Cask Conditioned or Bright? We let you decide.

Cask Conditioned Ale
Cask Conditioned Ale is live beer, complete with yeast/sediment and requires 12- 24 hours to settle before drinking. Once settled, the beer is said to have “dropped bright” and becomes clear rather than cloudy.
Cask Conditioned Ale has a longer shelf life than Bright Beer, but if moved will require further time for settling.

Polypin shelf life - As a rough guide polypins unopened will keep Cask Conditioned Ale, with sediment, fresh for approx a month if kept in ideal conditions. However we recommend ale should be consumed within a fortnight of receiving it to appreciate it at its best.
Mini Cask shelf life – Unopened the ale will remain fresh in a mini cask for 2-3 months if kept in ideal conditions, but once opened needs to be consumed within a week.

Bright Beer
Bright Beer or re-racked beer; has had the sediment/yeast removed at the brewery. Bright Beer requires no settling time and can be drunk immediately - handy if you need to transport beer to a party/venue.

Polypin Shelf life - Bright Beer, with no sediment has a much shorter shelf life. We recommend it should be opened and consumed within a week of the delivery date to appreciate it at its best.
Mini Cask shelf life – not available yet

Please refer to our comprehensive tasting notes, available in our shop for precise shelf life and type of ale.

Looking after your ale - Polypin and Mini Cask Instructions

Polypin - Cask Conditioned Ale
1. Pull out the tap from inside the polypin box and place the polypin in the serving position. Leave your polypin in a cool place 10-12C out of direct sunlight, - not the fridge.
2. Place a book under the back of the polypin, raising it slightly which allows the beer to pour over the sediment and to drain every last drop.
3. Do not disturb the polypin for at least 12 hours to allow the beer to drop bright. Do not drink before it has been allowed time to settle.
4. Once the tap has been opened your polypin beer should normally last for at least 2 weeks if it is kept in optimum condition 10 – 12C (54F). Check the tasting notes on the product page for precise shelf life.
5. If the polypin is moved you must allow another 12 hours settling time.
6. To help develop the flavours, first pour ale into a jug and then into the glass.
7. Check your polypin regularly. It should not be stored for more than a week without use as natural co2 may pass into the bag space and the box may bulge.
8. Should your polypin expand due to secondary fermentation, simply place the polypin with the tap at the top and open the tap to release the co2 (do this in a well ventilated area). This will solve the expansion problem. Secondary fermentation is a good sign, as it means your beer is still fresh, but if you move the polypin to release the co2 your ale will then require further settling time.

Polypin - Bright Beer
1. Pull out the tap from inside the polypin box and place the polypin in the serving position. Leave your polypin in a cool place 10-12C out of direct sunlight, (not the fridge).
2. Place a book under the back of the polypin, raising it slightly which allows the beer to pour and drain every last drop.
3. Bright Beer needs to be consumed within a week of delivery and can be moved - no need to settle.

Mini Casks - Cask Conditioned Ale
1. Leave your mini cask in a cool place (10-12C) out of direct sunlight.
2. Do not disturb the mini cask for at least 6 hours. Do not drink ale or open cask before ale has been allowed to settle.
3. A few hours before you want to serve the beer turn the tab on the top from “0” to “1” – this vents the beer.
4. Withdraw the tap by pulling down on the tab and pulling the tap out.
5. To serve turn the tap a quarter turn anti-clockwise. Do not tip the cask to speed up serving as this will disturb the sediment.
6. When you have finished serving close the vent tab on the top – this helps to keep the beer in good condition.
7. Mini casks can be kept in the fridge and have a longer shelf life than polypins (before opening).
8. Once the tap has been opened your beer should last for at least 7 days if it is kept in optimum condition 10-12C/54F. See tasting notes on the product page for precise shelf life.
9. If the container is moved you must allow another 6 hours settling time.
10. To help develop the flavours, first pour into a jug and then into the glass.
11. Mini casks can keep ale fresher for longer than polypins when unopened – up to 3 months. However the beer may be “lively” on opening due to natural co2 build up within the minicasks. This may mean that on opening the top vent (instructions above) the ale may fizz out the top vent due to the pressure build up. If this happens open the serving tap at the bottom to release some of the ale and start circulation.

Recycling
Mini casks, just like the Polypin boxes, can also be recycled. We therefore kindly ask our customers to recycle packaging wherever possible to reduce waste.