Cask Ale vs Alcopop

The Pub
1

The “four loco” alcopop (alcohol + pop) thread got me thinking about the awesome variety of booze that’s available today.  Though I don’t drink soda and would never think of trying a “four loco,” I’m not surprised or upset that kids drink them.  On the complete other side of the spectrum though I have noticed a few younger folks drinking cask ale at one of my local brewpubs, which pleasantly, surprises me.  So basically I’m curious what’s available in your area and do you see young drinkers consuming cask ale?

Do the pubs in your area have consistent offerings of Cask Ale?
  • Yes; but I never partake
  • Yes; Cask Ale is something I consume regularly
  • None offered in my area
  • What’s a Cask Ale?
0 voters
2

Nothing a my local brew pub. One a couple hours away from me has had them but not that frequent. Maybe one or two times a year.

3

What’s your definition of young?  At this point I’m not so young any more, but wouldn’t call myself old…

Anyway, there’s one or two places I frequent (or more accurately used to frequent prior to the children) that serve cask ale.

I wouldn’t say there’s a crowd drinking it, but it seems to be popular enough for them to keep it on offer.

The age group at these places is not typically college kids out drinking.  More late 20’s on up.

4

My wife and I are both 23.  She loves cask ale.  I’m not as huge of a fan, but enjoy a few tastes of hers.  I’ll normally get something else on tap.  We never get the same kind of beer though.  We always try each others.  Get more tasting in that way.

Lots of cask ales around here though.  But with Denver’s beer scene, it’s not that hard.

5

I’ve never seen nor tasted a cask ale.  I continue to look out for them though.

6

There I places I go that always have a cask on, others that are occasional, some that never do.  Whether I get any or not depends on what it is.  My wife loves cask beers though, she usually goes for one.

7

Well I’m only 34 but for the sake of this thread, lets say young equates to people of legal drinking age (21-25). We have one place that serves up a batch once a month or so; they’re mostly serving the late 20’s and up crowd.

8

I’m on the western slope but you’d think, from the beer scene, that we were from different worlds.
+1 “We never get the same kind of beer though”

9

don’t get out to the pubs as much as I used to. and apparently I am not young anymore (34) but when i see a cask ale I will usually give it a go.

10

I guess, I should have mentioned, this weeks brewing tv episode got me thinking about cask ale.  The pub in madison(?) that had ten casks (pins, firkins,etc; not the point of this thread) and that appeared to be one of many brewpubs in the area.  My assumption is that, their drinking culture may lead to more (good) homebrewers than areas where alcopops rule.

11

I’m not so sure.  It might get them interested in good beer and maybe brewing their own, but we have lots of good beer here and I know some people who have quit brewing because it is easier (and sometimes better and cheaper) to drop off a corny at a brewery and get it filled than it is to make it yourself.  There was one place that would fill a corny for $25, although they’re now up to $45.  Some guys just buy a 1/2 bbl and push it into 3 cornies, then return the shell.

If the only reason you brew is to make better beer because you can’t get it where you live, you’ll quit as soon as the good beer becomes available.  But if you love brewing your own you’ll keep doing it.

12

St Louis has plenty of cask ale, which I drink happily. Schlafly puts out quite a few casks in there different offerings,.
Love them.

13

If the only reason you brew is to make better beer because you can’t get it where you live, you’ll quit as soon as the good beer becomes available.  But if you love brewing your own you’ll keep doing it.

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Could be.  That might require another poll; do you brew because you like good beer or is it because you like to brew (i.e. make things)?  I disagree though, most great brewpubs will tell you just how important their relationship with the local homebrewers is.  I will say that nowdays cost is a huge factor in the life of a homebrewer.

14

If you’re disagreeing, you’ll have to point out where I said that brewpubs don’t care about homebrewers  :wink:

Cost is certainly a factor, but if you spend 3 hours and $30 making 2 cases of beer and have to wait a few weeks for it, but you can buy 2 cases of better beer than you make for less than $60 and have it right now, then you might opt for the store bought stuff.  Unless of course, you just like brewing.

15

If you’re disagreeing, you’ll have to point out where I said that brewpubs don’t care about homebrewers  :wink:

[/quote]

I’m just offering an example, the best brewpubs IMO have a great relationship with their local homebrewers. Therefore, the flip side is that homebrewers didn’t give up homebrewing when great beer became available.  Hope that makes sense.  :slight_smile:

16

Don’t feel bad, I think most people have had the same experience.  Hopefully, you’ll find a properly served hand pulled pint soon.

17

Ok, I get it.  :) I’m not saying everyone will give up homebrewing obviously, we’ve got lots around here.  But maybe not as many as if we had bad beer.

18

Maybe I live in an anomaly; we currently have 141k people in our county.
1 - Good brewpub (occasional cask ale)
2- Terrible brewpubs (one may come back around)
1- future brewpub (unkown brewers) which may open around spring
0- good beer bars
0- homebrew clubs (seriously not one) (may change if i can find a couple more interested brewers)

19

Blatz, that’s a bummer man. Hit me up if you ever make it to Colorado. Avery, Lefthand, Boulder Beer all have the good old beer engine and a ton of other places have Firkin Fridays where they tap a firkin right around 5 pm.

20

I love cask ales, but they’e not too common here in Fl.  My local brewpub usually has its IPA on cask and there are a couple of good beer bars that have a beer engine on, but it’s not an everyday thing.  Not like Portland or Denver.