Press Kit
This information is consolidated for the convenience of anyone interested in publicizing Hosting Cask Ale Events. The information contained on this page is made available for use without seeking explicit permission from the author. For additional information, please contact me at info at maydaycask dot org.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
21 JANUARY 2017 | Watertown, MA
Visit www.maydaycask.org/press-kit/ for contact details, review copies, photos, and an author bio.
NERAX Cellarman Releases Technical Manual
Reveals behind-the-scenes glimpse of popular cask festival
Randy Baril, Head Cellarman of past New England Real Ale eXhibition (NERAX) cask ale festivals is helping to spread the technical knowledge of doing cask ale well in his new book, Hosting Cask Ale Events. Developed from the materials he used to lead a seminar of the same name at the 2015 National Homebrewer’s Conference, his book illustrates different strategies for presenting cask ale outside of the traditional pub setting.
Randy Baril is a qualified CAMRA Bar Manager who served as the Head Cellarman for both the NERAX and NERAX North festivals from 2012 – 2015. While he currently serves as the Festival Organizer for the annual NERAX North festival held in November in Salem, MA, he can frequently be found lending a hand in the cellar at both that festival and the classic NERAX festival held in the spring. Outside of these festivals, Randy is frequently promoting cask events in the Boston metropolitan at the Hyper-Local Craft BrewFest, his own all-homebrew May Day Cask Festival, and at the upcoming Ipswich Cask and Clam Fest in May 2017.
The Yankee Brew News has called Hosting Cask Ale Events a “short and self-published technical book” that is “[d]ense and thorough”. Nolan Carpenter, Cask Czar at the Harpoon Brewery, called it “an informative and enjoyable read, charming and practical” while Meagen Anderson, former beer education manager at The Boston Beer Company, said that it was “an incredible and long overdue resource” “for anyone who wants to improve their [cask] program to meet the standards of the best cask ale event in the US”.
Randy Baril became excited about real ale shortly after he moved to Boston and attended his first NERAX. His book, Hosting Cask Ale Events, is the accumulated experience gained by finding a way to put cask ale in the oddest places. Read more about this book and his homebrew cask festival at www.maydaycask.org. The book may be purchased there, or on Amazon.
-ENDS-
About the Author
Randy Baril is an avid homebrewer, inventor, and cask ale enthusiast. He prefers the subtle malt flavors found in English session ale, which he brews himself or finds at the New England Real Ale eXhibition (NERAX). A trained CAMRA Bar Manager, he has served as the Head Cellarman for the Cask-conditioned Ale Support Campaign (CASC), the non-profit organization that hosts NERAX, since 2010. Hosting Cask Ale Events is the companion to his seminar of the same name presented at the 2015 National Homebrewer’s Conference in San Diego.
AWARDS for HOSTING CASK ALE EVENTS
REVIEWS OF HOSTING CASK ALE EVENTS
Yankee Brew News, December/January 2016/17 Volume 27, Number 6:
“Those who have attended cask ale events may not realize the efforts that are put into staging such an event. In this short and self-published technical book, Randy Baril (NERAX and May Day Cask Fest) shares his expertise in droves, opening the reader’s eyes to the many tasks that are involved. Dense and thorough, the books starts with basics, and moves quickly to the preparation and serving of casks from just a single cask to a more complicated festival. An interesting section on dry hopping and spicing includes a large table listing the aromatic qualities of various hops.”
Meagen Anderson, former beer education manger at The Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams) and current Principal of Hop Forward LLC, on a 4 January 2017 Amazon Review:
“This book is an incredible and long overdue resource for anyone in the beer industry! I would strongly recommend this for ANY brewer, beer distributor, consumer, Certified Cicerone candidate, or retailer that works with or enjoys cask ale. Not only is Baril’s approach and tone very palatable (pun intended!) but it is direct and there is no fluff. Any team that wants to be able to handle or offer cask programs should start here and use this as a go-to guide for having an educated staff that understands the importance of quality. Having been a fan of the NERAX events, I had been exposed to a high quality event, and then let down when venturing out to drink cask beers at brewpubs and bars alike. This book allows for anyone who wants to improve their program to meet the standards of the best cask ale event in the US to make that transition, and to enjoy the benefits of a properly managed program. Well done and Cheers!”
Dann Paquette, Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project
“As a complete work it seems to me that this is brilliantly handy…”
Owen Ogletree in his 14 February 2017 Brewtopia newsletter:
“Everyone loves to see cask-conditioned ale being served at a pub or beer festival, but because of yeast sediment in the cask and the need for venting excess carbon dioxide, cask ale poses a range of challenges for anyone looking to serve a perfect pint. Pub owners, brewers, homebrewers and festival organizers looking for easy and common sense tips on serving the best cask ale should be sure to grab a copy of Randy Baril’s handbook Hosting Cask Ale Events.
Randy’s approachable guidebook provides useful insights on cask ale procedures, tools, equipment, cleaning, carbonation, dry-hopping, cooling, cellaring, venting, tapping and serving.
Hosting Cask Ale Events also goes into adding spices, fruit, juices, honey and other flavorings to the cask – as well as methods of obtaining oak character. Cask-conditioned ale does present challenges, but the soft carbonation and elegant flavor components often highlighted in great casks makes it all worthwhile.”
Richard Harrison, Organizer of the Scottish Real Ale Festival and Bar Manager at the Great British Beer Festival
“Randy’s book is full of great advice for those wanting to serve cask ale at its best. His enthusiasm for looking after (and consuming!) cask ale shines out from the pages. ”
Nolan Carpenter, Cask Czar @ Harpoon Brewery (15 December 2016)
“As a local authority on cask ale, Randy Baril has compiled an approachable guide to preparing and serving cask ale. There’s nothing quite like having a pin or firkin amongst family and friends to celebration special occasions and with this book that dream is within reach. It’s an informative and enjoyable read, charming and practical.”
Ben Parr-Ferris, Great British Beer Festival (GBBF) Bar Manager
“It is excellent – very well written and informative, and I do of course like the cover photo!” Author’s Note: The cover picture was taken inside the cold box on Ben’s bar at GBBF.
Jesse Mertz of Kettle to Keg Homebrew Supplies
“[This] was a pleasant surprise for me. I began this book with the expectation that it would be a dry treatise on using casks to serve beer. Baril brought historical as well as modern practical knowledge, from currently practicing brewers, together into one convenient source. He covers the width and breadth of: serving, vessel anatomy, carbonation, and techniques for making your beers unique using this traditional method. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to move into serving their beer by cask. This guide has done something that not many brewing books do anymore, it got me excited to try some thing new. Cheers!”