Beer Festival Review 2006

Our 8^th annual event at the Winding Wheel saw a record attendance, thanks to a significantly increased Saturday lunchtime session - the evenings selling out (as usual) well in advance. And from the feedback we have received so far, punters were - by and large - well content with what was on offer.

There were several ‘firsts’ this year:

• a smoke-free venue - in anticipation of council policy, and also reflecting how quickly public opinion has moved on this subject in the last few years;

• a trade session (by invitation only) preceding the main event - as a way of saying ‘thank you’ to all our local brewers, sponsors and publicans;

• a main sponsor for the Festival - Fuller, Smith & Turner plc of Chiswick - which enabled us to peg the price of admission for another year;

• and the world premiere of gluten-free beers suitable for coeliacs (perhaps the most significant factor behind those extra numbers on Saturday lunchtime). There’s more information on our own dedicated bit of the new web resource launched at the Festival: www.glutenfreebeerfestival.com 

Within the cask ale theme of ‘Wessex to Essex’ we tried to offer a good range: from light bitters to old ales, along with a selection of local favourites.  The dark beer fans were well catered for with an extended range of milds, porters and stouts.  Once again we ran a Mild promotion (buy 4, get a 5th free): folks must be getting used to the idea, as the take-up was 25% up on 2005!

For the prestigious overall ‘Beer of the Festival’, there was a strong showing from the local brewers, especially Thornbridge (Jaipur and St. Petersburg) and Townes (Pynot Porter); the brew that got the most votes from festival goers, however, was the rarely sighted Fuller’s Vintage Ale. Pictured is Sean Griffiths accepting the award from Beer Festival Co-ordinator Alun Waterhouse, at our March Branch meeting in the Royal Oak, Millthorpe.

Winner of the ‘Mild of the Festival’ vote was Magg’s from West Berkshire (featured in the BEER section of the March copy of ‘What’s Brewing’). Dick Shepley of Woodthorpe Hall picked up the ‘Cider of the Festival’ award for the 2nd year running - this time for Ruby Soozi..

Our final snapshot is of the Mayor and Mayoress of Chesterfield, Cllrs. Keith and Glenys Falconer, receiving a £300 donation to their Appeal (Chesterfield and North Eastern Derbyshire Branch of the Alzheimer’s Society) from Chesterfield & District CAMRA’s John Hassall. That’s the result of all your unused beer tokens and loose
change (topped up by the Branch).  The presentation ceremony was kindly hosted by John and Pippa at the Peacock Inn, Brampton.

Once again, we thank all our suppliers, sponsors, volunteers and supporters for helping make the Festival such a success - here’s to the ‘one over the eight’ in 2007!

John Hassall