It just keeps getting better.
I am talking about NERAX, the event of course and not about Boston, the weather.
Two years ago, I finally got off of my butt and dragged myself and my poor wife to the frozen north (or is it downeast, I am always confused by that), for four days fun in the sun in Boston, and four evenings of British real ales at NERAX which was then already on its 24th edition; yeah, I really screwed up all of the prior years.
I was welcomed as a stranger on day one, a familiar face on day two, a pest on day three, and a friend by day four.
We came back again last year and the welcome was genuine, from both the NERAX crew and those other attending locals and cask travelers.
This year, I returned as a good friend to the NERAX crew, and I recognized and was recognized by those attendees that I had conversed with over the last two years; it was easy to just pick up conversations that we had over a year ago, and to start a new round of note comparisons and recommendations.
NERAX folks are good folks.
I had some company from fellow New Yorkers this year as well.
Two friends, members of the NYC Cask Crew made the trek for the first two sessions, they got to stop off at Fox Farm Brewery on the way back to NYC, lucky buggers.
And then, a hero appeared on the scene for the final day, making an Amtrak daytrip from Long Island, catching last orders at the Saturday lunchtime session, and hanging around for a couple of hours at the final session (where I met him), before racing off again for his train back home.
I hope that he made it.
I met some more true believers on the stairs waiting to get in on day one, two couples from Portland Oregon returning for their umpteenth NERAX, they stayed all four days, with one couple hitting all five sessions.
Great folks with great stamina.
Alright Whisperer we get it.
Nice people, but what about the beers?
Oh the beers, they were bloody awesome this year.
The vast majority of British casks this year were all under 5% abv, with just a dozen style-appropriate beers above that, and only two tipping the scales at exactly 6%; there was one 8.4% strong stout (SS9 from Leigh on Sea) but I had already sampled that at a prior event, so did not need to fret over it.
It made it very easy for me to mark up my booklet and plan for the first two sessions at the start of the proceedings; it also allowed me to focus almost exclusively on the British casks this year.
I knew where I was starting as soon as I opened the guide; it opened naturally to page 13 and right there in the middle of the page were two casks from Hook Norton Brewery of Oxfordshire, the legendary Old Hooky and the equally legendary Double Stout.
I sauntered over in the direction of the bar, spotted the Old Hooky, and waited patiently with my feet in the blocks, for Gary to ring the starting bell.
Deep amber, nice frothy white head, big fruity nose, and fruity yet balanced taste, finishing dry and a little bitter.
I had to grab a picture to send off to Jones Wood to tease Jason, Hook Norton being one of his local breweries back home.
It went straight to my #1 spot before I had even sampled another beer, and it stayed there for the entire event.
I thought about grabbing another on the first day, a full pint maybe, but decided that it would be best to share the wealth, and instead I talked it up to anybody who would listen to me.
It actually made it through the entire session, but didn’t appear the next day, no surprises there.
I had to wait until the Friday session for the Double Stout to appear, and once again I targeted it early on, and once again it was my beer of the day.
There are some that fear stout as a style because of its perceived bitterness, and those same folks would be even more cautious around a double stout, but they would really miss out by not trying this.
There is a dryness and there is a roastiness, but there is also some sweetness, some hints of chocolate and coffee, but not a hint of bitterness; it is a proper comfort beer.
Other daily favorites:
- Gold, a low-abv (3.8%) golden ale from Purity of Warwickshire, crisp and clean but definitely a golden ale and not a lager, with a nice bitter punch to it.
- Elsie Mo, another golden ale this time from Castle Rock of Nottinghamshire, a more “traditional” English golden (summer) ale at 4.7%, hoppy and floral.
- Bright, a gluten-free, vegan pale ale from Brass Castle of North Yorkshire, more of an American style pale ale, with fruity and piney hops, and a nice solid base (of what, I do not know).
Honorable mentions:
- Orkney Best from Swannay of Orkney: some folks disliked it as being too smokey or just insipid (only 3.6%), but I loved it, the hop profile was gentle and delicate, the grain bill was soft but complex, and the overall effect was very refreshing; it was a beer for slowly savoring, which I did.
- Minster ESB from Brew York of York: a classic ESB, dangerously so, 5.5% of sweet, fruity, floral biscuit with a biting bitter finish.
- Ruggers from BrewPoint of Bedford: probably the most traditional bitter at the event, at least of those that I got to sample.
- Speaking of which, that bloody Reaper beat me to the Pheasantry (of Nottinghamshire) Best Bitter … mutter, grumble …
- The Reaper also beat me to the Southern Summit pale ale from Loch Lomond Brewery, but I got to the Gloaming first; a true 80/- Scottish Export ale, frothy amber, big fruit, big malt and big biscuit.
The American casks:
- I broke my own unwritten and unspoken rule at the beginning of day two when I saw the gravity keg of Schilling Kvet 12 (Czech Amber Lager) being tapped; just like the Old Hooky on day one, I headed straight for it and recommended it to all that would listen to me, it didn’t last for more than a couple of hours, as expected.
- I continually scanned the beer listing boards for The END from Cambridge Brewing, it put in an appearance on the third session; at 12% it was always going to interrupt my carefully calibrated routine, but I felt that I had to try it to pay tribute to the brewery. It reminded me of the many long-aged bottles of Gales Prize Old Ale that I had experienced over the past ten years or so, one of the better ones, more raisin than soy sauce.
- The two New Yorkers brought their best; Be Golden, a pale bitter from Suarez Family, crisp and biscuity yet hoppy, and the wonderful Habitude dark mild from Wayward Lane, probably the best mild at the event.
Some statistics gleaned from the printed guide booklet.
First, the UK contingent:
- 34 British Breweries represented (30 English and 4 Scottish).
- 59 unique British casks (57 beers and 2 ciders).
- At least 14 British casks that I had already sampled at prior NERAX.
- Leaving 45 British casks on the Cask Whisperer “short” list for this year.
- The Reaper beat me to 3 but I outraced him to the remaining 42 British casks
And the US representatives:
- 54 American breweries represented (52 from New England states and 2 from New York).
- 56 unique American casks (50 beers and 6 ciders).
- Only Backbeat Brewing and Stormalong Cider brought along more than one cask.
- I had a very short shortlist of 6 casks as I was focusing on the British casks this year.
- I managed to hit all 6 on my shortlist, and threw in a random extra cask on the last day, because I could.
Overall trends:
- 80% of the British beers were under 5% abv with almost 20% under 4% abv.
- 40% of the US beers were under 5% abv with only 10% under 4% abv.
- There were as many US beers between 5 – 8% as there were under 5% abv.
- There were only 3 UK beers at 6% abv and over, 2 of which were exactly 6% and the highest being 8.4% abv.
- The 2 lowest abv beers were both dark milds, at 3.2% (British) and 3.3% (US).
- The highest abv beer was 12%.
Finishing today with a great shout out to all of the NERAX volunteers, who work really hard to bring us this wonderful event.
Cheers Gary, cheers Brian, cheers Braden, cheers everyone!
That is all great, Whisperer, but what about Boston?
No tales from the streets this time?
Of course there is, or there will be … next week, maybe.
I think that I am going to spin this one out a little.
Scorecard w/e 4/8/25
For four days last week the Cask Whisperer was hanging out at the 26th Annual NERAX Cask Ale Festival in South Boston, MA.
He sampled a few British cask beers …
Wednesday, April 2nd:
Brewed by | Brew | Style |
8 Sail Brewery | Fen Slodger | Strong Bitter |
Abbeydale Brewery | Through the Hopback – Ernest | Pale Ale – Gluten Free |
Attic Brew Co. | Everlasting | Dark Mild – Vegan |
Baker’s Dozen | Bull Run | Bitter |
Brass Castle Brewery | Morph | British IPA – Gluten Free/Vegan |
BrewPoint | Anchorman | Fresh Hop IPA |
Brewsters Brewing | Decadence | Golden Ale |
Cromwell Cider Co. | Oliver’s Choice | Medium Dry Cider |
Elgoods & Sons | Plum Porter | Plum Porter |
Hook Norton | Old Hooky | Premium Bitter |
Swannay Brewery | Orkney Best | Best Bitter |
The Indian Brewery | Indian IPA | British IPA – Vegan |
Thursday, April 3rd:
Brewed by | Brew | Style |
Brew York | Minster | Extra Special Bitter |
Castle Rock Brewery | Screech Owl | India/Imperial Pale Ale (IPA) |
Digfield Ales | Barnwell Bitter | Bitter |
Harrogate Brewing Company | Harrogate Pale Ale | Pale Ale |
Little Ox | Ox Blood | Red IPA |
Loch Lomand Brewery | Gloaming | Export 80/- Ale |
Nene Valley Brewery | Anything Goes | London Porter – Gluten Free |
Purity | Gold | Golden Ale – Vegan |
Roosters Brewery | Yankee | Pale Ale – Vegan |
Swannay Brewery | Dark Bere | Orkney Porter |
Thames Side Brewery | Egyptian Goose | English IPA |
Friday, April 4th:
Brewed by | Brew | Style |
Bateman | Victory | Strong British Ale |
Brass Castle Brewery | Bright | Pale Ale – Gluten Free/Vegan |
Elusive Brewing | Alduin | Pale Ale |
Hook Norton | Double Stout | Stout |
Kelburn Brewing | Pacific Porter | Porter |
Loch Lomand Brewery | Bravehop | India/Imperial Pale Ale (IPA) |
Milestone | Rich Ruby | English Red Ale |
Papworth Brewery | Half Nelson | Zesty Ruby Ale – Vegan |
Pheasantry Brewery | Excitra | Golden Ale |
Saturday, April 5th:
Brewed by | Brew | Style |
Abbeydale Brewery | Daily Bread | Bitter – Gluten Free |
Brass Castle Brewery | Hazlenut Mild | Hazelnut Mild |
BrewPoint | Ruggers | Best Bitter |
Castle Rock Brewery | Elsie Mo | Golden Ale |
Little Ox | Yabba Dabba Doo | Juicy IPA |
Purity | Mad Goose | Pale Ale – Vegan |
Thames Side Brewery | Heron Ale | Bitter |
Thames Side Brewery | Born to be Mild | Dark Mild |
The Indian Brewery | Indian Summer | Pale Ale – Vegan |
Windsor & Eton | Eureka! | English Brown Ale |
He also sampled a select handful of American cask beers:
Brewed by | Brew | Style |
Schilling Beer Company | Kvet 12 | Czech Amber Lager |
Cambridge Brewing Co. | The End | Barrel Blended Old Ale: Elderberry, Currant, Cherry |
Suarez Family | Be Golden | Pale Bitter |
Wayward Lane | Habitude | Dark Mild |
Downeast Cider | Winter Blend | Spiced Cider |
Stormalong Cider | Charlie Barrel | Barrel Aged Cider |
Whym Craft Pub & Brewery | Not Dead Yet | Extra Special Bitter: Manhattan Mix |
Upcoming Cask Events (Festivals and Otherwise)
4/24/25 – 4/26/25: Caskalot at Fifth Hammer Brewing, Queens NY
4/27/25: 2025 Yards Invitational at Yards Brewing Company in Philadelphia PA.
5/4/25: 7th Annual Cask Ales FUNdraiser @ Po’Boy Brewery, Port Jefferson Station NY
5/24/25: New York State British Real Ale Festival @ Seneca Lake Brewing, Rock Stream NY
6/7/2025: Log Jammin’ V @ Human Robot Beer, Philadelphia PA
Upcoming Random NYC Casks
- This upcoming Thursday, April 10th, Strong Rope will be bringing a cask of Pub Ale to City Swiggers.
- There will be a cask of Wild East Digital Dissonance Brown Ale at Beer Street South on Friday, April 11th.
NYC Cask Venues
Known Operational/Active Beer Engines
- Jones Wood Foundry (x2)
- Fifth Hammer
- Wild East
- The Shakespeare (x3)
- Cask Bar & Kitchen
- Drop-off Service
Occasional Pins (worth a follow on Instagram)
- Strong Rope
- KCBC
- Tørst
- Blind Tiger Ale House
- Threes Brewing
- Brouwerij Lane (First Friday Firkins)
- The Owl Farm
Cask Venues Reachable from NYC by MTA Train
Metro-North Hudson Line
- Draught Industries, Beacon NY (one handpump, Old Glenham beer range).
- Coopers, Beacon NY (one handpump, Old Glenham beer range).
Metro-North Harlem Line
- The Ambleside Pub, Mt. Kisco NY (four handpumps, Old Glenham beer range).
Metro-North New Haven Line
- Marlowe Artisanal Ales, Mamaroneck NY (one handpump tapped Thursdays, Marlowe beer range)
- Nod Hill Brewing, Ridgefield CT (two handpumps, Nod Hill beer range).
This Post Has 2 Comments
Hi they just tapped a firkin of Wild East Digital Dissonance brown ale at Blind Tiger.
Thanks Johnny, I hope it will still be on tomorrow, I am on granddad duty today. Cheers!