• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

Chilled Cask Ale - Pointless gimmick ?

Status
Not open for further replies.
yorksrob

yorksrob

Veteran Member
Joined
6 Aug 2009
Messages
38,931
Location
Yorks
I've noticed Wainright are doing a 'chilled' cask ale called Altitude. Call me old fashioned, but I thought the only reason anyone would chill ale would be to hide the taste !

I notice that the said beer is 4.9%, so getting towards that strength that traditional ales start to taste horrible IMO.

Also, on both occasions I've seen this, there's been nothing else I would choose to drink on cask. Each to their own, but I think this is taking up valuable pump space.

I'm interested in anyones thoughts.
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

Aictos

Aictos

Established Member
Joined
28 Apr 2009
Messages
10,403
Well I like to relax with a beer from the fridge but that’s on a different level to the one you’ve mentioned.
 
Puffing Devil

Puffing Devil

Established Member
Joined
11 Apr 2013
Messages
2,766
I'd certainly give it a go... If it's in the style of a crafty IPA, it may well taste good chilled.
 
D

davetheguard

Established Member
Joined
10 Apr 2013
Messages
1,811
I've not tried it myself, but I have noticed that some pubs seem to like to serve cask beer at a temperature I think is too cold, and you end up with your hands wrapped round the glass to try and warm it up a bit and liberate the flavours.

I don't know if they do this to try and make the beer keep longer in the cellar; or if it's done to try to appeal to those who like ice cold lagers & keg; or some other reason.
 
Howardh

Howardh

Established Member
Joined
17 May 2011
Messages
8,152
davetheguard said:
I've not tried it myself, but I have noticed that some pubs seem to like to serve cask beer at a temperature I think is too cold, and you end up with your hands wrapped round the glass to try and warm it up a bit and liberate the flavours.

I don't know if they do this to try and make the beer keep longer in the cellar; or if it's done to try to appeal to those who like ice cold lagers & keg; or some other reason.
Click to expand...
Maybe just the weather! I dunno, I like my beer slightly below the supposed temperature, but not much so, and it can always warm up in the pub.
Also don't like red wine at actual room temperature (unless room temperature is below around 18c) I prefer it slightly chilled. Or, on a hot Mediterranean evening, extremely chilled!!
 
B

Bald Rick

Veteran Member
Joined
28 Sep 2010
Messages
29,155
Howardh said:
Also don't like red wine at actual room temperature (unless room temperature is below around 18c) I prefer it slightly chilled. Or, on a hot Mediterranean evening, extremely chilled!!
Click to expand...

We drink red wine too warm in this country, and white wine too cold.

Red wine should be served at between 12-16C, and certainly not room temperature. Half an hour in the fridge before serving is usually enough. Lighter reds (Gamay, Pinot Noir) towards the bottom of this scale, heavier reds (Shiraz, Cab Sav) towards the top.

White wine should be served at around 8-10C.

Dessert wines and champagne etc should be at 4-5C (fridge temperature). There’s a place near Perpignan called Maury that specialises in VDN (Vin Doux Naturelle - a sweet red dessert wine) and that has to be had cold. It’s beautiful stuff.
 
DaleCooper

DaleCooper

Established Member
Joined
2 Mar 2015
Messages
3,513
Location
Mulholland Drive
Bald Rick said:
We drink red wine too warm in this country, and white wine too cold.

Red wine should be served at between 12-16C, and certainly not room temperature. Half an hour in the fridge before serving is usually enough. Lighter reds (Gamay, Pinot Noir) towards the bottom of this scale, heavier reds (Shiraz, Cab Sav) towards the top.

White wine should be served at around 8-10C.

Dessert wines and champagne etc should be at 4-5C (fridge temperature). There’s a place near Perpignan called Maury that specialises in VDN (Vin Doux Naturelle - a sweet red dessert wine) and that has to be had cold. It’s beautiful stuff.
Click to expand...

Wine should be drunk at the temperature that the drinker prefers.
 
yorksrob

yorksrob

Veteran Member
Joined
6 Aug 2009
Messages
38,931
Location
Yorks
Cheers for all the replies folks !

The point about a "crafty IPA" is a fair one - even as a cask person, I have sampled the odd craft ale and have found them to be very drinkable ! However, if going that route, I'd be more inclined to go the whole hog and go for something like the (slightly more now) well known Camden IPA, (or the canned Gamma Ray) and save the ale pumps for a nice light slightly hoppy/citrusy 4.5% cask ale at a proper cask temperature !

I'm afraid my knowledge of plonk is limited, except that I enjoy a good prosecco along with the family !
 
Iskra

Iskra

Established Member
Joined
11 Jun 2014
Messages
7,870
Location
West Riding
Maybe I'm weird, but at home I drink my real ale straight from the fridge, I prefer it that way. Couldn't think of anything worse than a tepid pint. Perhaps it's a generation thing.
 
yorksrob

yorksrob

Veteran Member
Joined
6 Aug 2009
Messages
38,931
Location
Yorks
Warm beer, cricket on the village green, nuns cycling to evensong......

To be honest, the idea of a cold beer sets my teeth on edge nowadays.
 
Grumpy Git

Grumpy Git

On Moderation
Joined
13 Oct 2019
Messages
2,133
Location
Liverpool
In Sicily the local red 'nero d'avola' is often drunk slightly cool in hot weather to subdue the strength.

Wonderful stuff too.
 
H

herb21

Member
Joined
19 Jul 2018
Messages
80
Bald Rick said:
We drink red wine too warm in this country, and white wine too cold.

Red wine should be served at between 12-16C, and certainly not room temperature. Half an hour in the fridge before serving is usually enough. Lighter reds (Gamay, Pinot Noir) towards the bottom of this scale, heavier reds (Shiraz, Cab Sav) towards the top.

White wine should be served at around 8-10C.

Dessert wines and champagne etc should be at 4-5C (fridge temperature). There’s a place near Perpignan called Maury that specialises in VDN (Vin Doux Naturelle - a sweet red dessert wine) and that has to be had cold. It’s beautiful stuff.
Click to expand...
Wine is complex. I grew up in South Africa, so for a better red on a hot day I would chill it. Whites though, if good, should probably be as you say, however I have had more glasses of iced white than I care to count. In 35 degree weather, especially on a long lazy weekend afternoon, not keeping the temperature down is horrible. That said, I think in wine growing regions you learn to drink both good and poorer wines, and the approaches are different.

Coming back to beer (and cricket), much as I enjoy a cellar temperature ale, again I think its environment dependent. If you are watching the Newlands test while slowly roasting to a crisp, despite applying factor 50 every 30 min, a close to frozen larger is what you crave. On a night like tonight the ale seems far more inviting.

I have no opinions on a frozen cask ale.
 
T

thejuggler

Member
Joined
8 Jan 2016
Messages
1,186
As it appears to be a chilled golden 'ale' why not just call it lager?

Timmy Taylors have just rebranded their excellent Ram Tam as 'Landlord Dark' to increase sales.
 
Aictos

Aictos

Established Member
Joined
28 Apr 2009
Messages
10,403
Iskra said:
Maybe I'm weird, but at home I drink my real ale straight from the fridge, I prefer it that way. Couldn't think of anything worse than a tepid pint. Perhaps it's a generation thing.
Click to expand...

I’m the same, warm beer is disgusting!
 
DarloRich

DarloRich

Veteran Member
Joined
12 Oct 2010
Messages
29,243
Location
Fenny Stratford
thejuggler said:
As it appears to be a chilled golden 'ale' why not just call it lager?
Click to expand...

that is what it is for - to try and get he lager boys to drink it. It is also the kind of rubbish "craft" ale beady hipsters like. It isn't proper ale and it is for people who aren't man enough to handle a proper pint of proper men's ale
 
M

mbonwick

Established Member
Joined
26 Oct 2006
Messages
6,261
Location
Kendal
Made the mistake of trying Altitude once, never again.

I like a 'cool' ale at fridge temperature or above, but this was like a super-cold lager. And even with it being cold it tasted awful in a generic kind of way.
 
yorksrob

yorksrob

Veteran Member
Joined
6 Aug 2009
Messages
38,931
Location
Yorks
mbonwick said:
Made the mistake of trying Altitude once, never again.

I like a 'cool' ale at fridge temperature or above, but this was like a super-cold lager. And even with it being cold it tasted awful in a generic kind of way.
Click to expand...

That was my impression.

Problem is, the other choices in such circumstances are usually:

-Stout of some sort - unappatising for me
-So called "session ale" but actually around 3.5%, so small beer.
-Some horid rocket fuel at 5+ percent
-A cask cider, again usually very strong.
 
ASharpe

ASharpe

Member
Joined
4 Feb 2013
Messages
1,000
Location
West Yorkshire
Guinness extra cold is the same idea, chill it down to ensure that there is virtually no flavour and the masses will come.

If Rob or anyone else knows where I can try a pint in central Leeds I would give it a go. I'm not completely opposed to cold ales provided they are hoppy enough and I'm in the mood.

On the the point of wasting pump space I think the new trend for "Infused" ales is worse - especially when done with citrus fruits to give a 'craft' favour without hops like citra or mosaic for example.
 
yorksrob

yorksrob

Veteran Member
Joined
6 Aug 2009
Messages
38,931
Location
Yorks
asharpe said:
Guinness extra cold is the same idea, chill it down to ensure that there is virtually no flavour and the masses will come.

If Rob or anyone else knows where I can try a pint in central Leeds I would give it a go. I'm not completely opposed to cold ales provided they are hoppy enough and I'm in the mood.

On the the point of wasting pump space I think the new trend for "Infused" ales is worse - especially when done with citrus fruits to give a 'craft' favour without hops like citra or mosaic for example.
Click to expand...

Ah yes, I remember the Guiness extra cold fad.

I don't tend to drink in Leeds much these days, so haven't seen it there. I've seen it in Hull and Atherton so far.

I've not noticed any infused ales yet - sounds pointless when there are so many excellent hop varieties as mentioned !
 
Iskra

Iskra

Established Member
Joined
11 Jun 2014
Messages
7,870
Location
West Riding
DarloRich said:
that is what it is for - to try and get he lager boys to drink it. It is also the kind of rubbish "craft" ale beady hipsters like. It isn't proper ale and it is for people who aren't man enough to handle a proper pint of proper men's ale
Click to expand...

This is the modern world. I don't think people drink real ale in order to preserve their masculinity.
 
Grumpy Git

Grumpy Git

On Moderation
Joined
13 Oct 2019
Messages
2,133
Location
Liverpool
I had a dry January. My first pint in Feb was during a visit to the cinema and they only have hipster craft "beer". Paid £6 for some fancy IPA and honestly thought I've missed 'nowt it was like dishwasher. Had a pint of proper Guinness later and my faith was restored.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top