Spring Protagonist: Our celebration of Cask Ale!
Although Lost and Grounded is a name synonymous with German and Belgian style brewing, we like to challenge ourselves by dipping our toes into the world of traditional British beer. After all, British and German drinking cultures are akin in many ways. Beer is a fiercely protected part of both nations’ identities, and we all choose communal hubs in the form of beerhalls and pubs to share the news of the day over a foaming pint.
Cask has a perception of being a bit dull, but we think it’s anything but! Just like lager, the flavours in cask ale are complex and varied – and often the sign of a good one is a balance between the elements of bitterness, malt and yeast character to create a beer that hits every corner of the palate. Beer should be the drink of the people, designed to lubricate conversation, to ignite revelry. It’s not made to be analysed; it’s made to be enjoyed!
It hasn’t been an easy few years for the beer industry, least of all for cask beer. Since the pandemic, when lockdowns and social distancing laws had us all in a permanent state of uncertainty, many pubs reduced or even removed their cask pumps. This was an unfortunate inevitability; how could any pub cellar and serve cask ale to any standard, when the rules could change on a dime.
Thankfully, today, cask is having something of a renaissance; craft breweries around the world are embracing the nuances of cask production. In America, Bitter has been given a rebrand as ‘Pub Ale’. In Australia, breweries such as Wildflower Brewery are proudly embracing the traditional techniques along with the familiar service from Angram beer engine. And closer to home, there is even a campaign from Craft Beer Channel to “Keep Cask Alive” by getting it classed as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Because that is what it is after all - a heritage process worth preserving.
So, once or twice a year, we take our passion for traditional brewing techniques, and the skill of our brewers, to create our rendition of a classic Bitter in cask. The first of this year’s offering, ‘Spring Protagonist’ is out in the wild now!
As with any beer special, we like to add our own Lost and Grounded twist. So, we started where we do with many of our beers, with pilsner malt for a reliable base. Then we added a mixture of classic British malts; Cara 50, Pale Ale and Biscuit malts, and a dash of Mroost (sometimes known as Belgian Chocolate malt) The result is a beautiful, copper coloured beer with an appealing biscuit flavour, and just a hint of toast. For hop additions, we used Magnum hops up top for a citrus, marmalade bitterness, with traditional Goldings and Fuggles hops offering a floral aroma.
Our goal is always to create beer made with the utmost care and skill - no half measures! And just because we specialise in European styles, doesn’t mean our British styles don’t deserve the same level of attention. We’re proud to have made a beer of balance, that gives a nod to historical brewing. Pairing perfectly with your favourite bag of crisps and good company - sometimes, the seemingly simple things are the most satisfying. Cheers!
