tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076725205410370436.post8292899251513150757..comments2024-01-29T10:16:00.995+00:00Comments on CALLED TO THE BAR : Craft keg’s summer?Adrian Tierney-Joneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05421802854011395300noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076725205410370436.post-37452935700117186262013-07-23T16:14:42.651+01:002013-07-23T16:14:42.651+01:00There must be plenty of lower-turnover outlets whi...There must be plenty of lower-turnover outlets which in the past have tried and failed with cask, but where a distinctive locally-produced keg beer would be a much better option.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076725205410370436.post-28437065068566945272013-07-23T15:56:57.661+01:002013-07-23T15:56:57.661+01:00I was delighted to find a Keg Butcombe Blonde in C...I was delighted to find a Keg Butcombe Blonde in Cheltenham this week at the council run Imperial Gardens bar. Crystal clear, refreshing and very, very drinkable. They have served me real ale in the past which was none of the above, so it's the fact that great beer can be served so well with relative ease that is the most exciting angle for me in the whole debate. One of the differences in cost (Anonymous above) is that it has to go through additional processes at the brewery and in the case of OWK's the whole cost of the keg has to be covered in the sale of each container. Currently they are not cheap.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14852618140109391636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076725205410370436.post-20841019779731445462013-07-22T15:59:23.384+01:002013-07-22T15:59:23.384+01:00The cost of domestic craft keg annoys me. I don...The cost of domestic craft keg annoys me. I don't mind paying a bit more for something that's been flown in from Boston, but domestic kegged beers seem overpriced. In Leeds, Dark Star Revelation £2.50 a half on keg. Next door, the cask version £3.40 a pint. Both pubs are in a same price range.Can anyone explain the difference?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076725205410370436.post-81176590061435499902013-07-16T17:56:14.484+01:002013-07-16T17:56:14.484+01:00Temperature. Of course. If cask beer was kept and...Temperature. Of course. If cask beer was kept and dispensed at the correct temperatures then no problem. Nobody wants to drink flabby, warm beer.Tandlemanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06804499573827044693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076725205410370436.post-69402587801200118002013-07-16T17:05:13.051+01:002013-07-16T17:05:13.051+01:00I've got nothing against craft keg, but is it ...I've got nothing against craft keg, but is it necessarily more refreshing than cask? I've had a fair bit of cask in the last week and it definitely hit the spot. I find the lower level of carbonation makes for easier drinking, for one thing.<br /><br />I dunno, maybe I'm weird, but I find a good bitter perfectly refreshing if it's kept at a proper temperature.Chrisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076725205410370436.post-58361041216903710932013-07-16T14:14:47.729+01:002013-07-16T14:14:47.729+01:00I think the growth in UK brewed "craft lager&...I think the growth in UK brewed "craft lager", perhaps along with a slightly more adverturous selection of cask ale and even the very occasional guinness alternative could be regarded as the precursor to the craft beer revolution, but it certainly isn't the real deal. <br /><br />Once we see a range of kegged UK beer - something pale and hoppy, something dark and hoppy, and something sour/wheaty, at a sensible price in at least 1 in every 10 pubs and I will say "craft beer has arrived". py0noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076725205410370436.post-52598694095219810482013-07-16T13:06:46.599+01:002013-07-16T13:06:46.599+01:00Sorry, didn't try the Sole Star. Firestone Wal...Sorry, didn't try the Sole Star. Firestone Walker American Independence trumps it.The Beer Nuthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14105708522526153528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076725205410370436.post-11401916514728857652013-07-16T12:26:09.009+01:002013-07-16T12:26:09.009+01:00"What percentage of UK pubs carry a craft keg...<i>"What percentage of UK pubs carry a craft keg beer?"</i><br /><br />Depends if you include craft keg lagers like Cotswold, Leodis, Moravka etc. <br /><br />I'd say maybe rather more, perhaps 2,000 or 1 in 25.<br /><br /><i>"high strength is not the only fruit in the orchard"</i><br /><br />Most of those you see in places like the PSBH are strong, though.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076725205410370436.post-66233524277933386822013-07-16T12:16:41.887+01:002013-07-16T12:16:41.887+01:00What percentage of UK pubs carry a craft keg beer?...What percentage of UK pubs carry a craft keg beer? 1 in 100? 1 in 200? py0noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076725205410370436.post-27463396949956153632013-07-16T11:57:22.646+01:002013-07-16T11:57:22.646+01:00Curmudgeon — good point about Spoons, though high ...Curmudgeon — good point about Spoons, though high strength is not the only fruit in the orchard<br />BN — Sole star on keg — was it ok?<br />Steve — you can add Bath, Manchester, Sheffield and Falmouth for starters.<br />Anon — agreed the Young’s deal is carrying Meantime’s beers further, will have to check if the Young’s pubs in the West Country (a result of when Young’s bought out Smiles’ pubs) stock it <br />Tyson — if it appears in more places, will quality suffer I wonder? I want it to co-exist with cask, just want choice.<br />py0 — not physically impossible, see comments above, I even had Bath Ales Dark on keg for a while in my Exmoor local…though the Guinness drinkers rebelled and got it reinstalled.Adrian Tierney-Joneshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05421802854011395300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076725205410370436.post-54020618382211216432013-07-16T11:55:25.811+01:002013-07-16T11:55:25.811+01:00There's a range of craft kegs in the Hope in S...There's a range of craft kegs in the Hope in Stockport, but I can't think of any in most of the pubs in my local area, which in general are fairly enterprising places and not backstreet deadholes. Indeed there's one that serves good food but can't keep cask beer to save its life where a craft keg of quaffable strength would be extremely welcome.<br /><br />A few city-centre bars in Bristol and Edinburgh is not "mainstream pubs".Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076725205410370436.post-35151495451918372032013-07-16T11:37:37.065+01:002013-07-16T11:37:37.065+01:00As others have commented, it probably would be if ...As others have commented, it probably would be if it wasn't for the fact that its still basically impossible to get hold of outside of central London.py0noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076725205410370436.post-4067079804109718052013-07-16T11:20:30.632+01:002013-07-16T11:20:30.632+01:00Craft keg is pretty mainstream in Inner London now...Craft keg is pretty mainstream in Inner London now, I'd say, and mot just in high-profile pubs. And yes, you do see Meantime and Camden in food-led pub in the outer boroughs. But obviously it has not passed the Spoons test just yet and in cities other than London tends to be only seen in specialist beer places. However, Bury-one of the smallest metropolitan boroughs in England can now boast craft keg, so perhaps (very gradual) change is in the wind?Sat In A Pubhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08123038980796000837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076725205410370436.post-36236405743872875992013-07-16T11:19:53.618+01:002013-07-16T11:19:53.618+01:00With Meantime being found in many Young's Lond...With Meantime being found in many Young's London pubs, I would say yes, craft keg can be found in outer London boroughs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076725205410370436.post-24581561711308182252013-07-16T11:00:43.414+01:002013-07-16T11:00:43.414+01:00plenty of craft keg across bigger cities and not j...plenty of craft keg across bigger cities and not just in the specialist outlets either. Bristol and Edinburgh great examplesbeersiveknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13293913182389157112noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076725205410370436.post-34683354225454495982013-07-16T09:47:55.511+01:002013-07-16T09:47:55.511+01:00I was surprised to see kegged Adnam's Sole Sta...I was surprised to see kegged Adnam's Sole Star on my last visit to a Wetherspoon, so perhaps it's not that far away.<br /><br />Is craft keg beer really so prevalently strong? Camden Town's core range seems to be all in the 4 to 4.6% ABV range; Meantime's pale ale, lager and stout are in that zone too. And there's <i>nothing</i> unquenching about Camden Town USA Hells.The Beer Nuthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14105708522526153528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3076725205410370436.post-20089843497825359162013-07-16T09:38:35.460+01:002013-07-16T09:38:35.460+01:00It still hasn't made any noticeable inroads in...It still hasn't made any noticeable inroads into mainstream pubs outside London, though. Even in London I suspect it's only in a relatively small number of high-profile pubs and is actually far from ubiquitous. Would you see Camden or Meantime in a food-led pub in an Outer London borough?<br /><br />Another factor is that most craft keg seems to be of a high strength which isn't really compatible with thirst-quenching volume drinking.<br /><br />When Spoons give a national listing to a craft keg, then it will have arrived.<br /><br />Meanwhile, there must be plenty of people who normally would include cask as part of their drinking repertoire but who now are going unhesitatingly for the Carling tap.Curmudgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02558747878308766840noreply@blogger.com