The Cask-conditioned Ale Support Campaign (CASC) is an independent, volunteer organization.
CASC was formed in the spring of 1997 to organize real ale festivals in New England. It was established to promote and educate brewers, publicans, and the public about the brewing, distribution, and pleasures of real ale.
We are dedicated to the sensible enjoyment of top-fermented, traditionally brewed ales that undergo a secondary fermentation in the vessel from which they are served.
CASC presents its annual New England Real Ale Exhibition (NERAX) in the spring, and NERAX North in November. All our festivals feature open tastings of real ales collected from the UK, Germany and the US.
In addition to the open tastings, our festivals include educational sessions, cellaring workshops, and brewer's symposiums featuring experts from Britain and the US explaining the technology used in producing fine real ales.
Every year, the Cask-conditioned Ale Support Campaign sponsors two scholarships for cellarmanship training. Cellarmanship is the art of caring for and presenting cask-conditioned beers. The training consists of an overview of cask-conditioned beers including the history, benefits, and artisan nature of Real Ale. It will also teach the trainee how Real Ale is made and placed into the cask. The trainee will learn how to properly cellar it, set it up, vent it, tap it and finally serve it. Along the way the trainee will be taught the skills needed to know when the cask ale is ready to serve as well as if it is fit to serve.
We invite you to support the growth of cask-conditioned beer in New England by becoming a subscribing member of CASC. Members receive advance notice of ticket sales and discounts on festival admissions and merchandise. For more information, visit the membership site at cascconditioned.org.