Direct From The Cellar

An innovative scheme to deliver fresh cask-conditioned ale to consumers homes has been launched by Cellarman Direct and will help boost the fortunes of small craft brewers.

The beer is delivered in 5 litre metal mini-casks (8.8 pints), complete with a venting tap on top and a pouring tap on the side - in effect a miniature cask of real ale. The venting tap allows excess natural carbon dioxide to escape and maintains the correct level of gas and condition when the vent is closed. The mini-cask contains live yeast and the beer needs to settle and clear before it is served.

The first beers made available were:

Mordue Radgie Gadgie and IPA Keystone: Large One Country Life: Old Appledore Inveralmond: Lia Fail and Ossian Exe Valley: Devon Glory

They have just been joined by:

Stonehenge: Pigswill Wapping: Summer Ale Bull Lane: White Bull Inveralmond: Sunburst Pilsner Beer-pages tested a mini-cask of Mordue IPA, The beer is 5.1% ABV and is brewed with pale malt and American Horizon hops. The pale bronze beer has a superb aroma of tangy citrus fruit, hop resins and biscuity malt, with juicy malt, grapefruit and spicy hops in the mouth, followed by a long finish finely balanced between fruit, malt and bitter hops. It ends dry and intensely bitter. The mini-cask costs 19.99.

For details see: www.cellarmandirect.com