Ode to Cask Ale
It's not a real British pub without a row of ale taps Photo credit: Alexandra Zeevalkink
This week London Pride, Bengal Lancer, ESB and all other favourites are at the centre of attention in pubs the nation over – it’s Cask Ale week. Exploring the world of Ale is a great chance to integrate properly into Britain’s traditional pub life.
Cask Ale, also known as Real Ale, is the term for unfiltered and unpasteurised beer brewed from traditional and natural ingredients which is conditioned and served from a barrel without the use of gas. At the bar the staff will use a hand pump to ‘pull’ the beer up. It is served at a little under room temperature and should look clear. Although for many foreigners the term ‘beer’ means a pint of lager, in the UK beer means a pint of ale.
What makes it so special?
The Irish have their Guinness and the Brits have their Ales, that’s the way it is. Unfortunately over the years ale has become less popular, especially amongst young people, due to the upcoming ‘trendy’ lager market. Therefore it needs to be saved – hence National Cask Ale Week.
For pubs, serving good quality Cask Ale often proofs to be a challenge. Unlike normal lager the beer needs a lot of tender love and care. The barrels (the casks) need to be prepared 48 hours in advance of serving if the beer is to come out right. This asks for space and planning. But if done well the result is a delicious unique pint.
Where can you go for a good pint?
This is where you can distinguish a pub from a bar. A pub will always have some ales on. There are roughly 48,000 beers from 3,069 brewers so you will be spoiled for choice.
The following are pretty good ale serving pubs:
The Coal Hole in Charing Cross
Carpenter’s Arms in Bethnal Green
You can find out more about celebrating Britain’s national drink at the National Cask Ale Week website and you can check out Michele Martinelli’s dissection of ale for The First Pint.
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Stouts (of which Guinness is one) are from England originally.
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