The brewing room at Cask & Larder is often used for private dining.More news coming out of Cask & Larder. This time it has to do with the Winter Park restaurant’s brewmaster.
Ron Raike, the brewmaster since Cask & Larder opened almost exactly two years ago, has left. A statement issued by the restaurant said that Raike is moving on to pursue “an independent craft beer endeavor.” However, when reached by email for a comment, Raike said he was not in a position to say anything at this time.
Taking over, at least in the interim, are St. Augustine brothers Scott and Bill Morton. The Mortons owned Jacksonville’s Ragtime Tavern, which opened in 1983 and eventually became the first establishment in that town to install a microbrewery.
Ironically, the Morton brothers, who are longtime friends of Cask & Larder’s owners, James and Julie Petrakis, had been intended to oversee the brewing facilities at Cask when it first opened. But Raike, who had been with Shipyard Brewing, became available and was hired instead.
The statement from Cask & Larder said that the Morton’s will brew the beer until a permanent brewmaster can be named. There was no indication who that might be, but it’s possible that the current bar manager, Larry Foor, who is a certified cicerone (beerdom’s equivalent to a sommelier), will take over the title.
Last week it was announced that Cask & Larder would take over a nearby storefront and expand into retail selling of charcuterie and other items.
