Bulls Head Fall Cask Ale Festival

I make it a rule not to post an advertisement, unless it's selling something in which I'm somehow involved or connected. I'll clearly identify my bias. But, seeing as how the Redskins Rule was overturned on Tuesday evening, I'll break my no-ad rule tonight.

The Bulls Head Public House, in Lititz, Pennsylvania, throws its Fall Cask Ale Festival, on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, November 16th, 17th, and 18th.

Here's a brief description from the pub's Facebook page.

Bulls Head Fall Cask Ale Festival

Close to 20 Delicious Cask Ales

DEFINITION OF CASK CONDITIONED BEER
Unfiltered, unpasteurized beer brewed from only traditional ingredients, matured and naturally carbonated by a secondary fermentation in the container from which it is manually dispensed - i.e. served without the use of nitrogen or extraneous carbon dioxide. It is ideally served at cellar temperature,which is about 55 °F - so cool but not chilled.

THE CASKS
a partial list of casks, so far, with more to be announced.

• Brooklyn Brewing Bitter
• Brooklyn Brewing Brown Ale
• Coniston Brewery Bluebird Bitter
• Flying Dog Brewery Nocturnal Nut Brown
• Flying Dog Brewery Single Hop Nelson Sauvin
• Lancaster Brewery Hop Hog Habenero
• St. Boniface ESB
• St. Boniface Hegemony Stout
• Stone Brewing Smoked Porter
• Stone Brewing Ruination IPA

Beers are available while stocks last; empty casks won't be replaced. Strictly over 21 years of age only; please bring ID to avoid disappointment. Admission is subject to capacity limits, so you're advised to come early as this event will be popular.

WHEN

• Friday November 16th, 4 pm to 10 pm
• Saturday November 17th, 11:00 am to 10 pm
  8 am - 11 am: Traditional English Breakfast will be served in the pub.
• Sunday November 18th, 2 pm to 4 pm
  Half price growler fills on Sunday - bring your own growler.

WHERE

• Bulls Head Public House
  14 E. Main Street, Lititz, Pennsylvania 17543
• Directions at Bing Maps: here.

HOW MUCH?

Pay as you go - no entrance fee. This gives you the opportunity to come back several times in order to sample the variety of brews. You never have to feel that to get your money's worth you'd better get drinking!

Make a Day of It!

Why am I posting this? Why should you go?

First off, it's cask-conditioned ale. Second, its from Paul Pendyck.

For fifteen years, Mr. Pendyck has been purveying hard-to-come by cask ale equipment through his company UK Brewing Supplies. For even longer than that, Mr. Pendyck, a British ex-pat, has been proselytizing and educating Americans on proper cask-conditioned ale. If you attended the Chesapeake Real Ale Festival in Baltimore, Maryland, a few weeks ago, you would have been fortunate enough to hear him speak on proper cask cellaring.

Bulls Head Public House is Pendyck's own pub, opened only two years ago. That's reason enough to be confident of experiencing cask ale done well. That's reason enough to break my rule.

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Due to other commitments, I cannot attend ... but you should.