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4/7/2016

Cask Beer: Part Two

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We use the term “cask beer” as a general descriptor for any of the beers we serve either from one of our two beer engines or by gravity from a firkin or pin sitting atop the bar. There are two distinct types of cask beer here at the Civil Life. I talked to our brewer and cellarman Brandon Stern about how these beers are different.
 
What we call “real ale” is served from standard kegs (generally quarter and sixth barrel kegs, about seven and a half and five gallons respectively). These beers have completed their fermentation cycles and have been cold crashed in their fermenters. There is no added CO2, just the natural CO2 collected in the fermenter during fermentation.
 
The beers we serve from firkins (10.8 gallon vessels) and pins (5.4 gallon vessels) go through a more involved process. First Brandon carefully sanitizes a firkin and then purges it with CO2 to remove any atmospheric air, which could cause the beer to stale quickly. He then racks the still actively fermenting beer from the fermenter into the firkin. He makes any additions (hops for dry hopping for example) before hammering the shive and keystone into place.
 
The now sealed firkin sits at ambient temperature for about a week so that fermentation may complete. Brandon takes a gravity reading beforehand, so he has an idea what to expect in terms of time as well as final conditioning. Whether dry-hopped or not, these beers are cold crashed for seven to ten days. During this period, the beer absorbs any CO2 that was produced during the fermentation cycle, giving the beer some nice natural carbonation. The final degree of carbonation does vary, though. “A lot of it is yeast dependent,” says Brandon, adding that the rye pale ale tends to be especially lively.
 
A lot of the fun of doing these beers is making additions that will create a more complex flavor profile. “It all comes down to experimentation.” Sometimes Brandon finishes beers with French or American oak spirals, which can impart some lovely vanilla, spice, and even coconut notes. He also likes to select hop varieties that will work particularly well with each beer. “I like to see how the aromatic highlights of certain hops complement those beers.”
 
After a week or so in the cold room, these beers are ready. We don’t add any fining agent to the beers to help clarify them, so Brandon likes to get them in place with plenty of time before service, at least two hours, but sometimes overnight. This allows any yeast or hop particles to settle out of suspension, yielding nice clarity. After venting the cask to relieve excess pressure, Brandon hammers in the tap valve. Now for the most important step: Brandon samples the beer and accesses its quality. Truth be told, we all volunteer to help with this step.
 
Most days we serve some type of cask beer, usually our “real ale.” On Fridays and Saturdays, we sometimes pour from pins and firkins of the beers Brandon has specially prepared. We have some excellent examples of his art coming over the next several weeks. Here’s what to expect:
  • American Brown Ale with smoked American oak
  • American Brown Ale with Amarillo and Simcoe hops
  • Angel and the Sword with Challenger hops
  • Angel and the Sword with Simcoe hops
  • British Bitter with Centennial and East Kent Golding hops
  • British Bitter with Challenger and East Kent Golding hops
  • British Bitter with Challenger hops
These all sound outstanding, so don’t miss out. Don’t forget to do your Civil duty and nip down to your local for a pint or two. Whether it’s cask or draft, it’s sure to lift your spirits. We look forward to seeing you soon!  ~Patrick Hurley, Barman and Civility Expert

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    The Civil Blog has returned.  It is predominantly authored by Civil Life Barman, Dr. Patrick Hurley, who can be found tending to our bar patrons on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.  He is also responsible for tending to our draft lines, which is recognized as one of our most important tasks. Special guest writers will appear from time to time. We hope reading this blog will give you much insight about the Civil Life and most importantly help you understand a bit more about all of us that work here and the beers we put our hearts into.  

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Hours :
Due to COVID19 our Pub will remain closed until further notice.  Head to our online store at https://civil-life-online.square.site/ Until then, please look for our beer at St. Louis retailers and grocery.   If you have any further questions please use the email link below.  Thank you. 

Pickups are Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 2 to 5.  Orders will be only taken on line and will be paid prior to pick up.  

We appreciate your support. 
                                    Be Civil.    

NO PHONE NUMBER.  
  • Due to our small inside pub space we currently do not feel we could be safe to open for our staff and customers.  We currently are hoping to get our patios re-modeled during this shutdown and are hoping for an outdoor only opening in May or June 2021. Hopefully.
  • Until then OUR PUB IS SADLY CLOSED FOR THE TIME BEING DUE TO COVID19.   WE WILL RETURN AND PROSPER.

PLEASE ALSO LOOK FOR OUR BEER AT LOCAL RETAILERS!
​
  •  Please access our online store by clicking the link above 
  • ​PLEASE ALSO LOOK FOR OUR BEER AT LOCAL RETAILERS
The Civil Life Brewing Co. 3714 Holt Ave. St. Louis, Mo 63116, USA, Planet Earth 
  • BEER TO GO
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