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CASK ALE WHISPERER

Blog by Nigel Walsh

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Field Notes from Spring Caskalot 2026

Caskalot, a recurring seasonal cask ale event was held over four days last week, from Thursday, April 9th through Sunday April 12th.

I knew from the outset that I was only going to be able to attend the first two days of the festival; Saturday was going to be a full dog walking, dog feeding, dog sitting day from 6:30am until after 9pm, and I had a planned road trip to Philadelphia on Sunday to attend another cask ale festival at Yards Brewery.

So now it is Monday morning, and I am completely and utterly knackered, so do not expect much in the way of flowery prose this time around.

We are doing some field notes (with accompanying photos) this week, taken straight from the many texts that I sent from Caskalot to either my kids or my two mates back home in Blighty.

Caskalot day 1 – I got the 4:15 ferry over to LIC after Simba’s afternoon walk.

Pretty quiet but the stillage is up and beers are being served.

I am grabbing a pint from the beer engine and six Caskalot tickets to go alongside, I will probably grab another three or six later, it is going to be a long session today.

Fifteen casks in total, only one of which I have had before and that is the KCBC Secret Weapon dark mild, so it looks like I will be trying them all over the two sessions.

The Kelan NeverKelly pale ale from the handpump is scarily drinkable at 5.7%, there is a grassier note to it this time around; different base hop?

Only one dog here so far and he is a real sweetheart; it looks like I will have to give him a head pat every time I pass.

Alistair is on his way.

Cuzme is working hard finishing the cask set up and starting on the sound system for the live music later in the evening.

Only one other brewer here so far, Tony from KCBC; it looks like I will be starting with the Secret Weapon.

Next up, the Kellerpils, served from a stichfaß; I am always excited to see a gravity keg.

No real plan of action, but I will work through the guest beers first and then on to the Fifth Hammer brews.

Maybe I will go for the strongest beer next, a 10.2% from Endless Life intrigues me, Jeff usually brews delicate table beers.

Well, 10.2% and delicate; gentle sourness, nice funk and dangerously drinkable.

Finally got to try the Mummy Dust (West Coast) IPA from Wild East on cask, it may well be my favorite by the end of the event; the expected piney grapefruit notes and something a little more fruity/funky in there, possibly Mosaic.

Completing the guest beers with my first batch of tickets and topping up both the NeverBeer pint and the tickets.

Six more should do me for the evening, and the live band is just starting up.

Alistair is here, more dogs are here, John from Strong Rope just showed up, as did John from the NYC Cask Crew with friends.

Fifth Hammer casks coming up, starting with the pineapple IPAs.

The DIPA is pretty spicy; I am glad I got that in early.

The music is a little different today, more fusion than straight up jazz, almost progressive in parts, excellent.

I am guessing it is late, they are cleaning up the bar around us stragglers.

The ferry is long gone; it looks like I will be heading over to the 7-train with everybody else.

Caskalot Day 2 – I almost didn’t make it back, but I have one cask to complete my collection, and I am a bit of a completist.

Just the one six-pack of tickets today.

And a pint of the NeverKelly to wash it all down.

Six tickets is three one-vs-one matchups, starting with the Mexican Lime Lager and a repeat of the Kellerpils.

The kellerpils held up well into day 2; still quite lively and a likely top-3.

Mild vs Mild, Dark vs Light, KCBC vs Strong Rope, 4.2% vs 4.2%.

The Strong Rope edges to a tight win, it’s a southern thing with me; I love pale milds.

East Coast IPA vs West Coast IPA.

Pineapple Jellyfish vs Mummy Dust.

Yeah, the Mummy Dust is my favorite of the event.

The Strong Rope Spring Mild rounds out the top-3.

Just as well, as I just bumped into Jason and Kyle on my way out.

Early ferry home, I have to be up very early tomorrow to walk a dog.

Overall an excellent way to spend a couple of evenings, a fine blend of traditional and “enhanced” ales, and a great variety of beer styles.

I seriously considered returning on Saturday afternoon, with a couple of dogs in tow.

Scorecard w/e 04/14/26

In the past week the Cask Whisperer has enjoyed the following casks, all over two nights of Caskalot at Fifth Hammer Brewing:

  • Spring (Pale) Mild from Strong Rope Brewery
  • Secret Weapon Dark Mild from KCBC
  • Wheat the People from Gun Hill Publick House
  • Pushing Forward Back Bier de Garde from Endless Life Brewing
  • Mummy Dust West Coast IPA from Wild East Brewery
  • Kelan NeverKelly English Pale Ale from Fifth Hammer
  • Pentatonic Pilskeller from Fifth Hammer
  • Mexican Lime Lager from Fifth Hammer
  • Lemon Verbena Hamlite from Fifth Hammer
  • Spiced Fonio Pale Ale from Fifth Hammer
  • Cinnamon Red from Fifth Hammer
  • Sweet and Spicy Goggles Fruited Sour from Fifth Hammer
  • Sumac Navigator Belgian Dubbel from Fifth Hammer
  • Pineapple Jellyfish Hazy IPA from Fifth Hammer
  • Spicy Pena DIPA from Fifth Hammer

I also sampled over twenty casks at the latest Yards Real Ale Invitational in Philadelphia; more about that next week.

Upcoming Cask Events (Festivals and Otherwise)

Upcoming Random NYC Casks

  • 5/16/26: Das Bock returns to Plattduetsche Biergarten. Again, no promises of a cask but there were several stichfaß and a surprise cask at last year’s festivities.

NYC Cask Venues

Known Operational/Active Beer Engines

  • Jones Wood Foundry (x2)
  • Fifth Hammer
  • Wild East
  • The Shakespeare (x3)
  • Drop-off Service
  • Rough Draft

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
  • City Swiggers

Cask Venues Reachable from NYC by MTA or NJ Transit Train in Under two Hours

Metro-North Hudson Line

  • Draught Industries, Beacon NY (one handpump, Old Glenham beer range).
  • Coopers, Beacon NY (one handpump, Old Glenham beer range).
  • Happy Valley Arcade Bar, 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, Marlowe beer range).
  • Nod Hill Brewing, Ridgefield CT (two handpumps, Nod Hill beer range).

NJ Transit NJCL Line

  • Triumph Restaurant and Brewery, Red Bank NJ (one handpump, Triumph beer range).
  • Little Dog Brewing, Bradley Beach NJ (one handpump, Little Dog beer range).
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