This year’s SIBA South East Regional Beer Festival, was
probably the most successful to date. Held over last weekend, from Friday
to Sunday evening, and hosted by Tonbridge Juddians Rugby Club, the festival
featured around 150 cask ales alongside a range of bottled beers, all brewed
by SIBA members based in the south east region. This is a large area,
stretching from Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in the west, to Kent
in the east, but also taking in Berkshire and London
as well.
As I mentioned in a previous post, as well as giving the
general public the opportunity of trying a wide range of beers, many of which
they rarely see, there is also a serious side to the event. Prior to opening
its doors last Friday evening, some intensive tasting and judging of different
beers (eight styles for draught and six for bottled) took place, with awards
for Bronze, Silver and Gold in each category. Those interested in the final
results can see which breweries won what by clicking here, but the overall
winner, ie. the beer judged to be the best from the winner of each category,
was Hopspur, from Redemption Brewing Company based in North London.
By the time I’d made my way down to the festival on Friday
evening, shortly after 9pm, this beer
had already sold out. As is often the case at festivals, the strongest beer on
sale, Chocolate Vanilla Stout from Canterbury Brewers – a 9.6% stunner, was
also in danger of running out, and by the time I’d worked my way up to sampling
it had indeed disappeared.
Apart from the obvious skill which had gone into brewing
this beer, one other reason for its popularity may have been due to all beers
being sold at the same price (£3.60 a pint). In such situations, those
interested in oblivion rather than enjoyment will view such beers as “more bang
for their buck” and so without any thought or reverence to the craft of the
brewer concerned will go straight for the strongest beers on offer. On the
other hand though, uniform pricing kept things simple for the bar staff,
especially as a token system was in place, and for beer geeks, who really wanted to try this beer, it was available at a bargain price.
The majority of the staff were volunteers from Tonbridge
Juddians (TJ’s). Each year the beers are all racked in a large marquee adjacent to the
clubhouse; a convenient arrangement as the tent is hired for the club’s end of
season ball, and then kept up for a further week to accommodate the beer festival.
Last year though the unseasonably wet summer really put a spanner in the works, and
the tent, together with the majority of the already racked beer, ended up under
several feet of water and the event had to be cancelled,
There were no such concerns this year, and with wall to wall
sunshine the weather was, if anything, a trifle too hot. Despite near record
breaking temperatures, the cooling system employed on the beer ensured things
in the main stayed cool, and the beer remained in good condition. (It appears not everyone was satisfied
though, as we did notice one gripe from a Twitter user claiming the beer was
lacking in condition – something I would, by and large, strongly refute).
As well as Friday evening, I also put in appearances on
Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon. Our local West Kent CAMRA branch had a
small stand there, publicising our forthcoming festival with Spa Valley Railway in
October and of course promoting CAMRA’s aims and achievements in general. I
didn’t stay right until the end on Sunday, but imagine most of the beer would have run
out. .
All in all it was a jolly good event and, as several of our
members pointed out, we are extremely lucky to have an event of this magnitude,
offering 150 different beers, right on our doorstep. Long may this continue,
and here’s to next year’s festival!
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