Cask Conditioning Ale

[Ruby]

Hi guys and girls,

For my last birthday, my brother-in-law gave me an old Angram CQ hand pulled beer engine for cask conditioned ales. It's been in his shed for some time and he was hoping that I could nurse it back to life. I was pretty pumped when I saw it (pun intended). I am determined to get it back to working order and pouring beer again.

I'm currently sourcing replacement parts at the moment as the handle was cracked and the cylinder glass was shattered. It's also missing the swan neck dispenser, drip tray and front plate. There is a distributer for Angram in Pennsylvania, so parts shouldn't be too much of an issue. Before I get started, I have a couple of questions on the subject.

Does anyone have experience making cask conditioned ales?

Is there anything I'd have to do differently during brewing for cask conditioned ales? Any recipe modifications?

Does anyone have any surplus casks or equipment they would like to sell?

Thank you!

Ruby

[GuingesRock]

Ruby, You can also use a corny to "cask condition" ales if you shorten the dip tubes by 1 - 1 1/2". I recommend you read this cheap, short, excellent book and then you will know everything about it. http://www.amazon.ca/Cellarmanship-Patr ... 1852492783" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I ran a thread on here called making real ale. Drove everyone crazy with it for quite a long time

http://www.brewnosers.org/forums/viewto ... ale#p69262" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Ruby]

Thanks Mark!

I have seen a couple of places using firkins around. There were a few used last year by Stillwell's stand at the Seaport Beerfest, and Alan at Meander River used one to condition a Peach Ginger Wheat Beer. The equipment is out there, even if it's still a little underused at the moment. I like your idea of using the corny as a makeshift cask. It gives that feeling that the beer is still alive. There is also this chap on t'internet who goes one step further:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea3ZeUoQGEo

However.................I got the quote for the parts to get the beer engine up and running, and without shipping from the good 'ol US of A, it's nearly $400. Almost the cost of a completely refurbished unit. I'll keep my eye out for something I can use for spares, but I'm not hopeful, as the parts I need are the bits that break easy! Doesn't look like i'll be supping creamy sparkler pulled, easy drinking real ale anytime soon!

For anyone else who might be looking for spares, or even for a complete cask ale set-up, the company I had contacted was:

http://www.ukbrewing.com

and their rep Paul Pendyck paul@ukbrewing.com

[GuingesRock]

That guy in the video is wasting his time. I've seen those videos before. There's no advantage to doing that over just shortening the dip tube. With the shortened dip tube you are still pulling beer over the surface of the yeast as happens in a cask, and my beer "drops bright", the youtube guy says his beer gets sort of clear with his rig. Also he doesn't understand how a sparkler works. The sparkler goes to the bottom of the glass, his rig won't reach.

Here's a picture of some Brewnosers. Back in the day (2002) they were all at it.

1.jpg

http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Recreation/Br ... index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Ruby]

Nice gear!