Last Friday we tapped our first-ever firkin as part of our Tappin’ Happenin’ with Farmington Brewery. Many of you wondered what made that curious little keg so special.
A firkin is a unit of measure equivalent to one quarter of a barrel, 72 pints, or 9 imperial gallons. Firkin is also the name for the type of keg that houses cask conditioned ale, or beer that has been naturally fermented and carbonated by its resident yeast.
Cask beers are served from the container in which they are fermented, which means the final product remains a bit of a mystery until the firkin is tapped.
Since cask beer is forced out by gravity and not CO2, the keg is laid on its side at a 30 degree angle and the spout is driven in horizontally with a wooden mallet. Tapping a firkin can get messy if not done correctly!
Farmington’s Firkin was filled with Call Sign IPA, an Ale made with honey malt and new world hops for a big, sweet body and a bitter hop finish.
Check out Christian tapping last Friday’s firkin here.