Six years of drawing hand turkeys, and drinking cask.

Six years ago, in 2007, the Evening Star Cafe, in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia, had never before served cask-conditioned ale. That would all change on the evening before Thanksgiving.

That night, the pub tapped a firkin (10.8 gallon cask) of Loose Cannon Hop3 IPA from Clipper City Brewing Company (of Baltimore, Maryland). A tradition had begun. And, it's been a cask of Loose Cannon for Thanksgiving Eve every year since.

The tradition continues this Wednesday. We tap the firkin at 6 pm.

Thanksgiving Tradition = The Annual Hand Turkeys with Jimmy Party at the Evening Star. This Wednesday night beginning at 8 & featuring the Joe Chiocca Band, a cask of Loose Cannon, a ton of good friends. No cover and everyone's invited!

Facebook page for Evening Star Cafe.

Prior tappings:

• 2011: Thanksgiving Eve Tradition Continues (with an assist). Evening Star was closed for renovations in November of 2011, so the tapping was moved 2 blocks up to Del Ray Pizzeria.
• 2010: Thanksgiving beer from the wood.
• 2009: Evening Star's Pre-Thanksgiving Cask Bash.
• 2008: Take a firkin break from cooking the turkey.
• 2007: Cask ale and giving thanks.

***************

• What's so special about cask-conditioned ale. Read more at CaskAle USA.
• Clipper City Brewing is now known as Heavy Seas. Same brewery, location, and ownership: just a new name.
• Caveat lector: As a representative for Select Wines, Inc. —a wine and beer wholesaler in northern Virginia— I sell the beers of Heavy Seas.