The Bar Towel

Just realized that there has been no thread started to discuss this year's edition of Cask Days, and tickets have been on sale for over a week! Quite a change from previous years when people were rabid about it.

Here's the info available so far...

Cask Days 2012
8th Annual Cask-Conditioned Craft Beer Festival



TORONTO, ON — (Aug 13, 2012) October has become Ontario’s annual month to celebrate cask-conditioned ale. A term for unfiltered, unpasteurized, naturally carbonated beer that undergoes a secondary fermentation in the cask (container). Once tapped, cask-ale - also referred to as “real ale”, has only a few days to be consumed at its peak; We call these days Cask Days.

We are excited to announce the 8th year of our cask-conditioned craft beer festival in Toronto, Ontario which will take place on Saturday, October 27th and Sunday, October 28th 2012. This year we will be hosting the festivities at a new venue, Evergreen Brickworks (550 Bayview Avenue), a dynamic public space in the heart of Toronto's Don Valley. The festival is planning to feature cask-conditioned ales from over 50 micro-breweries across the country and will also introduce an international section showcasing casks from outside of Canada – marking the only festival of its kind in the country.

Cask Days was founded by barVolo in 2005 and has remained family run for the last eight years. The event has evolved into one of the most exciting craft beer festivals in the industry and a major contributor to the Ontario craft beer community. It has also encouraged brewers to experiment, explore diverse styles and have the opportunity to showcase their finest brews, in most cases – one off’s that are especially made for the event in cask-conditioned form. Our aim this year is to give you a unique beer festival experience that celebrates not only local craft beer but local food, art and music. Tickets are now available for purchase, please visit our event page for more information!

Website http://www.caskdays.com
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/caskdays
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/caskdays

Cask Days 2012 Will Feature...

* Cask-conditioned ales from micro-breweries across Canada

* 100+ different beers available from 50+ participating breweries

* One-offs, seasonal, or specialty casks only (non-regularly produced beers)

* Brewery collaboration area (unique collaboration one offs for Cask Days 2012)

* International offerings showcasing guest casks from outside of Canada

* Seminars about cask-conditioned ale with guest speakers

* "Cask Your Vote" - Best of Cask Days 2012 (Vote for your favorite beers)

* Breakfast with the brewers (BMO Atrium) catered by local chefs

* Brewery spotlight featuring five unique casks from one select micro-brewery

* Select local food and drink vendors within the event space

* Pop up events across Ontario leading up to Cask Days including Beau’s Oktoberfest

Gotmy tickets! Not exactly the most transit friendly location though. From what i've figured out, its either a 1.5km walk from the Castlefrank sub station, or a god knws how long ride on a very infrequent special bus from Davisville, or obviously a cab. Is there a route i'm missing?

this link is good: http://ebw.evergreen.ca/visit/getting-here/

their free shuttle running 7 days a week looks like a good option, and it mentions some other possibilities too.

what does your ticket get you?

matt7215 wrote:what does your ticket get you?

it usually gets you your glass (which has been a pint glass in all but one year), a handful of drink tokens, sometimes tickets for food and such. I think last year you got 5 tokens, with most 1/4 pint pours being 1 token and some being 2. more were available at the event for something like $2 each.

actually, looking at the website it does have some details... says the ticket price includes your glass, 4 drink tickets, and admission. additional drink tickets are $2.50 each (tax included), with 1 ticket for 1/4 pint, 2 for 1/2, and 4 for full.

also says that tickets are available at volo for cash, saving you the online fees and such.

grub wrote:this link is good: http://ebw.evergreen.ca/visit/getting-here/

their free shuttle running 7 days a week looks like a good option, and it mentions some other possibilities too.

I looked at that when the details became available; wish I knew if there'd be increased shuttle service during the fest. It seems hard to imagine it would be enough to deal with the volume, esp. given the session end times and the last shuttle times.

As robinvboyer noted, not the most transit-friendly site.

skaghevn wrote:

grub wrote:this link is good: http://ebw.evergreen.ca/visit/getting-here/

their free shuttle running 7 days a week looks like a good option, and it mentions some other possibilities too.

I looked at that when the details became available; wish I knew if there'd be increased shuttle service during the fest. It seems hard to imagine it would be enough to deal with the volume, esp. given the session end times and the last shuttle times.

As robinvboyer noted, not the most transit-friendly site.

That's why you get your wife/girlfriend to pick you up!

Not at the same time though. Awkward.

I have had no problems with getting there for the Brewer's Back Yard events, have done the Davisville bus once, shuttle bus a few times, and a cab once.

JeffPorter wrote:That's why you get your wife/girlfriend to pick you up!

Not at the same time though. Awkward.

What about when she comes with you to the event? Either or both.

Anyways, I was hoping the new venue wouldn't be BrickWorks. *sigh* Volo and Hart House were easy to get to, BrickWorks not so much. Hopefully the shuttle bus schedule is beefed up. Anyone ask any of the Volo clan if they know that's going to happen?

A 20 minute walk from the subway station makes a place hard to get to? Really? I mean, maybe if someone were disabled. But for an able bodied adult, a 20 minute walk is pretty damned easy.

mintjellie wrote:A 20 minute walk from the subway station makes a place hard to get to? Really? I mean, maybe if someone were disabled. But for an able bodied adult, a 20 minute walk is pretty damned easy.

An uphill walk after a full day of sampling will make a lot us less able-bodied

mintjellie wrote:A 20 minute walk from the subway station makes a place hard to get to? Really? I mean, maybe if someone were disabled. But for an able bodied adult, a 20 minute walk is pretty damned easy.

We live and work downtown. We're spoiled. Volo and Hart House are walkable distances from home. I get grumpy when I have to take the TTC.

I'll be there the Saturday afternoon.

http://caskdays.com/brews

The brew list has been released. Sounds like it'll be quite the event as usual.

One beer stuck out as I glanced through the list:

Alexander Keiths "#217" (American Style Strong Pale Ale)

Hmmmm...

Early nomination for strangest brew:

F&M "Wurst Idea Ever" (American Sour Ale with Brussel sprouts + Smoked Meat)

lister wrote:http://caskdays.com/brews

Early nomination for strangest brew:

F&M "Wurst Idea Ever" (American Sour Ale with Brussel sprouts + Smoked Meat)

Just sampled this out of the fermentor... yup, never had anything like that before!