Get Ready for Real Ale
By Pat Forrest
For many of us, an invitation to come taste some great beer is reason enough to turn up, but BrewHa’s Caskfest later this month promises wonderful new beer tasting experiences plus the chance to help a worthy local cause. What’s not to love?
Cask beer is transferred to a vessel at the right time after fermentation and allowed to naturally age using a little bit of sugar and the option of other fun things like candy, fruit, and even wood. Some call this “real ale” as the beer can naturally carbonate, resulting in less carbonation than a beer you and I normally drink and creating a new tasting experience (with less burping).
BrewHa Festival and Events owner and co-chair Jon Hendel says that Caskfest is their way of shaking up their roster of events. “We normally host Winterlude, which is a sampling event where we guide people through beers that fit the theme of winter, including vanilla, winter spice, and black cherry. We have done this for a couple years and were looking to mix it up,” he says.
They’ll be rotating casks over two sessions with different beers at each session. Every cask is unique and every time the bell rings, a new cask will be tapped at each of the four stations. While sampling, you’ll also get to enjoy local artisans who will be showcasing their talents from crafts to food to art to music.
Your ticket includes entry, a commemorative sample glass, and four sample tokens, with a portion of ticket proceeds supporting the great work being done at Evergreen United Neighbourhood, which will go towards a new furnace.
The event is understandably 19+ and it’s also not pet-friendly (no one wants to step on your dog after a few samples), but you can get to and from the festival for free by simply showing your ticket to a Thunder Bay Transit bus driver. Cheers!
March 24
CLE Heritage Building
1:30-5:30 pm; 6-10pm
Tickets: universe.com/brewhacaskfest
