies.

 

[Revvy]

Someone pass that man a beer! His genius might grow and devour his taste buds!

Thanks I'm quite proud of my creative writing skills today

I think it's quote worthy Hint Hint


If you were a real camra type person you might even consider having swmbo get a tramp stamp of it like this person.

I'm kidding

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

Thanks I'm quite proud of my creative writing skills today

I think it's quote worthy Hint Hint


If you were a real camra type person you might even consider having swmbo get a tramp stamp of it like this person.

I'm kidding

Actually, my SWMBO has room for a couple more verses. I NEVER SAID THAT!!!!

Hymn is duly posted on the appropriate thread. Man you are soooo needy!

 

[Revvy]

Actually, my SWMBO has room for a couple more verses. I NEVER SAID THAT!!!!

Hymn is duly posted on the appropriate thread. Man you are soooo needy!

Here ya go!

 

[DubbelDach]

I have a video that I need to upload of me hammering in the spile and taking the first drink.

http://s281.photobucket.com/albums/kk238/shiplax27/Cask IPA/?action=view&current=tap_cask-1.flv

:rockin:

 

[homemadebeer]

I always used the toilet bowl for hand washing. If it was too cold then you just pee in it first. I never used the brown soap though, it was kinda sticky.

do you brew with those hands?!

 

[Aubie Stout]

Er, I'm not sure, but this was the money shot for me!

How much did the stainless cask cost? I think a Mild or Bitter would be perfect for the Halloween party we're throwing.