There was trouble a few weeks ago at the East Village beer mecca d.b.a. The bar’s carbon dioxide line, which provides pressure for the draft taps, had sprung a leak, so beer just drizzled out of the nozzles. After fussing with the equipment for a bit, the frustrated bartender eventually posted a sign: “Sorry, no draft beer tonight.”

But that was fine with my group because we were drinking cask ales, which are “pulled” from their containers by pump-action taps without any added gaseous pressure, so the gas line snafu had no effect on our good time. It was like that old episode of “Lou Grant” where the power goes out and the crusty old guy who still uses a manual typewriter suddenly looks pretty smart.

Cask ales – sometimes called “real ales” – have never been as popular in America as they are overseas, but ale fans in New York have more options these days as a small but increasing number of bars are joining the cask bandwagon. Unlike the mishmash of bottled ales out there, which are so varied that they render the word “ale” meaningless (in some parts of the country, state law requires that any beer above a certain alcohol content be labeled an ale), cask ales have very specific characteristics: They are unpasteurized, less bubbly, stored and served at a slightly higher temperature than regular beers (54 degrees is considered optimal, about 12 degrees warmer than your typical keg of lager), and have undergone a secondary round of fermentation in the cask from which they’re dispensed. This gives them a fuller, yeastier flavor, and a complex, tart aroma.

In addition, as the recent d.b.a. experience neatly illustrates, cask ales are decanted without any added carbon dioxide pressure. The bartender draws them from the cask by moving the tap handle back and forth, much like water being drawn from an old-fashioned pump.

“It’s a little more fun to serve. Regular taps are more like just flicking a switch,” bartender Greg Samothrakis said. He works at the Brazen Head (228 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn, 718-488-0430), a Boerum Hill pub that’s become one of the epicenters of New York’s real ale scene. At least two cask ales are always available (the brands tend to rotate each week), and every few months the bar sponsors a festival featuring about a dozen cask ales.

“They’re a big part of our business,” Mr. Samothrakis said, pulling a pint of Blue Point Pale Ale. “A lot of people walk in and ask, ‘What do you have on cask?'”

The cask ale revival movement began in England in 1971 with the founding of the Campaign for Real Ale (www.camra.org.uk). Conceived as a reaction to the rise of mega-breweries, it’s now the largest single-issue consumer group in the United Kingdom, with 80,000 members.

New York’s cask ale crusade can’t yet rival that, but it’s developed into a lively little subculture, complete with its own bimonthly newsletter, “The Gotham Imbiber.” Local brewers have gotten into the act too, including the Chelsea Brewing Company in Manhattan, the Blue Point Brewing Company on Long Island, Heavyweight Brewing in New Jersey, and the Brooklyn Brewery and Sixpoint Craft Ales in Brooklyn. Many of the cask ales you’ll find around town come from these companies.

Okay, you’re saying, so that’s all very nice – but how does this stuff taste?

If you’re used to drinking Budweiser and Heineken, cask ales initially can seem a bit warm and flat. But all sorts of complexities soon begin to come through, and the flavor is enhanced by the pronounced aroma. “It’s almost like tasting wine,” Mr. Samothrakis said. “There’s more richness to the flavor. And since it isn’t as cold, you’re not numbing your tastebuds.”

That allows you to perceive subtleties that might otherwise be buried by the cold and bubbles. The Blue Point Pale Ale, for example, has a faintly sour undertone that complements the brew’s full hoppiness, while Sixpoint Porter, which the Brazen Head also had on cask recently, has an agreeably toasted nuttiness. At d.b.a. (41 First Ave., 212-475-5097), the Heavyweight Barleywine ale is rich and thick, with strong notes of coffee, chocolate, and black cherry. And Chelsea Brewing’s Hop Angel, which was recently available at the Ginger Man (11 E. 36th St., 212-532-3740), has a slightly bitter edge that stands up well to the bratwurst platter, corned beef Reuben, and other hearty fare on the bar’s food menu.

Where to Find Cask Ales

The following venues all have real cask-conditioned ales on a regular basis. Specific brands tend to rotate frequently, so if there’s a particular brand you’re interested in, call ahead. Venues with an asterisk have a food menu; others may serve food sporadically or allow you to bring in your own.

In Manhattan:

David Copperfield’s, 1394 York Avenue, 212-734-6152 7
d.b.a., 41 First Avenue, 212-475-5097
George Keeley’s, 485 Amsterdam Avenue, 212-873-0251
The Ginger Man, 11 E. 36th Street, 212-532-3740
Hop Devil Grill, 129 St. Marks Place, 212-533-4468
The Spotted Pig, 314 W. 11th Street, 212- 620-0393
Stout, 133 W. 33rd Street, 212-629-6191

In Brooklyn:

Barcade, 388 Union Avenue, Williamsburg, 718-302-6464
The Brazen Head, 228 Atlantic Avenue, Boerum Hill, 718-488-0430
The Lighthouse Tavern, 243 Fifth Avenue, Park Slope, 718-788-8070
Mugs Ale House, 125 Bedford Avenue, Williamsburg, 718-486-8232
Spuyten Duyvil, 359 Metropolitan Avenue, Williamsburg, 718-963-4140
Waterfront Ale House, 155 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn Heights, 718-522-3794