We’ve all attended parties that involved tapping a keg: Screw in the tap, press down the handle, pump and pour. Simple, right? Well, at 6 o’clock tonight at The Bleeding Deacon, that simplicity will be challenged when Schlafly’s deliciously strong Winter ESB literally gets hammered … out of its cask, that is. The container in question is a bulbous metal thing incorporating only a manual valve and a small hole for a spigot. Tapping this sucker’s no easy cask, er, task.
Needed to do the deed: A nice, large, wooden mallet. A spigot (the tap). Plenty of rags, just in case. A bit of muscle, a load of confidence and a lot of determination.
Step 1: Make sure the valve is closed, lest you spew beer on the ceiling, the floor, bystanders and yourself.
Step 2: Align the spigot over the seal – then swing the mallet hard, fast and level.
Step 3: Without hesitation, repeat until the tap is sealed.
One caution: Don’t hit your hand. That would complicate holding a mug and enjoying the fruits of your labors.
Also, despite his team’s tapping skill, Schlafly cask guru Kent Householder noted there’s always a chance of a slight mist of ale. “The excitement generated by a good spray is not necessarily a bad thing,” he assured us. “It’s all a part of the fun of serving beer the old-fashioned way.”
– S.C. Truckey
This article appears in Dec 1-31, 2009.