Bottle conditioning vs kegging

[thassum]

Some yeasts are called Cask Yeast like "British Cask Ale" (Wyeast #1026), but what does it actually mean? According to the description it should be used for kegged batches, but why and what happens if I still choose to bottle condition with sugar (as I normally do)?

[drb1215]

Hi,

The Wyeast 1026 would work fine for bottle conditioned beer. 

Cask conditioned and kegging are not the same thing.  Cask conditioning the secondary fermentation, as well as the conditioning, traditionally takes place in a wooden cask (although SS casks can also be used).  The beer is then served unfiltered from the cask via a beer engine (manual pump).

It's a good flocculator (medium/high), making it good for dropping clear in the cask. A quality that makes it great for bottle conditioning, too.

-Dan

[thassum]

Thanks Dan, but how do get beer with carbondioxide if you use a manual pump?

What is a SS cask?

Tore

[drb1215]

You get carbonation in a cask due to the yeast and unfermented sugars in the cask. Since it is a closed system, the CO2 does not escape and is absorbed by the beer. You can also add DME or priming sugar, similar to bottling. (Any other comments are welcome)

SS = stainless steel.

-Dan

[RobbyComstock]

Thanks for the post and thanks for the reply Dan.  Learned something new.

[thassum]

Thanks Dan!

No I understand So fermenting in any closed system would work I assume... Maybe I buy a 5 litre minikeg and try that out.

[drb1215]

I wouldn't say "any" closed system...it needs to be able to handle the pressure that builds up when the beer is releasing CO2.  Do a bit of research so that you don't have too much pressure built up during the process (typically cask ales have a low CO2 volume).

-Dan

[drb1215]

Looking back at a couple of old Brewing TV episodes there are two that deal with casks.  The first shows them using casks at a brewery:  http://www.northernbrewer.com/connect/episode/brewing-tv-episode-36-gone-firkin/

The second shows them cask conditioning at home:  http://www.northernbrewer.com/connect/episode/brewing-tv-episode-38-none-more-cask/

At the very least they are entertaining

-Dan

[Slurk]

At the very least they are entertaining

They are both interesting and entertaining: all for brew, brew for all