Peterborough Beerfest time! It’s Krispy Xmas and B’Day in one

Beer.. lots of it. Thank you CAMRA

Well it’s that time of year again – you should be able to tell, as it’s been raining .. a LOT.  Which means it’s time for the annual Peterborough Beer festival.

If you’ve not been before, this is the one thing that Peterborough does really well – something to be properly proud of.  Our beer festival is the 2nd largest in the UK (after the national one), and is held outside (well inside HUGE marques), on the river embankment.

As with previous years, there are many many many ales to try (350+), bottled euro beers, cider, perry, and  English wines (both grape and fruit).

Lots of live music too, in the mega enormous music tent.  Oh and grub, to keep me from keeling over.

It’s the 33rd beer festival… I think I’ve been going since the 12th?  I would have been 17 anyway (oh dear, naughty boy).  Back in those days it was held in the local roller disco and music venue (the Wirina), which is a sorry closed building now.

Anyway – Beerfest starts Tuesday.. I have the week off.  Should be sampling a few ales Tues, Weds… and all day n night Thursday.  Can’t wait!!

Oh and it’s obviously a lot cheaper if you are a paid up CAMRA member – which I am.  Remember your card if you go along!

DETAILS HERE.

Beerfest day 3

My last day at this years beerfest – I decided against going again Friday, as my body couldn’t take it (and the Mrs was pleased to see me one night!).

some of the food tents - and the sun is out

A full thurs enjoyment – we got there about 2pm, and stayed until closing at 11pm.  Many, many ales tried – and some old favourites re-visited.  The great news was it was a really good day – the weather was on our side, and the sun was out.  It was the first festival in several years where the ground was rock solid and not all muddy and churned up.

Casks of beer... mmm

I ran into quite a few old friends – which is always a highlight of the festival!  It was also the ‘big night’ for work – so I wasn’t short of friends.  I also managed to spend more time in the music tent, as there’s always something great about live music and a large crowd.

Workmates enjoying the beer n sun

The only disappointment was that Oakham had rotated out their festival special (and my beer of the festival) – to save it for Friday and Saturday night.  I do hope they make it a permament feature of their ale selection!

Pboro Beerfest beerguide - showing my beer of the festival

Hats off to CAMRA and all the volunteers who run the who event – I did get tempted to help out myself this year – but it’s so much fun being a visitor – it’s very hard to see how I’d give that up.  Maybe next year…

Some of my favourites – those remembered anyway – if you see any of these in your local pub, why not give em a try?

Tar Bar’l (Allendale of Allendale) – a nice dry stout – which taste seem to grow in the mouth.
B.G. Sips (Blue Monkey of Ilkeston) – a really intense hoppy bitter – I love my hops. Tasted more like an IPA should, but bitter strength.
S.A. Gold (Brains of Cardiff) – you can get this in bottles in supermarkets – and why not?!
Punk IPA (Brewdog of Fraserburgh) – fantastic IPA – good and strong too (6%) so truer to style than many commercial IPAs.
Armada Ale (Harveys of Lewes) – a great easy drinking bitter.
Norfolk lager (Iceni of Norfolk) – a pleasant surprise this – REAL lager – and pretty damn good.  One for those who think they don’t like beer
Golden drop (Ufford ales) – great golden hoppy beer – anyone would like this.
Hop twister (Salopan of Shrewsbury) – hoppy bitter with a nice citrus flavour.
Hop devil (Rockingham of Blatherwyke) – six hops!? in this – only 3.9%, but plenty of flavour.

More mates enjoying the music ... and beer

Beerfest day 2

Well I’ve lived through Wednesday night at the Pboro beer festival – and a cracker it was.  I was joined by my Aussie mate Lindsay – and we drank our way through a good number of ales – one half pint at a time.

I think beer of the festival for me has been the Oakham Ales festival special – Akhenaten – a 4.9% golden ale, with lots of complex hop and citrus flavours.  It’s like a beefed up Bishops Farewell, which itself is a fantastic ale.

The music stage has had a lighting improvement

Talking of hops – now I thought I loved hops in beer, and there was no such thing as ‘too much hop’.  I’ve since discovered there is!  We took a break from the ale to go for a bottled ‘world beer’ – and rather than try my usual belgium favourites, I thought I’d try an American IPA – and picked the Snake Dog IPA 5.6% (Flying Dog brewery).  Wow it was so heavy on hops it was amazing – but unbalanced really – my mouth this morning still feels a bit numb from the effect of those hops.  A bit much – I think the brewer just needs to find a bit more balance in the beer!

Food wise – we went for the standard issue Charters BBQ – burger with cheese.  Hit the spot.

The festival itself was far quieter last night than the opening night – possibly due to the light drizzle that was falling half of the time – and the dark cloud there’d been all day.

As for tonight – the ‘big one’ as I call Thurs night (because it’s the traditional night that a lot of people from work go) – here’s hoping for a great night.  Well afternoon and night in fact, as it opens at 12… although we’ll probably get there more like 2pm – there’s no rush!   Hopefully the bands are on form, the ale doesn’t warm up too much, and it doesn’t get TOO busy.