Weddings & Parties
Traditional cask ale for your celebration
A traditional cask of ale (or two or three) is the perfect addition to your wedding or party.
We supply any number of casks direct from the brewery to private events all over Dorset. Usually one or two casks are sufficient – but do speak to us about the size of your event and we will help.
We can set up the cask for you. We loan you all the self-serve equipment you need including cask tap with pouring spout, set up with a table top stillage and cask pourer tap. We simply request a refundable deposit for the steel casks and the serving equipment.
We need two weeks notice to be able to ensure we will have your beer(s) of choice in stock and ready for quaffing. Just drop us an enquiry through the form below and one of the brewery team will be in contact.
If you want us to tap and vent your cask(s) for you, our latest delivery day is a Friday so we must be able to access your venue to set up your beer for you. Otherwise we supply clear and simple instruction for DIY cask set up.
Our cask ale comes in the following sizes:
- 9 gallons
(a firkin or 72 pints) - 4.5 gallons
(a pin or 36 pints)
Ready to go ahead?
If you already know what you want, please complete our order enquiry form.
View our range
You can choose any of our amazing range of beers for your wedding or party.
Sample our ales
Purchase any of our cask range in bottled-conditioned form via our online shop.
Need more information about having our Finest Dorset Beers for your guests to enjoy? Then read on.
The only decision you have to make is which beer(s) to choose and whether the have Bright or Sedimented cask beer. We would always recommend a BRIGHTED beer for events but you can find out more from our Bright vs Sedimented FAQs below.
CASK REAL ALE OR BRIGHT BEER?
BRIGHT BEER
A more mobile format of cask conditioned ale is called bright beer. We settle a cask in our cold store, vent it and tap it and then decant it into a second cask. This provides you with a ‘ready to drink’ cask ale – there is no need to settle it. And, once your event is over, if there is any beer left, you can move it to another location without disturbing the sediment.
The only caveat with BRIGHT BEER is that it does not last as long as sedimented beer as it has lost the protection of the yeast, usually a maximum of two days.
The cask will still need to be tapped and vented but, again, as long as we have access to your venue on a Friday we can do this for you.
SEDIMENTED CASK ALE
Our Isle of Purbeck craft ales (served at the Bankes Arms Studland and in pubs all over Dorset and beyond) are well conditioned live real ales in cask. Once our brew is complete, we barrel up into cask and add finings. This settles out the natural sediment in the cask and drops it with the finings to the bottom of the cask.
The rolling around of the cask due to the delivery process means that the sediment gets disturbed so the cask needs to be set up in its final serving position and then left in situ (at least over night) to allow the yeast sediment to settle again.
Tapping and venting real ale is part of the cellarman’s skill. We can either do this for you but if you want to have a try yourself we provide instructions below. Just let us know!
How to Tap and Vent a Cask of Ale
Follow our simple guide to the anatomy of a beer keg and how to set it up for your event.
Tell us about your wedding or party
If you would like to order some cask ale for your wedding, party or other large event, please get in touch using the form below. Let us know the date and location of your event plus the beer you’re interested in (we have our core beers available all year round but let us know if you’d like something different). Alternatively to discuss your requirements please give us a ring on 01929 450227.
