Date: 30 & 31 August 2013
Theme: Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire
This year’s festival was themed around beers from Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire together with the usual strong representation from our own county.
Large breweries, like Wells & Young’s, sat alongside micros such as Sawbridgeworth producing an interesting range of beers and styles.
There were two raspberry-based beers available this year and another that had strong hints of tangerines, coconut and white rum! There really was something for everyone.
The beers were complimented by a wide range of ciders and perries from various parts of the country.
We had a good number of new volunteers, which is great news as some of the old stagers are getting – well, old! Fresh blood is encouraging and they had a good time.
Only 10 months to the next one!
Awards
The fastest selling beer of the festival was for the very first time a tie!
Buntingford Polar Star and Twichel both ran out at 10.05 on the Friday night. As they were above and below each other on the left hand bar I was able to watch the two glasses of beer turn to sludge at the same time.
The Beer of the Festival, as voted for by the visitors to the event, was Buntingford Polar Star. It was also pleasing to find two new local breweries picking up the second and third prizes, Long Itch Darkside and Sperrins Golden Bounty respectively.
Entertainment
Entertainment on the Saturday was again provided by the Hereburgh Morris Dancers in the afternoon and by the Acoustic Who.
Beers
| Brewery | Beer | Style | ABV | Location | County | Tasting Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BandT | Black Dragon Mild | Strong Mild | 4.3 | Shefford | Bedfordshire | Black in colour with a toffee and roast malt flavour and a smoky finish. |
| BandT | Edwin Taylor's Extra Stout | Stout | 4.5 | Shefford | Bedfordshire | A complex black beer with a bitter coffee and roast malt flavour and a dry bitter finish. |
| BandT | Fruit Bat | Speciality Beers | 4.2 | Shefford | Bedfordshire | A warming straw-coloured beer with a generous taste of raspberries and a bitter finish. |
| BandT | SOS | Old Ale | 5 | Shefford | Bedfordshire | A rich mixture of fruit, hops and malt is present in the taste and aftertaste of this beer. Predominantly hoppy aroma. |
| BandT | Two Brewers | Bitter | 3.6 | Shefford | Bedfordshire | Bronze-coloured bitter with citrus hop aroma and taste and a dry finish. |
| BandT | Shefford Dark Mild | Mild | 3.8 | Shefford | Bedfordshire | A dark beer with a well-balanced taste. Sweetish, roast malt aftertaste. |
| Potton | Village Bike | Best Bitter | 4.3 | Potton | Bedfordshire | Classic English premium bitter, amber in colour, heavily late-hopped. |
| Potton | Lion IPA | Best Bitter | 4.4 | Potton | Bedfordshire | A citrussy blonde IPA |
| Potton | Penny Bitter | Bitter | 4 | Potton | Bedfordshire | A dark malty bitter with a light hop character. |
| Potton | Shannon IPA | Bitter | 3.6 | Potton | Bedfordshire | A well-balanced session bitter with good bitterness and fruity late-hop character. |
| Wells and Young's | Courage Director's | Best Bitter | 4.8 | Bedford | Bedfordshire | A rich, fruity and fully bodied chestnut coloured classic ale |
| Wells and Young's | Young's Special | Best Bitter | 4.5 | Bedford | Bedfordshire | Pale brown in colour, this rounded best bitter has citrus throughout plus some slight creamy toffee, which balances the bitterness that grows in the aftertaste. |
| Wells and Young's | Bombardier | Best Bitter | 4.1 | Bedford | Bedfordshire | A heavy aroma of malt and raspberry jam. Traces of hops and bitterness are quickly submerged under a smooth, malty sweetness. A solid, rich finish. |
| Wells and Young's | Young's Bitter | Bitter | 3.7 | Bedford | Bedfordshire | This light drinking amber bitter has citrus initially on the palate with sweet malt and a hint of hops that linger into a slightly dry and bitter finish. |
| White Park | Moonshine | Strong Bitter | 5.2 | Cranfield | Bedfordshire | Strong pale ale, fresh in taste, slightly peppery, continental style beer |
| White Park | Nightjar | Porter | 4.5 | Cranfield | Bedfordshire | Dark red/brown porter. Robust, complex and mature with chocolate and coffee notes. Smoky nose with a beige head. |
| White Park | GB | Strong Bitter | 5 | Cranfield | Bedfordshire | The quintessential pint of Great British beer - complexity, colour, strength and balance. |
| White Park | White Gold | Bitter | 3.8 | Cranfield | Bedfordshire | Aromatic hop aroma, light bitterness, grassy and fresh |
| 3 Brewers | Classic English Ale | Best Bitter | 4.1 | St Albans | Hertfordshire | A deep amber coloured ale with a light hoppy aroma and a rich and rounded malty taste balanced by subtle hoppiness |
| Buntingford | Hurricane | Best Bitter | 4.3 | Royston | Hertfordshire | A best bitter with a malty toffee character and a pleasant refreshing fruity bitterness. Brewed with Maris Otter pale ale malt, crystal malt, and English Phoenix & First Gold hops. |
| Buntingford | Twitchell | Bitter | 3.8 | Royston | Hertfordshire | A golden fruity bitter with a floral aroma and malty / hoppy aftertaste. Brewed with Maris Otter pale & wheat malts, and English Goldings hops, plus Cascade hops from the USA. |
| Buntingford | Polar Star | Best Bitter | 4.4 | Royston | Hertfordshire | A truly pale blonde in colour, this beer is heavily hopped to give a really refreshing citrus-hop kick. Pineapple, Peach & Grapefruit hop flavours abound in levels that are such that you don't need to read the tasting notes to spot them! |
| Buntingford | Templar Gold | Best Bitter | 4.5 | Royston | Hertfordshire | Fantastic grapefruity hoppy strong best bitter. |
| Buntingford | Single Hop Cascade | Bitter | 4 | Royston | Hertfordshire | A USA variety, first released in the 1970's. It has a spicy grapefruit character with just a hint of flared trouser. |
| Pope's Yard | Watford Observer Bitter | Bitter | 3.9 | Watford | Hertfordshire | |
| Red Squirrel | London Porter | Porter | 5 | Potten End | Hertfordshire | A gold medal winning London Porter made with 2 pale malts and 3 coloured malts, dark brown/black colour, showing a balance of chocolate and roasted barley, full bodied on the palate with bittersweet liquorice and rich chocolate flavours supported by a lovely creaminess on the finish. |
| Red Squirrel | Summer Daze | Golden Ale | 4.5 | Potten End | Hertfordshire | Golden coloured ale, light and smooth on the palate, highly refreshing with biscuit and malty flavours with a lovely German brew twist. |
| Red Squirrel | Jack Black IPA | Best Bitter | 4.8 | Potten End | Hertfordshire | This new season Block-Buster produced from three US hops with 2 coloured malts features the hop-forward profile of an IPA with the dark colour of a porter. Lemon & Orange notes from Amarillo and Chinook hops balance hints of coffee and bitter chocolate with a subtle toasted sweetness leading to a pleasantly dry finish. |
| Red Squirrel | Conservation Bitter | Bitter | 4.1 | Potten End | Hertfordshire | A chestnut brown, traditional bitter, with Pale, Crystal & Chocolate malts, underpinned by challenger hops, showing a nice mouth-filling texture of hoppy fruity bitterness with satisfying biscuity flavours with hints of spice and chocolate. |
| Sawbridgeworth | Gold | Golden Ale | 4 | Sawbridgeworth | Hertfordshire | Crisp Golden Ale |
| Sawbridgeworth | Dragon's Blood | Best Bitter | 4.3 | Sawbridgeworth | Hertfordshire | A rich malty ale with a deep red colour, hints of toffee & dark chocolate. Soft bitter finish suitable for vampires. |
| Tring | Death or Glory | Speciality Beers | 7.2 | Tring | Hertfordshire | A strong, dark, aromatic barley wine. |
| Tring | Mansion Mild | Mild | 3.7 | Tring | Hertfordshire | Smooth and creamy dark ruby mild with a fruity palate and gentle late hop. |
| Tring | Spinning Jenny | Best Bitter | 4.1 | Tring | Hertfordshire | Refreshingly hoppy beer with a distinct bitterness that lingers to the end. Amber in colour and brewed with Amber malt, it has a biscuity finish which works with the aromas of honey, apricot and almond from Beata hops |
| Tring | Colley's Dog | Strong Bitter | 5.2 | Tring | Hertfordshire | Dark but not over-rich, strong yet drinkable, this premium ale has a long dry finish with overtones of malt and walnuts. |
| The Atomic Brewery | Radiation | Speciality Beers | 11 | Warwickshire | ||
| The Atomic Brewery | Power | Best Bitter | 4.8 | Warwickshire | A deep ruby coloured ale with a sweet chocolate aroma and taste. Bitterness develops and gives way to a pleasant chocolatey finish. Re brewed with a change of recipe in October 08 the new ale is better balanced with a rich sweet finish | |
| Church End Brewery Ltd | Brewt | Strong Bitter | 8 | Warwickshire | Pale and string | |
| Church End Brewery Ltd | Bats in the Belfry | Wheat Beer | 5.6 | Warwickshire | A soft, full flavoured wheat beer made with real grapefruit. | |
| Church Farm Brewery | Harry's Heifer | Best Bitter | 4.2 | Warwickshire | Quaffable session ale with a hoppy aroma. Brewed with a blend of Marris Otter, Vienna and Crystal malts, with Centennial and Cascade hops. The beer has a fruity aroma and smooth finish. | |
| Griffin Brewery | Super Black Magic Woman | Strong Mild | 6.2 | Warwickshire | A ruby ale with roasted malts and hints of blackcurrant. | |
| Long Itch Brewery Ltd | Dark Side | Best Bitter | 4.8 | Warwickshire | A forcefully dark beer, full of dark mysterious chocolatey malts, the force in this one is strong! | |
| Merry Miner Brewery Ltd | Coalface Vanilla Stout | Stout | 5 | Warwickshire | A full-flavoured dark reddish in colour porter with under tones of fresh honey and chocolate malt in the finish. | |
| North Cotswold Brewery Limited | Windrush | Bitter | 3.6 | Warwickshire | A thirst quenching amber coloured session bitter, brewed with English Challenger and First Gold hops for a traditional taste. A malty slightly sweeter palate. | |
| Old Pie Factory Brewery Limited | OPF Bitter | Bitter | 3.9 | Warwickshire | Traditional English session bitte, clean and malty with a hint of molasses | |
| Purity Brewing Company Ltd | Pure UBU | Best Bitter | 4.5 | Warwickshire | A distinctive, full flavoured beer with a sweeter finish. Brewed with English Maris Otter, Crystal, Black and Wheat malts, with Hallertau Northern Brewer and Cascade hops | |
| The Slaughterhouse Brewery Ltd | Ras-Boar-berry | Speciality Beers | 4.6 | Warwickshire | Fruit beer. | |
| The Slaughterhouse Brewery Ltd | Alt Bier | Speciality Beers | 4.8 | Warwickshire | A copper coloured lager bier based on traditional Rhineland Altbier | |
| Sperrin Brewery | Golden Bounty | Best Bitter | 4.5 | Warwickshire | This golden, hoppy, refreshing yet slightly citrusy ale is combined with mind-blowing hints of white rum, chocolate and coconut in the background | |
| Tunnel Brewery Ltd | Late OTT | Best Bitter | 4 | Warwickshire | A dark golden session bitter with a mouth-watering fruity nose. It starts soft and fruity on the palate. It soon gains a solid, slightly perfumed hop edge. The finish is beautifully dry and bitter. A beautiful beer for hop heads! | |
| Warwickshire Beer Company Ltd | Bumble Brew | Speciality Beers | 4.4 | Warwickshire | Cloudy wheat honey beer with a sting of vanilla | |
| Weatheroak Brewery Ltd | Light Oak | Bitter | 3.6 | Warwickshire | Golden-copper with thin head. Fruity and citrus hop aroma notes. Hop and fruity malt aroma. Fairly dry bitter finish. | |
| Wood Farm Brewing Company Ltd | Union | Best Bitter | 4.6 | Warwickshire | Using a blend of American hops. Late hopped to produce a fantastic zesty Blonde Premium Ale. | |
| Whale | Pale Whale | Bitter | 3.6 | Warwickshire | Brewed with maris otter pale malt and British Hops. Honey, Citrus and Tropical Fruit on the aroma with grapefruit and elderflower flavours |
Ciders & Perries
| Maker | Cider | Type | ABV | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mr Whiteheads | Devil's Device | Scrumpy | 8.40% | Hampshire |
| Mr Whiteheads | Boxing Dog | Medium Dry | 7.50% | Hampshire |
| Mr Whiteheads | Midnight Special | Perry medium | 5.00% | Hampshire |
| Windmill Hill | Millers Fancy | Northamptonshire | ||
| Windmill Hill | Amber Nectar | Northamptonshire | ||
| Windmill Hill | Dabinet | Northamptonshire | ||
| Windmill Hill | Pyder | Northamptonshire | ||
| Gwynt-y-Ddraig | Ancient Warrior | Dry | 6.50% | Wales |
| Gwynt-y-Ddraig | Pyder | 6.00% | Wales | |
| Hecks | Port Wine of Glastonbury | Medium | 7.00% | Somerset |
| Hecks | Hendre Huffcap Perry | Perry | 6.50% | Somerset |
| Orchard Pig | Philosopher | Medium | 6.00% | Somerset |
| Ross-On-Wye | Alpaca Perry | Perry | 6.50% | Herefordshire |
| Glebe Farm | Elderflower | 6.00% | Huntingdon | |
| Once Upon a Tree | Tumpy Ground | Medium | 7.20% | Herefordshire |
| W M Watkins | Vintage Oak | Dry | 7.50% | Wales |
| W M Watkins | Lazy Daze | Perry medium | 5.60% | Wales |
| Potten Press | Potten Press Cider | 7.50% | Bedfordshire |