There is often a worry that local beery events will have an unrighteous brewery involved but as a mate of mine was organising this one I knew we were safe. About 30 beers were on offer, which I suppose is modest in size for a beer festival, but it was enough to keep me going, especially as I couldn't be doing with halves.
On the down side being at a football club meant there was a giant screen showing a football game - Chelsea were playing someone from Germany. As my interest in football rarely goes beyond 1911 when Bradford City won the cup this wasn't for me, but fortunately there was another room free from this unwelcome distraction.
I was very taken with Butcoombe Gold (4.4% ABV), made using only Maris otter pale malt and Fuggles hops. English hops, and Fuggles in particular, seem to get some stick from some of my fellow beer nerds but I think you can make great beers with old varieties, you just need to use lots of them.
Vale Black Beauty Porter (4.3% ABV) was another delight and the lovely Lisa was so taken with Tring Colley’s Dog (5.2% ABV) that she went back for more.
The festival looks set to become another regular fixture in the beer calendar, so thanks to all the volunteers that made it happen, I'm looking forward to the next one.
I remember the days when a few of my old school mates went on to play for the Cards. That was back in the golden era, beating West Brom in the cup and all that. No beer festivals back then. Shame I moved away.
ReplyDeleteNo, they didn't even have the festival in the leisure centre then. It's good to see how beer festivals have grown in popularity.
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