Serve Fresh Craft Beer at Your Party with Stewart Brewing: Cask vs. Keg Explained

What’s better than enjoying fresh craft beer at your party? Not much. But cleaning up a mountain of bottles and cans the next day—especially with a hangover—is definitely not ideal.

That’s where Cask and Keg hire from Stewart Brewing comes in. We make it easy to serve brewery-fresh beer at your event, minus the mess. But before you choose, it’s important to know the difference between a Cask and a Keg—because yes, they’re not the same!

Let’s break it down:

Cask-Conditioned Ale: Traditional & Flavorful

Best for: Serving traditional real ale

A Cask is the classic way to enjoy real ale. It contains both beer and live yeast, which means it continues to condition naturally. Once it's set up, the cask needs 24 hours to settle and must not be moved after that. It’s best served at 11–13°C— room temperature usually works fine.

Once tapped, the beer stays fresh for up to 5 days. And if you’re planning ahead, the cask’s longer best-before date means you can enjoy it weeks later.

• Cask Sizes: 36 or 72 pints
• We provide: Cask of beer, tap and spout, wedges, mallet, pegs, and step-by-step setup instructions
• You provide: A table and a bucket for drips

Keg Beer: Cold & Carbonated

Best for: Pouring chilled, fizzy beer at your party

A Keg is a sealed, pressurised container that usually requires CO₂ to dispense. But don’t worry—our party kits use an air pump, so you don’t need a heavy gas cylinder. Just pump and pour!

The trade-off? Beer doesn’t love air. Once opened, the keg should be finished within a day to keep its fizz. Want it cold? Just pop the keg in a bucket of ice.

• Keg Sizes: 53 or 88 pints
• We provide: Keg of beer, party pump, and a bucket (just add ice!)
• You provide: Ice to chill the keg

 Why Choose Stewart Brewing for Your Party?

• No bottles or cans to clean up
• Fresh, locally brewed craft beer
• Easy-to-use party kits with full instructions
• Perfect for weddings, birthdays, BBQs, and more

Ready to hire a cask or keg for your next event?
Visit our Cask & Keg Hire page to book your beer!