Date: 4 & 5 September 2009
Theme: Nottinghamshire Meets Lincolnshire
The 2009 festival featured 64 beers sourced from Lincolnshire & Nottinghamshire as well as some local beers from the Heart of Warwickshire area. A thousand people sampled them.
Theme related food was available including Colston Bassett Blue Stilton cheese and Licolnshire-style sausages.
Awards
The festival winner, voted by visitors to the festival, was Windjammer IPA from Alcazar Brewery in Nottingham with Decadence from Brewsters Brewery in Lincolnshire coming second.
The winner of the Warwickshire Beer was also announced at the festival and there was a cask for people to try. The winning ale was Darling Buds from the Cubbington-based Warwickshire Beer Company. Second place went to Enigmatic Variations from Church End in Nuneaton. Third place went to Hog Goblin from Slaughterhouse in Warwick.
Entertainment
Clive John provided fantastic entertainment on Saturday night – everyone was up and dancing.
Some Really Tall Tales from Harbury Beer Festival
This is the story of when Robin Hood met the Lincolnshire Poacher. He arrived one evening in Sherwood and Robin invited him to stay overnight but he was kept awake by the Screech Owl which flew Over the Moon. Meanwhile Robin was dreaming of Lady Mary and how he could get a Goodnight Kiss. The next day they planned to go to Nottingham but ended up at Goodrich Castle, where they were almost caught by Major Bitter but they managed to escape to St Hugh’s where Robin was thinking up a plan but it was still a Fledgling idea. The Poacher thought Robin was a Stout Fellow and he felt it a great matter of Poacher’s Pride for him to help steal the Sheriff’s Gold. Robin had originally thought the Poacher to be a bit of an Idle Sod but he had changed his mind.
The Poacher suggested Robin escape to Lincolnshire where they would not be looking for him. On the way, they called in a pub called the Lincoln Imp where they had a pint of Clayton’s Original; now that is what Proper English Ale ought to be, they thought. They headed for the coast to reach Bear Island, the Poacher knew he’d be able to get help from a Coxwain’s Special local knowledge. He had a boat called the Pride of Fulstow and Robin asked him if he had ever found a Pearl. “No”, he said “but I did once catch a Hammerhead, it put up such a fight I nearly lost my Windjammer and if I’d fallen overboard there would have been no Mae West to lift me out!”. The Poacher thought this was a bit much for him, he was Old Fashioned and believed in self Preservation. He preferred to be a Trout Tickler. He dreamt of the day when he would not have to Duck and Dive anymore and could live happily ever after with a Regal Blonde.
Those were the days!
Entertainment
Hereburgh Morris danced on outside on Saturday lunchtime with Clive John entertaining in the evening.
Beers
| Brewery | Beer | Style | ABV | County | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcazar | Sherriff's Gold | Bitter | 3.6 | Notts | Golden ale made with First Gold and Golding hops |
| Alcazar | Windjammer IPA | IPA | 6 | Notts | Traditional IPA brewed with 5 varieties of North American Hops. Strong and Hoppy |
| Atomic | Half Life | Pale Ale | 5 | Warks | A robust aromatic pale ale with a sharp refreshing taste followed by a clean bitter finish. Uses Maris Otter malt and American Amarillo hops |
| Bateman | Dark Mild | Mild | 3 | Lincs | Characteristic orchard fruit and roasted nut nose with hops evident. One of the classic mild ales, although the lasting bitter finish may not be entirely true to type |
| Bateman | Salem Porter | Porter | 4.7 | Lincs | A black and complex mix of chocolate, liquorice and cough elixir. A black and complex mix of chocolate, liquorice and cough elixir |
| Blue Bell | Old Fashioned | Best Bitter | 4.8 | Lincs | Traditional well balanced beer using premium Maris Otter malt and 4 hop varieties |
| Blue Cow | Best Bitter | Bitter | 3.8 | Lincs | A full flavoured hoppy, golden ale, with very fresh initial taste. A mellow lingering aftertaste |
| Brewster's | Hop Head | Bitter | 3.6 | Lincs | This amber beer has a floral/hoppy character; hops predominate throughout before finally yielding to grapefruit in a slightly astringent finish |
| Brewster's | Decadence | Strong Ale | 4.4 | Lincs | Light golden bitter with a special blend of hops giving a wonderful zesty herbal flavour perfectly complemented with a touch of caramel malt flavour |
| Castle Rock | Preservation Fine Ale | Best Bitter | 4.4 | Notts | A full flavoured beer with some residual sweetness that is well balanced with a resinous hop character |
| Castle Rock | Sceech Owl | Strong Ale | 5.5 | Notts | An export strength traditional India Pale Ale. SIBA Champion Strong Bitter 2009 |
| Cathedral | St. Hugh's | Bitter | 4 | Lincs | A copper traditional English ale with a bitter finish |
| Cathedral | Golden Imp | Bitter | 4.2 | Lincs | A lovely pale gold quaffing ale with a dry finish |
| Caythorpe | Stout Fellow | Stout | 4.2 | Notts | Black body with cream head, roasted malts with subtle hopping |
| Church End | Enigmatic Variations | Bitter | 4.5 | Warks | Straw coloured with loads of Cascade hops. Relatively citrusy and very tangy |
| Dark Tribe | Honey Mild | Mild | 3.6 | Lincs | Dark smooth mild with a hint of sweetness |
| Dark Tribe | Dixie's Bollards | Best Bitter | 4.5 | Lincs | A tawny coloured bitter with a hint of something special! Can you guess? |
| Dark Tribe | Dark Destroyer | Strong Ale | 9.7 | Lincs | Very Dark, Very Strong - Will it...Destroy you? Made with Maris Otter malts. Blended with Fuggles and Challenger hops |
| Discovery | Davy's Glow | Best Bitter | 4.2 | Warks | A distinctive and hoppy pale ale that will make you glow with joy |
| Fugelestou | Pride of Fulstow | Best Bitter | 4.5 | Lincs | A deep coloured beer with ripe malt in the mouth and a good hop balance. A dry finish with blackcurrant fruit notes |
| Fugelestou | Sledge Hammer Stout | Stout | 8 | Lincs | A full flavoured stout having rich liquorice flavours with fruit and raisins. A satisfying bitter aftertaste |
| Full Mash | Elder Statement | Pale Ale | 4.8 | Notts | A Pale ale releasing a predominating aroma and taste of fresh elderflowers. A smooth, rounded mouth feel carries slightly sweet maltyness towards a touch of lingering bitterness. Festival Special |
| Full Mash | Ouija | Mild | 3.7 | Notts | Deep smooth flavours designed into this mild ale encourage a full mouth feel. There are plenty of rich chocolate tones that mellow into delicate roast bitterness |
| Grafters | Over The Moon | Bitter | 4 | Lincs | A mid-range beer amber in colour made from Pale and Crystal malt with torrefied wheat. Single-hopped with Northdown and late-hopped with Progress for aroma |
| Grafton | Lady Mary | Strong Ale | 5 | Notts | Golden in colour. A superb blend of crystal and pale malts producing a slight bitter aftertaste |
| Griffin Inn | Terry the Tent | Bitter | 4.7 | Warks | Refreshing Moorish beer medium to light in colour. Well balanced |
| Highwood | Hop and Glory | Bitter | 3.6 | Lincs | Hoppy Golden bitter made using English grown Cascade hops |
| Highwood | Lincoln Imp | Strong Ale | 5.1 | Lincs | Pale and hoppy, nicely balanced, a delicate maltiness in the mouth and a hoppy bitter finish |
| Holland | Chocolate Clog | Mild | 3.8 | Notts | Dark Mild, rounded malt flavours from a mixture of 4 dark malts. Full bodied and hopped with Progress |
| Hopshackle | Caskadia | Best Bitter | 4.3 | Lincs | Golden in colour with an aroma of fruit laced width vanilla. The taste is citrus and malt with a tangy bitter finish |
| Hopshackle | Historic Porter | Porter | 4.8 | Lincs | This is a dark beer with deep red highlights and an aroma of malt, grain and fruit. The taste is malt, hops, dark chocolate and liquorice with a moderately bitter finish |
| Hopshackle | Double Momentum | Strong Ale | 7 | Lincs | It is a golden beer with an aroma of vinous fruit with a hoppy edge . It has a coarse white head and a taste of malt, fruit and alcohol with a bitter edge |
| Hopshackle | Vortex | Strong Ale | 9.5 | Lincs | A tawny brown beer with an intensely hoppy fruity flavour balanced by some notes and a little residual maltiness. This is the only cask that has been released to any beer festival in the country this year!!! |
| Idle | Sod | Bitter | 4.2 | Notts | Light golden ale which has a deep fruity aroma and a well balanced bittering, flavoured with Cluster Hops |
| Leila Cottage | Ace Ale | Bitter | 3.8 | Lincs | A traditional session bitter |
| Magpie | Fledgling | Bitter | 3.8 | Notts | A golden hoppy session beer |
| Magpie | JPA | Strong Ale | 5.2 | Notts | An IPA made with Fuggles and Goldings hops and dry-hopped with Goldings |
| Mallard | Duck and Dive | Bitter | 3.7 | Notts | A light, single hopped beer made with the hedgerow hop, First Gold. A bitter beer with a good hoppy nose, good bitterness on the palate and a dry finish |
| Mallard | Webbed Wheat | Wheat Beer | 4.3 | Notts | A wheat beer with a fruity, hoppy nose and taste |
| Maypole | Mae West | Best Bitter | 4.6 | Notts | Refreshing blonde and dangerously drinkable. Citrus flavours |
| Maypole | Gate Hopper | Bitter | 4 | Notts | A pale golden brew |
| Milestone | Raspberry Wheat Beer | Fruit Beer | 5.6 | Notts | Continental Style Fruit Beer, Mouth filling fruit, with zingy finish. Primary hops used are First Gold, Saaz, and Teneng |
| Milestone | Hammerhead | Stout | 5.2 | Notts | A Full bodied chocolate stout with a nose of Chocolate & Roasted and a taste that has a hint of bitterness to help the roasted barley expand on the palate |
| Newby Wyke | Bear Island | Best Bitter | 4.6 | Lincs | A blonde beer with a hoppy aroma and a crisp, dry citrus finish |
| North Cotswold | Arctic Global Warmer | Stout | 15 | Warks | A unique 3 year old cask of a powerful Imperial Russian Stout. This never to be repeated experience should be like drinking vintage black port |
| North Cotswold | Hung Drawn N'Portered | Porter | 5 | Warks | Strong dark treacle porter. Well balanced taste of Bramling cross hops |
| Nottingham | Dreadnought | Best Bitter | 4.5 | Notts | Rich ruby coloured premium bitter with a well rounded fullness of malt and deep strength of hop bitterness |
| Nottingham | Clayton's Original | Best Bitter | 4.3 | Notts | Claytons is a polished copper coloured, well malt to hop balanced, pale ale styled beer. Light and refreshing with an aromatic nose |
| Oldershaw | Pearl | Bitter | 3 | Lincs | A light golden full bodied quaffing ale packed with flavour and hop aroma |
| Oldershaw | Regal Blonde | Lager | 4.4 | Lincs | Straw coloured lager style beer with a good malt/hop balance throughout; strong bitterness on the taste lingers |
| Poachers | Poachers Pride | Bitter | 4 | Lincs | Amber bitter brewed using Cascade hops that produce a fine flavour and aroma that lingers |
| Poachers | Trout Tickler | Strong Ale | 5.5 | Lincs | Ruby bitter with intense flavour and character, sweet undertones with a hint of chocolate |
| Purity | Mad Goose | Best Bitter | 4.3 | Warks | Light copper pale ale brewed with Maris Otter malt and wheat plus Hallertau Cascade and Willamete hops |
| Riverside | Dixon's Major | Bitter | 3.9 | Lincs | Red coloured well balanced bitter with a distinct secondary continental hop flavour from Styrian Goldings |
| Rugby | Knock On | Mild | 4.9 | Warks | A strong dark mild. A slightly bitter start develops into a smooth fruity finish. Good white head retention and a full body. Cascade is used to dry-hop the casks. Festival Special |
| Slaughterhouse | Hog-Goblin | Bitter | 4.6 | Warks | A well balanced mid brown premium bitter |
| Springhead | Goodrich Castle | Best Bitter | 4.4 | Notts | Brewed following a 17th Century recipe using rosemary; a pale ale, light on the palate with a bitter finish and a delicate flavour |
| Springhead | Leveller | Best Bitter | 4.8 | Notts | A dark, smoky intense flavour with a toffee finish. Brewed in the style of Belgian Trappist ale |
| Swaton | Kiss Goodnight | Best Bitter | 4.5 | Lincs | Copper coloured hoppy ale |
| Tunnel | Boston Beer Party | Bitter | 3.7 | Warks | An American pale ale. Very hoppy and citrusy. Rich deep gold in colour |
| Warwickshire | Darling Buds | Bitter | 4 | Warks | A straw coloured beer, suitable for both ale and lager drinkers. Made with First Gold and Golding hops |
| Weatheroak | Light Oak | Bitter | 3.6 | Lincs | Light and refreshing with a citrus finish |
| Willy's | Coxswains Special | Best Bitter | 4.9 | Lincs | Medium coloured beer with a well hopped and honeyed taste |
| Willy's | Original Bitter | Bitter | 3.8 | Lincs | A light brown sea-air beer with a fruity, tangy hop on the nose and taste, giving a strong bitterness tempered by the underlying malt |
Ciders
| Producer | Name | ABV | County | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raglan Cider Mill, Raglan | Teatowl - A Dry Perry | 5 | Mons | A silver medal winner 2009 in the Welsh Perry and Cider Society Championships |
| Raglan Cider Mill, Raglan | Barney's Best Cider Medium Dry | 5.7 | Mons | This blend was a favourite of our long time member Robin Barnes who sadly died earlier this year |
| Skidbrooke Cyder Co, Louth | Medium Dry Cider | 5.7 | Lincs | Dry, still, natural cider, using local apples and nothing else. The Medium and the Vintage cider are both kept in French oak barrels for at least six months before bottling. |
| Skidbrooke Cyder Co, Louth | Vintage Dry Cider | 6 | Lincs | Same as the medium but 3 years old |
| Stamford Juice Company, Stamford | Stamford Cider | 6.9 | Lincs | This specialist apple juice producer using local Stamford fruit makes a draught cider on request which is matured in oak spirit casks. Only four casks of cider were made during the 2007/8 season. |
| Windmill Vineyard, Hellidon | Dabinette | 6 | Northants | A medium dry single varietal cider. 2 years old |
| Windmill Vineyard, Hellidon | Dusty Millers Fancy | 8 | Northants | Full bodied, robust dry cider |
| Hucknall Cider Co, Hucknall | Floppy Tabs | 6 | Northants | Made entirely from Nottinghamshire-grown fruit, being a blend of dessert and wilding apples, with a few cider apples and dual-purpose added for balance and acidity. A pale, straw-coloured cider, with light tannins and an appley nose. The taste is crisp and refreshing, with a vinous quality. It has been likened to an Eastern-counties cider in style - which is unsurprising really! |
| The Beeches, Spalding | Fine Dry Cider | 5.5 | Lincs | Produced by the former Fen Ales brewer |
| Hucknall Cider Co, Hucknall | Heritage Orchard | 6 | Notts | All of the fruit used comes from a single heritage orchard at East Markham in Nottinghamshire. The varieties of apple used are all threatened or traditional varieties which do not match modern orcharding practices. It is made from 100% pure pressed apple juice. It is a golden-coloured, slightly hazy cider, with soft tannins and a fruity nose. It is tangy with a bit of bite, followed by citrus notes and possibly a hint of pineapple? |
| JW's Dry Fen Cider, Spalding | Dry Fen Cider | 4.5 | Lincs | Produced from locally grown apples, handpicked into baskets. After pressing, cool fermentation is encouraged using Champagne yeasts yielding a natural dry flavour Fermented to total dryness leaving no residual sugar - matured for 3 months |