2014 WASHINGTON CASK BEER FESTIVAL
Saturday March 22, 2014 12-4pm & 6-10pm Seattle Center Exhibition Hall
(Seattle, WA) March 6, 2014- Washington Brewers Guild will present its annual Washington Cask Beer Festival at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall on Saturday, March 22. This year’s event will mark its 15th year and it will feature more than 100 cask-conditioned beers by 41 Guild member breweries, the biggest lineup the event has ever had.
Cask Festival is often considered one of the favorite beer events among craft beer aficionados and brewers alike. In addition to the fact that they simply love cask-conditioned beer and there will be more than 100 of them to choose from, its wildly unique beer lineup that consists mainly of one-off and limited releases is also a big draw. Most beers are brewed in small batches and the brewers get to flex their creative muscles by experimenting with different hops, aging in barrels, and using unusual ingredients such as smoked black peppers, orange marmalade and rose petals.
Below are some of the beers that can be found at this year’s Cask Festival:
Hops, hops and more hops With more than 30 IPA’s, Double IPA’s and Imperial IPA’s there will be no shortage of hoppy beer at the Cask Festival Try classic IPA’s including Big Time Bhagwan’s Best IPA and Anacortes IPA, and Imperial and dry-hopped versions such as Boundary Bay Imperial IPA and Schooner Exact Evergreen IPA.
IPA’s with twists For those who love hops but are looking for something different- Elliott Bay Brewing’s Lake City anniversary beer is a Black IPA while 7 Seas Brewing’s Depth Finder India Red Ale is a cross between IPA and Amber. Also try American Brewing’s Revolutionary RyePA and Issaquah Brewhouse’s Contraband IPL, a lager version of their house IPA.
Traditionalists Many brewers are paying homage to the traditional beer styles from England, home of “real ales”. Machine House Brewery, Hi-Fi Brewing and Georgetown Brewing (2nd session only) will all bring their version of English Mild while Maritime Pacific Brewing, Big Al Brewing and Redhook Brewery opted for ESB’s.
(Barrel) aged gracefully Aging is a beautiful thing when it comes to beer, especially when it takes place in a barrel. Naked City Brewery’s Sour beer and Hale’s Ales’ Imperial Stout were aged in bourbon barrels while Fremont Brewing (Dark Star Stout) and Bainbridge Island Brewing (Russian Imperial Stout) aged their beers in whiskey barrels.
People’s Choice Winners Last year’s People Choice winners Silver City Brewery’s Bourbon Barrel Fat Scotch and Diamond Knot Brewing’s Apple-Cinnamon ESB (1st session and 2nd session, respectively) are both returning to the event this year (Bourbon Barrel Fat Scotch available during the 1st session only). Will they be able to defend their titles?
