Watering Hole

The Grey Lodge

by Will Dean

If you go to The Grey Lodge on a Friday night, you'll see something rare: a man hammering a tap into the bottom of a tiny, old-world keg. It's the owner, who goes by the name Scoats, and he's not making a mistake—he's busting open a firkin of cask-conditioned beer.

"This is what the British would call 'real beer,'" says Scoats. "Brewers add extra hops and sugar during barreling, so it ferments for a second time." Yeast eats the extra sugar and, in addition to upping the alcohol content, naturally carbonates the beer for a refreshing, flavorful finish.

Since it lacks the injected carbonation of modern beers, Scoats taps the firkin, which holds about 10 gallons, near the bottom so gravity will help the pour. The natural method, however, sometimes provides more than enough pent-up pressure. "Once, I tapped the firkin with a perfect hit of the mallet, and exactly a minute later, the tap shot out and hit a woman in the chest," recalls Scoats. "She was fine, though."

Every week there's a different variety of beer, usually from local breweries like Yards or Flying Fish. Except when Friday the Firkenteenth rolls around: While most people are busy avoiding black cats and ladders, the Lodge is tapping at least 13 firkins. Festivities start at noon, but it's wildly popular—last time, 190 gallons disappeared by 8 p.m. Plan ahead for the next installment, scheduled for April 27.