New cask version of Cains' premium lager now available
Cains brewery has launched a new cask version of its premium lager at the Liverpool CAMRA festival.
The cask version has been in development for the last six months and uses maris otter barley malt from Norfolk, a favourite of brewers the world over.
In June Cains launched a new premium keg lager which was matured for three months to get a better flavour.
The launch raised some eyebrows given British regional brewers' general lack of interest and even hostility towards lager.
However, Sudarghara Dusanj, co-owner of Cains with his brother Ajmail, believes that there is a massive gap in the market for regionally brewed lager. He said: "Regional brewers produce excellent ales but where are the locally brewed lagers? Our brewers produced an excellent keg beer for us and it has gone down really well in local top end outlets."
As a result CAMRA recently approached the Dusanj brothers asking if they could produce a cask version for a local beer festival.
It is stored for three months and then racked in casks and has yeast added to it for extra conditioning.
Mr Dusanj is excited about the potential for the beer, despite the fact that cask conditioned lagers - distinguished by use of a bottom-fermenting yeast - have struggled to find a following among drinkers.
He said: "We hope we can get a major national pub company listing for it.
"It will be hard but people are always looking for innovation and this beer has gone down equally well with the ale and the lager drinker."
Pictured: Ajmail (left) and Sudarghara Dusanj raise a glass to their new beer.
