Date: 1 & 2 September 2023
Theme: North Staffordshire
The theme was beers from North Staffordshire along with some of the best local brews. There was also a selection of ciders and perries.
Awards
Beer of the Festival
- 1st: Izaac Walton – Woolley Bugger
- 2nd: Lymestone – Abdominal Stoneman
- 3rd: Inadequate – Tickety Boo
Cider of the Festival
- 1st: Celtic Marshes – Mango
- 2nd: Lilley’s – Bee Sting
- 3rd: Celtic Marches – Tutti Frutti
Charity
Our customers were very generous and with a combination of the Tombola, Raffle and donated unused tokens we raised a record total of £1,500 for our regular Air Ambulance charity. Here are a few of our members handing the cheque over to Claire Murray, the manager of Warwick’s Air Ambulance shop.
Beers
| BREWERY | BEER | ABV | STYLE | DESCRIPTION | SPONSOR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Church End | Bats in the Belfry | 5.6 | Wheat | Full-flavoured wheat beer with American hops and added grapefruit to accentuate the citrus hit. | St Mary Immaculate Church, Warwick |
| Consall Forge | Dark Ruby Mild | 5.2 | Mild | A smooth, rich & well balanced beer. Starts slightly sweet on the palate, then hints of caramel & dried fruit(cake?) emerge, followed by a clean finish from slightly dry notes of Fuggles & Goldings hops. | Southam United Football Club |
| Front Row | Touch | 4.0 | Pale Ale | Galaxy hopped lactose pale ale giving a silky smooth finish | New Bowling Green, Warwick |
| Front Row | Red Roses | 4.5 | Stout | Cherry Chocolate Milk Stout | Southam County Stores |
| Front Row | Lockdown | 6.0 | IPA | An IPA brewed with Pacific Gem, Centenial and Citra hops. | The Craftsman, Warwick |
| Inadequate | Citra | 3.9 | Pale Ale | A well-balanced refreshing pale ale flavoured with the ubiquitous Citra hop | Castle Van Hire |
| Inadequate | Tickety Boo | 5.5 | Golden Ale | A golden ale made mainly with Maris Otter malt and Caramalt for a touch of sweetness. It has mango tropical fruit notes with a citrus backbone and smooth mouthfeel. | The Old Post Office / The Eagle |
| Izaak Walton | Jerkbait | 4.3 | Lager | Brewed to true lager specification this bright, zesty draught lager will play with your mind! | Zenzero |
| Izaak Walton | Woolley Bugger | 5.1 | Porter | Just like the Woolly Bugger fly, dark and dangerous to hook its prey. This dark, velvety Damson Porter will certainly have you hooked!! | Crown Inn Café, Harbury |
| Izaak Walton | Pike | 6.0 | Mild | Pike are strong and solitary hunters often feeding off other fish, so, it seems a natural fit to have this Strong, Cunning Dark Ruby with a deceptive sweetness named after it. | Southam Agricultural Services |
| Lymestone | Stone Cutter | 3.7 | Bitter | This pale hoppy ale will slake your thirst from the very first draught. A fusion of Maris Otter malt and Pilot and Fuggles Hops explode on the pallet and biscuit and juicy fruit flavours give way to citrus and berry hops, good hop aroma and hoppy aftertaste. | Southam Water Sampling Services |
| Lymestone | Stone The Crows | 5.4 | Stout | A rich red to black beer crafted from the finest crystal and chocolate malts. Chewy, juicy fruit flavours give way to a deep lingering bitterness provided by an abundance of Styrian Goldings, Millennium and Nugget hops. | ADL Associates |
| Lymestone | Abdominal Stoneman | 7.0 | Strong Ale | Not for the faint hearted! Three powerful US Hops dominate this monster of an American Pale Ale. From its crisp Maris otter base to its massive hoppy finish, this is a beer that will have you on the edge of your seat. | In memory of John Griffiths (from branch) |
| Old Pie Factory | Pie in the Sky | 4.1 | Pale Ale | A light pale ale with a hoppy refreshing taste, an easy drinking beer | Southam United Football Club |
| Peakstones Rock | Nemesis | 3.8 | Bitter | A copper-coloured beer with plenty of flavour for a session beer. | JCW Motors |
| Peakstones Rock | Black Hole | 4.8 | Old Ale | A dark award-winning beer brewed with chocolate malts. | The Cape of Good Hope, Warwick |
| Peakstones Rock | Submission | 5.0 | Brown Ale | A mellow full bodied chestnut coloured beer with a hoppy aroma. | Quality Proposals |
| Roebuck | Roebuck Blonde | 3.7 | Pale Ale | A light and refreshing beer, floral aroma on the nose with a clean, balanced palate. | The Black Horse, Moreton Morrel |
| Roebuck | Roebuck Bitter | 4.5 | Bitter | An amber coloured ale with a dry palate and pleasing hoppy aftertaste. | CKD Shop |
| Rural | Pale Ale | 4.2 | Pale Ale | New single hop pale ale | Gamecock, Harbury |
| Rural | IPA | 6.8 | IPA | A mountain of Citra, Amarillo and Chinook hops deliver a resinous punch of flavour in truly stunning American style IPA. Stone fruit aromas intermingle with clean crisp malt finish. | Trident Hydraulics and Electronics |
| Titanic | Classic Mild | 3.5 | Mild | Full of flavour. Dark with caramel notes, delicately hopped sinkable mild, slight notes of fruit on the palate and maltiness on the nose. | Bull Ring Garage |
| Titanic | Black Ice | 4.1 | Black IPA | A powerfully hopped black ale with citrus notes. A seriously easy sinkable beer. | Heart Of England Co-Op Helping Hearts |
| Titanic | Raspberry Pale | 4.7 | Pale Ale | A strong fruity pale ale with bags of flavour. A wonderfully fruity wheat beer is refreshing and light; raspberry flavours bounce of the hops to result in a unique balanced beer. | Zenzero |
| Titanic | Waimea IPA | 4.9 | IPA | The third in a series that celebrates the flavours that single hops can have on a beer, this is a full-strength India Pale Ale that shines the spotlight on the New Zealand-grown Waimea hop. Expect a full-bodied and flavoursome IPA, punctuated with the characteristically zesty notes of pink grapefruit. | The Gold Cup, Warwick |
| Uttoxeter | ? (Question Mark) | 4.5 | Pale Ale | Mosaic hopped refreshing fruity pale ale | The Doctor |
| Uttoxeter | Final Furlong | 4.5 | Bitter | A smooth British ruby bitter with caramel notes from roasted crystal malts | The Shakespeare, Harbury |
| Uttoxeter | Winners Enclosure | 6.5 | Porter | Dark, rich and strong with vanilla and spices from infused rum | Stealth Racing |
| Wilsons of Warslow | Thor | 3.9 | Pale Ale | A refreshing pale session ale balanced with a combination of American hops. The beer has been named after the nearby Thor’s Cave in the Manifold Valley | Heart Of England Co-Op Helping Hearts |
| Wilsons of Warslow | Firey Fred | 5.4 | Bitter | A malty traditional copper coloured ale with honey notes balanced with traditional Kent hops. | WAY (Widowed And Young) |
Ciders
| MAKER | NAME | ABV | STYLE | DESCRIPTION | SPONSOR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Celtic Marches | Tutti Frutti | 4.0 | Still | Cherry & Pineapple tropical twist gives a deliciously moreish exotic flavour | Sunshine Cleaning |
| Celtic Marches | Pulp Blackcurrant Cassis | 4.0 | Still | A signature single estate craft cider full of flavour | TJ Yoga |
| Celtic Marches | Mango | 4.0 | Still | Richness of exotic mango expertly blended with our superb cider | The Fosse Garage |
| Celtic Marches | Strawberry & Lime | 4.0 | Still | Sweet, fresh-crushed strawberry nose and a subtle, zingy, citrus finishing note of lime. | Heart Of England Co-Op Helping Hearts |
| Heck’s | Portwine of Glastonbury | 6.5 | Still | Medium sweet single variety cider. True to its name, this cider has in origins in orchards below Glastonbury Tor. Easy on the palate, this is a true session cider with light effervesence and lemony tones. | The Harvester, Long Itchington |
| Isaac’s | Antigravity | 5.0 | Still | Med/Dry blend of Perry & Cider, packed full of flavour with a fairly dry finish. Awarded ‘Taste of the West’ cider gold award in 2021. | The Old Four Penny Pub, Warwick |
| Lilley’s | Red Rabbit | 6.0 | Still | Med/Dry a rich & fruity rustic cloudy Cider bursting with apple flavour | Vials Electrical Installations |
| Lilley’s | Whisky Cask | 6.0 | Still | Med/Dry, small batch mature & refined, a traditional orchard blend | The Shakespeare, Harbury |
| Lilley’s | Bee Sting | 6.8 | Still | Sweet but incredibly refreshing Perry with a glorious fresh tasting pear flavour and a wonderful pear aroma. | Carisbrooke Therapies |
| Lilley’s | Cheeky Pig | 7.5 | Still | Med/Dry blend of Perry & Cider, packed full of flavour with a fairly dry finish | Vials Electrical Installations |
| Rich’s | Farmhouse Medium | 6.0 | Still | Med/Sweet still aged in oak vats | April & David Griffiths |
| West Croft | Janet’s Jungle Juice | 6.0 | Still | Med/Sweet easy drinking farmhouse cider. Three-time winner of CAMRA cider champion, made from pure apple juice with no concentrate or sweeteners. | The Old Four Penny Pub, Warwick |
| Wilkins | Farmhouse cider | 6.0 | Still | CAMRA award winning traditional Somerset farmhouse cider, medium with a little kick. | The Harvester, Long Itchington |