Cask Conditioning

[jay_c]

Is it possible to fill a cask 1/2 way, add some yeast and maybe some simple syrup, and have it re-carbonate with out any issues?

[beertje46]

Why half-way?

[jay_c]

I brew in a part of cleveland where the majority of people...well are the "I don't like dark beers" kind of people. So a cask of beer (even if it was a light color) would last me a good 3 weeks. So I wanted to fill it up half way to save beer.

[beertje46]

Use 3 gallon cornie kegs for a cask?

Your customers won't drink dark beer but they will drink non-fizzy, warmer, real ale? Interesting group you have there. Real ale is definitely an educational process. Get a few "cask cornies" ready and have a one night only real ale promotion. Be on hand to answer any questions. From my experience, it won't take long to find enough real ale drinkers to empty a firkin on cask night.

[Gordie]

You may have an issue getting the CO2 into solution with the headspace in a half full keg. I'd either keg 5 gal at a time or find a smaller cask.

[jay_c]

Your customers won't drink dark beer but they will drink non-fizzy, warmer, real ale?

That was just a broad generalization about this part of cleveland. We have a lot of fans of beer, but the last time I did a cask ale it sat around for a long time. Plus this might be a little extreme for some.

[toddbrew]

cornie keg?

I heard a talk a couple of years ago about how in the UK a lot of places have converted to Cornie Kegs for Real Ale. They just cut the dip tube slightly to accomodate for sediment. It seems that they did this for an emergency during a cask shortage but they now have over 600 in circulation.

The pubs got use to the quick connects and loved the format.

If you did this you could get some smaller Cornies, like 3 gallon, to serve those customers.

The brewer was from the Isle of Skye is Scotland and you could contact them through their website for questions.
http://www.skyebrewery.co.uk/index.php

It looks like they even have a photo of cornies on their website.

Hope this helps,
TB

[mishipeshu]

3 gallon cornies are perfect for gravity feeding cask conditioned ales. Depending on your yeast, you may not need to cut the tube. I did not. The only issue was getting the lid to seal. I had to hit it with 15 psi; was fine after that. Not sure what the CAMRA police would say....

[hopsick]

Hey man i dont have enough real ale publicans to kill a high gravity cask or firkin but some times you can take deareated water 1 to 2 gallons depending on the beer and the keg size , dry hop , prime and condition like usual.then you have your self a mild sessionbeer that people will dig...Or get a cask breather .........:

[jay_c]

They say most casks only last 3 days. How long will a breather extend that?

[hopsick]

The cask breather displaces the beer with a 2 psi blanket of co2 oppose to o2 and will last for at least a week if all is well..

[jbrew55]

Half a cask

I had good success with cleaning the cask then sanitize then place a co2 line at the bottom of the cask and purge for a minute and fill half way...worked great. Josh

[Smurfe]

I homebrew cask/real ale and use a corny. I have a cask breather set up with a half pint pull beer engine. I get around 3 weeks or so off a cask/keg before it starts to oxidize beyond tasty. I have extra dip tubes I did shorten about an inch I use when I serve keg conditioned real ale. It is my favorite beer and about all I brew anymore.