Cask and Caskets 2017

Cask and Caskets is back. The Society of Oshkosh Brewer's fourth homebrewed beer fest takes place Saturday, November 4, 2017, at the Hilton Garden Inn Oshkosh from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m

Here's the kicker: this year, it's free. You do not have to pay to get in. No hitches, no bullshit. It's a free beer festival. But tickets are strictly limited. Right now, less than 150 remain. If you want to go, you’ll need to get moving. Here's how it works.

UPDATE: Casks & Caskets 2017 is now sold out.

Everything served at Casks is homemade. There won't be a commercial beer in sight. And it's not just beer. There will also be a bevy of ciders, meads, and wines. The homemade aspect means this won't be a "normal" fest. This fest takes rare and local to the extreme. At Casks, you'll get to try stuff you've never had before and will never have again.

Despite all the free liquid, Cask and Caskets is still a charity event. It costs nothing to get in and drink, but there are a number of ways to contribute. When you enter, you'll be able to make a donation. And if you want to upgrade from a regular cup to a "Casks" glass, you can do so for $35. There's also going to be a bucket raffle and silent auction items including a Gretsch guitar. All money raised will go to the Oshkosh Hunger Network.

The Gretsch

The list is still being populated, but here’s a handful of beers that’ll pour at casks: Telephone Pole Pale Ale, a fresh-hop beer made with hops grown in Oshkosh. Gin Barrel Saison. Georgia Peach IPA. Peanut Butter Ale. Sour Apple Saison. Vanilla Java Porter. Raven's Breath Black IPA. The Hulk, an aged Barleywine. They're not all stunt beers. The SOBs will be slinging plenty of traditional styles including ESB, Porter, Wit, Kolsch, Cream Ale, and more.

Fellow SOB Jody Cleveland and I are teaming up for a mini-fest within the fest. We're calling it Old World Oshkosh. We've cloned six beers from Oshkosh's past. An 1840s porter of the sort that was shipped to Oshkosh before there were breweries here. An 1850 dark lager brewed in Oshkosh at the Schussler Brewery. An 1874 Vienna Lager brewed at the Glatz Brewery. An 1876 Berliner Weisse brewed at the Schiffmann Brewery. The Oshkosh Brewing Company's 1894 Export Beer. And the original Peoples Beer from the 1950s.

And then, there’s this...

A costume contest. But you’ll need to find a better get up than a wiener suit to win it. There’ll be live music at the fest along with door prizes. If you want to spend Casks night at the Hilton Garden Inn, call the hotel and mention the festival. They’ll give you a deal on your room – $89 for the Saturday night stay.

If you have questions, plop them in the comments section or hit me up on Facebook. I'll answer as soon as I can. Hope to see you there!