What is one of the rarest forms of beer found in the U.S.? My answer may surprise you: It’s not any one particular beer or beer style, nor is it a specialty type of wild, sour or barrel-aged beer.

Instead, I would point to cask ale as among the rarest instances.

Contemporary cask ale derives almost entirely from British pub traditions, and the best examples naturally are to be found in England. For whatever reason, these traditions didn’t translate well here in the States, so finding proper cask beer can be a challenge.

On the other hand, here in Central Oregon, we’re fortunate to have a brewery entirely dedicated to brewing cask ale — Porter Brewing Co., located in Redmond. Porter was opened by Deven and Avara Roberts in 2018 with a lineup including Jackpine IPA, Infamous ESB, Irish Redmond Ale, and 1772 Porter.

Deven brews on a three-barrel system at the main location in Redmond, with a strong focus on English-style ales. In 2021 the Robertses expanded their reach and opened The Cellar, an English-style pub in downtown Bend.

“Cask” refers to the method of packaging and dispensing beer rather than any particular style. Most commercial draft beer is packaged in steel kegs and force carbonated with carbon dioxide; cask ale uses smaller, more rounded kegs, and relies on the yeast to naturally carbonate them.

To achieve this, the casks are filled with “live” unfiltered beer, and a small amount of sugar or fresh wort (unfermented beer) is added. The yeast consumes the fresh source of sugar and continues fermenting, carbonating the beer, to a lower pressure than kegs (about half the amount).

The beers are typically stored at cellar temperatures, around 50 degrees, rather than at near-freezing. Since there is less pressure due to the natural carbonation, more effort is required to draw beer from the cask to the glass; at Porter, you can see this in action with the large hand pumps, or beer engines, which operate similarly to old hand-powered water pumps.

A common misconception is that cask ale is warm and flat. The opposite is true; when properly handled, the lower carbonation and warmer temperatures result in beer that is smoother and creamier in texture with more pronounced flavor.

It had been some time since I’d had any of Porter’s beers, so I recently picked up two in bottles to reacquaint myself with them: PBC Pub Ale and Craig Elachie.

PBC Pub Ale is brewed as an English-style pale mild ale, a lower-strength beer that focuses on malt flavors. It’s a style intended for a session in the pub, low enough in alcohol to be able to enjoy several without overindulging. Porter’s version is 3.9% alcohol in volume.

Pub Ale is a striking copper color with good clarity and a creamy and rich head of foam. The bready aroma teases the promise of the malts with notes of crusty bread, lightly toasted oats, and a subtle fruity character of berry and stone fruit.

The flavor delivers on that promise, with a luscious malt profile highlighting hard-toasted bread crumbs, grain flour, light yeasty bread dough, and wheat. There’s an earthy hop bitterness as a light counterpoint to the graininess, and a bit of fruitiness with hints of compote, mincemeat, and some bitter pear skin.

With Craig Elachie, the company’s Scottish ale, it’s a bit stronger at 5% ABV and highlights darker malt characteristics. Scottish style ales are typically lower in hop character and sweeter than their English counterparts.

Craig Elachie is dark amber-brown in color with a dense head of light tan foam. The nose is nicely malty with a bit of caramel and chocolate rye, with subtle fruit notes of dark cherry and plum. There are no hop aromas that I can detect.

It’s nutty on the tongue, with lightly roasty malts and a touch of minerality, a gentle caramel sweetness in the body, and a clean, mild grainy character that has a nice toastiness to it. The body is on the lighter side and it finishes dry. It’s a simple profile yet eminently drinkable and moreish, one you will want to keep sipping.

While bottle-conditioned beers can provide a similar experience for home consumption, proper cask ale is a rarity in this country. You’ll find the best way to experience these beers (outside of England) is freshly poured at one of Porter’s locations.

Slippery Slope Winter Ale — Cascade Lakes Brewing

Diamond Peak Cascadian Dark Ale — Worthy Brewing Co.

Never Too Loud Schwarzbier — Double Mountain Brewery

Saison Tepache — Funky Fauna Artisan Ales

Wintering Cozy Stout — Kings & Daughters Brewing