Your 2015 Beer Festival Champion Ale is…
There are certain annual events I look forward to – including the Christmas Light-Switch-On and the Museum Ghost Walk at Halloween. Before both of those – happening right now – is the Peterborough Beer Festival. I’m a huge fan of the wide range of beverages available and the fantastic atmosphere. So, when my editor offered me the chance to once again be an official beer judge, I (of course) jumped at the chance.
Every year the Peterborough Branch of CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) invite a variety of drinkers to taste the best of the best and crown one beer as the overall champion. It was an honour to be one of them.
Ok, I may not have been quite a pro compared to others. Whilst some judges were comparing beers to a coffee kick with a flowery after taste, I described one beer as, “A party in my mouth!” I don’t think that makes me a bad judge though? My descriptions may have been unique – a polite way of putting it – but I know what I like, and actually, my scores seemed quite similar to those around me.
And it’s those people at my table that made the beer judging the fantastic experience it was. After a few beers down us, we were all relaxed, having a laugh and sharing stories. That’s actually my favourite thing about the Beer Festival in general. The sounds of laughter fills the tents. Everyone is there to have a good time.
If you’ve not been yourself, you should definitely check it out. With over 420 different cask beers on sale from over 170 brewers, alongside foreign bottled beers, UK produced wine, cider and perries and soft drinks – there’s something for everybody!
And whilst you’re there, make sure you check out the champion beer as chosen by myself and fellow judges. The results are as follows…
Overall Champion
Gold – Bullards No.1 East Coast Pale
Silver – Nobby’s APA
Bronze – Son of Sid Muck Cart Mild
Speciality Beer
Gold – Thornbridge Baize
Silver – Three Blind Mice Half Wit
Bronze – Blue Monkey Chocolate Guerilla
Best Beer from a New Brewery
Gold – Bullards East Coast Pale
Silver – Bakers Dozen Summertime
Bronze – London Beer Factory Chelsea Blonde
See the CAMRA website for for the full list of winers from all the categories and see here https://www.espmag.co.uk/beer-we-go-boro-beer-fest-is-underway/ for all the live music details, times and prices.
For up to date information visit www.real-ale.org.uk.
You can also follow the Festival on Twitter @BoroBeerFest and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PeterboroughBeerFestival
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