Chesapeake Real Ale Festival 2014

Baltimore Beer Week 2014 began last Friday, 10 October. It ends this Sunday, 19 October. (Yes, that's a ten day week.)

Before it all ends, the Pratt Street Ale House and the Baltimore chapter of the Society for the Preservation for Beer from the Wood (SPBW) present the 11th annual Chesapeake Real Ale Festival, this Saturday, at the brewpub, in downtown Baltimore, Maryland.

Festival host brewer, Steve Jones, of Oliver Brewing.

There will be at least forty-one casks of real ale (and one 'real' lager) at the festival. And, what is 'real ale'?

Also known as cask-conditioned ale, 'real ale' is beer brewed from traditional ingredients; matured by secondary fermentation in the container from which it is dispensed; served without the use of extraneous carbon dioxide; presented unfiltered, yet 'bright' not cloudy; served at cool 'cellar' temperature, approximately 50 - 56 °F, at which point the subtleties of flavor become prominent. It's the beauty of beer at its freshest.

The festival takes place both inside and out the Pratt Street Alehouse. Outside, no problem. The weather forecast for Saturday is for good autumn weather. Or, as some might say, good cask ale weather. And, the festival is a bargain. For one admittance fee, a festival go-er can drink unlimitedly (within the bounds of supply and good and decorum), without the nuisance of purchasing drink tickets. Food, however, is not included, but can be purchased off the pub's menu, in the dining rooms or at the bar.

Here's the line-up of casks: some TBDs (to be determined), some MIAs, and, as always, some yet-to-be-named guest beers.

Brewery	Location	Beer	Cask Additions	Alcohol %
Blue Mountain	Afton, Virginia	Double Oat IPA	Centennial hops	8.4
Breckenridge	Colorado	Oatmeal Stout	Salted caramel and coffee beans	4.9
Brewers Alley	Frederick, Maryland	IPA	...	5.8
The Brewer's Art	Baltimore, Maryland	Proletary Brown Ale	...	5.3
The Brewer's Art	Baltimore, Maryland	Apres Saison	Citra hops	5.3
DC Brau	Washington, D.C.	Stone of Arborath Scotch ale	Gin-soaked oak chips, rosemary, thyme	8
DuClaw	Baltimore, Maryland	Neon Gypsy IPA	Simcoe, Amarillo, Chinook hops	6.5
Evolution	Salisbury, Maryland	Lot 3 IPA	? hops	6.8
Flying Dog	Frederick, Maryland	The Fear Imperial Pumpkin Ale	vanilla	9.0
Flying Dog	Frederick, Maryland	The Truth Imperial IPA	...	8.7
Flying Fish	New Jersey	Exit 16 Wild Rice Double IPA	Citra hops	8
Flying Fish	New Jersey	Red Fish Amber Ale	Simcoe hops	7
Frey's	Mount Airy, Maryland	Pussy Pilot Parade Black Rye IPA	...	5.9
Full Tilt	Baltimore, Maryland	Hop Harbor IPA	Mosaic hops	8.3
Gordon-Biersch	Baltimore, Maryland	Heather Mel Scotch Ale (aged in Woodford Reserve bourbon barrels)		7.5
Harpoon	Massachusetts	IPA	El Dorado hops	...
Heavy Seas	Baltimore, Maryland	Plank III (Wood-aged tripel)	...	8.5
Jailbreak	Laurel, Maryland	The Carrot Cake Conspiracy (Amber Ale, with roasted carrots and spices)	...	6
Milkhouse Farm Brewery	Mt. Airy, Maryland	IPA	...	6
Monacacy	Frederick, Maryland	Riot Rye Amber Ale	...	6.2
New Belgium	Colorado	1554 (Black Lager)	Fuggles hops	5.6
Oliver Brewing	Baltimore, Maryland	Bizarre Gardening Accident (Anglo-American Brown Ale)	...	...
Oliver Brewing	Baltimore, Maryland	The Black Code #2 Black IPA	...	7
Oliver Brewing	Baltimore, Maryland	ESB	...	6
Oliver Brewing	Baltimore, Maryland	Modern Life is Rubbish Porter	...	5.9
Oliver Brewing	Baltimore, Maryland	My Monkeys Gone Sour (Oak-aged, soured barleywine)	...	10.5
Oliver Brewing	Baltimore, Maryland	Pink Torpedo Raspberry Saison	...	...
Oliver Brewing	Baltimore, Maryland	There's A Fine Line Between Stupid And Clever (Smoked Black 'Pseudo' Lager)	...	...
Pub Dog Brewing	Westminster, Maryland	Imperial Dog IPA	...	6.5
Pub Dog Brewing	Westminster, Maryland	Pumpkin Ale	...	6.66
Oskar Blues	Colorado/North Carolina	Dales Pale Ale	mangos	6.5
Oskar Blues	Colorado/North Carolina	Old Chub Scotch Ale	coffee, vanilla	8
Real Ale Revival	Cambridge, Maryland	Nanticoke Nectar IPA	Citra, Cascade hops	6.0
Sly Fox	Pennsylvania	Chester County Bitter	...	4.5
Sly Fox	Pennsylvania	Hop Project #05256	#05256 hops	6.1
Terrapin	Georgia	Midnight Monk Black IPA	...	9.8
Union Craft	Baltimore, Maryland	Hampden on Rye Ale	coriander	5.9
Weyerbacher	Pennsylvania	Last Chance IPA	Simcoe hops	5.9
Weyerbacher	Pennsylvania	Last Chance IPA	Centennial hops	5.9
Yards	Pennsylvania	Presidents Peculiar Bitter Ale	...	5
Yards	Pennsylvania	Brawler English Mild	French Aramis Hops	4.2

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• Photos from the festival: here.
• The list of beers has been updated to reflect what actually was at the festival.
• A history of the festival: here.

Pratt Street Ale House
206 W. Pratt Street
Baltimore, Maryland
(across from the Baltimore Convention Center)
www.prattstreetalehouse.com

How to get to and around Baltimore: here.