US Cask - A Great Idea
Since we mentioned that we’d be having 70 casks of beer from the USA just a few weeks ago we’ve been fielding enquiries from both the UK and our transatlantic counterparts. Many have asked whether they’ll be seeing their favourite ale from their home state appear in Peterborough, England!
Well, it’s early days and we have no idea about which breweries will be featured but it’s encouraging to be making links with our friends across the pond. We’re all looking forward to seeing what they bring to the party!
As we’re keen to raise the profile of the festival in foreign climes we’ll be forming links with breweries, festivals and other beery related organisations, initially in the US but it’s a big wide world out there so who knows where this will lead.
America has a vast range of beer styles and the history of brewing in the US is a long and interesting one and to this end we’ve hooked up with the Beer Culture Center in Chicago. Liz Garibay the director is keen to spread the word about beer, its history and its relevance to society, and of course we fit right in with that philosophy. Liz liked the idea of cask beer going back to the UK for a beer festival and also British cask going the opposite way, something already happening with the New England Real Ale Exhibition in Boston.
When I mentioned that the Great British Beer Festival is no more for the forseeable, she suggested that the Beer Culture Center should partner with us and help spread the word about PBF instead. We couldn’t really refuse could we! As we’re always happy to reciprocate, we said we’d let everybody know about their annual Beer Culture Summit which is happening next week. I know we’re unlikely to get a flight to Chicago by Friday and join them for a beer but many of their talks are available via Zoom so we can all join in (and presumably have a beer while doing so!). It won’t surprise anybody that many of the talks and events happen in a variety of Chicago taverns!
Pity we’ll miss their opening party at the Village Tap though, looks like a fab place for a beer! Maybe next time!
You can see what the Beer Culture Center is all about and view their programme of online events.
On the programme
Brewing the Past: Recreating 16th Century Beer
Mapping the [In]visible: A Geography of Black Midwest Saloon keepers in Chicago, 1850-1905
Mexican Lagers: How Heritage and Identity Can Inform Craft
Alcohol and Human Aging: What Changes as We Do?
War and American Beer: How WWII Changed the U.S. Brewing Industry
Brewing Since 1492. A Virtual Tour of Stiegl Braurei in Salzburg, Austria
They Brew Me to Live, They Do Not Live to Brew Me: Exploring the Ethos of Trappist Produced Beers
Lovely Day for a Guinness: The Story of John Gilroy + His Toucan