Real ale is beer brewed from traditional ingredients,
matured by secondary fermentation in the container from which it is dispensed and served without the use of extraneous carbon dioxide.
Because it is a living product it requires careful handling - and In and Out Inns know just how to do that even when setting up a portable bar.

As real ale matures, excess carbon dioxide from the fermentation process is allowed to escape through the “spile hole” in the top of the cask.

Real ale is usually dispensed either by gravity, where the barrel is tapped and beer poured into the glass, or by hand or electric pump, where beer is drawn by suction from the cask. In each case the beer is replaced by air from the atmosphere drawn in through the spile hole.

Not so, keg beers, where carbon dioxide or nitrogen are used to expel the beer from the keg. Keg beer is filtered, pasteurised, chilled and inert. It is kept under heavy gas pressure which prolongs its shelf life, reduces the flavour and makes the beer gassy.

Real ale is a living product - and we take care.