Unless your home is somewhere in Spain.
The Three Lions got real close this time, but once again came unstuck against a familiar enemy, the French referee Argentina their own defensive mindset.
But you have to admit, they made France look very ordinary for a while there in the Bronze Medal match.
It was an awesome game to watch.
Or so they tell me.
I didn’t get to watch it myself.
I had spent much of the day Saturday getting absolutely drenched while attempting to accompany a pug on a ferry ride and hike (he means paddle) to Strong Rope Brewery; more about that adventure next week.
All the while my long-suffering wife was stuck at home, watching my granddaughter redesign the apartment.
Guess who was on granddad duty when he got back.
As anticipated last week, I also missed the England semi-final collapse and the first half of the Spain/France semi-final, all due to dog duties.
The second half of that match was mostly boring (sorry Spain) but ultimately very satisfying.
I watched it while propped up in the main bar at Jones Wood, accompanied by a few pints of OGB Session Bitter; also very satisfying.
I returned to JWF for the Spain/Argentina World Cup Final, this time sitting in the classy seats with the boss.
Old Glenham was on again after an emergency delivery from the brewery on Saturday morning.
Jones Wood has gone through many casks over the course of the competition, and in fact we managed to kick the Golden Ale and move on to the Summer Ale while the game was on.
Both were excellent!
And although the game may have lacked the intensity of the England/France goal fest, it was actually entertaining.
The highlight being, for me anyway, the Argentine red card and the brilliantly thuggish tackle that preceded it.
It reminded me of the horrifying wonderful Argentine teams of the sixties and seventies.
It was the kind of tackle that Antonio Rattin (5/16/37 – 7/11/26 RIP) would have approved of.
Okay, the winning Spanish goal was also fun to watch.
And the less said about the half-time show (I wanted Bad Bunny) and the medal presentation “ceremony” the better.
And that’s it for football for a few weeks folks.
The Championship will be getting started again towards the end of next month, and that other league; what’s it called again?
Between now and then, I expect to be hanging out in some of NYC’s celebrated breweries, with a pug.
And in four years’ time folks, the World Cup will hopefully return, and it really will be coming home.
Really.
Scorecard w/e 07/21/26
In the past week the Cask Whisperer may have had several pints of the following cask ales, all while watching the 2026 World Cup wind down:
- Old Glenham Yarn Golden Ale @ Jones Wood Foundry
- Old Glenham Severn Summer Ale @ Jones Wood Foundry
- Old Glenham Session Bitter @ Jones Wood Foundry
Upcoming Cask Events (Festivals and Otherwise)
- 9/12/26: Real Ale Harvest Festival @ Noah Webster House, West Hartford CT
Upcoming Random NYC Casks
- Nothing reported so far this week.
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).
