Italy and England compete in beer shots. The object of contention will be the traditional one Real British ale, also known as Cask Beer: a true icon of an all-English way of drinking beer, which has resisted the passing of the centuries and innovations, for keep the secrets of a unique production method in the world. On the field of Londinium at the Treefolk Public House in Rome, in viale Trastevere from 2 to 5 March they take the field 50 different beers: 25 English and 25 Italian, for a challenge to the last pint where the winner will be determined by the palates of enthusiasts, connoisseurs and beer lovers.
The common denominator for all the stems in the competition will be thebelonging to the tradition that sees in the cask, a particular type of barrel, a timeless symbol. A classic style in the British Isles, which tells of the typical and picturesque pubs of the suburbs, or of those city pubs that start to fill up in the afternoon, when you leave work. And it will be curious to discover the work of local brewers who are trying their hand, for the first time, with this production technique.
The ancient tradition of a unique production method in the world
But what are the characteristics of Real Ales? The cask, as mentioned, is the typical container from which they are tapped. Its dimensions may vary, but there is one feature that cannot be missed: the absence of added carbon dioxide inside. These beers, in fact, are clear and practically without foam: “There is just a slight carbonation – explain the organizers – due to a fundamental step, or rather the refermentation in cask. Often this process is linked almost exclusively to the Belgian production area, without reflecting on the fact that instead this is the essence of a Real Ale, a beer that remains in the keg but alive, with active yeasts as triggered by residual sugars".
The characteristic of Cask Beer: absence of added carbon dioxide, clear and without foam
Another key element is the so-called "fall" tapping: “Connecting the tap is a fateful moment – explain the organizers – the plastic membrane on the head of the cask is penetrated by the tip of the tap (tap) with a hammer blow, then, once the cask is positioned with a specific inclination, you can finally start serving the first pints: nothing more authentically English”. Another type of service, equally particular and traditional, is the one with hand pump, in which, bypassing the thrust of carbon dioxide, the beer is literally pulled out of the cask by sucking it up with a lever through a tube, a bit like it was done with the old hydraulic pumps of artesian wells.
In Italy it is still little known, few breweries try their hand at it
The last characteristic element is the service, strictly at room temperature: and this not only because it is in the cellars of English pubs that casks are traditionally kept until they are tapped, but also because theabsence of refrigeration is essential to keep the yeast "alive", in order to favor the particular maturation of this drink.
These are all specificities that give life to a unique beer, full of fascinating nuances and history, so much so that to protect it, the CAMRA association, "Campaign for Real Ale" was established in 1972”. And if in Italy is still little known, with a small number of breweries that try their hand, the Londinium event can be a precious opportunity to discover a new face of beer, allowing yourself to be enveloped by the image of that seductive and somewhat mysterious London that has spanned the ages between one pint and another. There is also a wide selection of typically English food: from English breakfast in the morning, to ribs and fish and chips.
