Local Beer Fest News – The Free Trade Inn Midwinter Beer Festival

OK so the first local festival of the year takes place in what in my opinion is the most improved pub in the region, the Free Trade Inn.  The festival runs from the 27th of this month through to the 30th but some of the beers (marked) will be on earlier.  So, some of you may think the place needs a lick of paint but I call it character and it has it in abundance as well as a great selection of beer/cider and a view to die for.

Some cracking beers on the list, I’m particularly looking forward to the Odell, Orkney and SWB offerings and the Cider Tarts will have enough to keep them quiet for a while…well…OK nothing ever keeps a Cider Tart quiet.  Both HH and I will be down there on a least a couple of the days so say hello if you spot us.  The pub itself is easy enough to get to from the centre of Newcastle by jumping on a Yellow QuayLink bus which will drop you only 50 yards from the door.

Draught

Allgates, Green Bullett

Arran, Dark

Blue Monkey, Guerilla Stout

Boggart, Rum Porter

Bowland, Hen Harrier

Brewdog, Riptide *Available from Tues 25th

Darkstar, TBC

Durham, TBC

Durham, TBC

Fyne Ales, Jarl

Fyne Ales, Hurricane Jack

Mallinsons, Motueka

Marble, Ginger

Marble, W90

Marston Moor, Implacable

Nelson, Loose Cannon

Orkney, Clootie Dumplin *Available from Tues 25th

Ossett, South Pacific IPA

Ossett, B2K

Rudgate, Northern Brewer

Salamander, Cloak and Dagger

Salamander, Slapstick

Stables, Monboucher Mild

Summer Wine, Boreas

Summer Wine, Heretic Imperial Black IPA

Titanic, Stout

Wansom, Millers Mirth

Wharfbank, Slinger

Wold Top, Against the Grain * Gluten Free Beer

Wold Top, Dawn Of Time

Cider

Westons, Organic Vintage

Westons, Winter Twist

Millwhites, Single Organic

Millwhites, Novo Pyrus

Millwhites, Pear Lite

Millwhites, Equinox

Mr Whiteheads, TBC

Mr Whiteheads, TBC

Broadoak, Perry

Broadoak, Bristol Port

Broadoak, Moonshine

Orchard Pig, Hot Mulled Cider

Guest Draught Bar

Erdinger, Urweisse

De Koninck, Winter De Koninck

Sierra Nevada, Celebration

Sierra Nevada, Northern Harvest

Sierra Nevada, Old Chico Crystal Wheat

Sierra Nevada, Brown Ales

Sierra Nevada, Porter

Odell, IPA

Local Beer Fest News – Durham 2010

As has been the case for many years the festival is to be held in the Durham University Students Union building at Dunelm House on New Elvet from the 2^nd to the 4^th of September.

We have always found this to be a friendly festival with a good selection of local beers supported by one or two from further afield.  The selection for this year is as follows:

Beer List

Cider & Perry List

Bottled Beer List

There is not much on to get the local tickers overly excited but it is a great selection of good local beer and personally I’m looking forward to reacquainting myself with some old friends.  For the non local there are some real gems on that list that will be well worth making the trip for.  Durham is in itself a great place to spend some time and is home to a number of lovely pubs which always stock a good selection of beer if you fancy taking a break from the festival.

As with most of the local festival information I post the beer/cider lists came courtesy of Eric Larkham whose mailing list can be requested by dropping me an email and I’ll pass on the details.

KC

Local Beer Fest News – Newcastle Beer and Cider Festival

Well here it is the big one.  The 34^th Newcastle Beer and Cider Festival will be held at Newcastle University’s Student Union on Kings Walk and runs from the evening of 14^th April through to Saturday the 17^th.

When this blog was first envisaged it was in the queue to get into this festival several years ago, although at that time it was planned to be a podcast.  It has taken enough years in the making that now I have a chance to blog about it I’m not going to let work or anything else get in the way.  I have my leave suitably booked and a laptop at the ready so post about it I will.

I will be joined by HH, the Cider Tarts and a number of usual suspects each day and will be doing a running commentary on Twitter (#toonbf) as well as possibly doing some longer posts ‘live’ via the laptop (each subject to sobriety).  Both the beer and cider/perry lists are looking good this year and they will be enjoyed in the presence of some great company.  Good times.

KC

Local Beer Fest News – Trimmers Arms

I’m afraid this festival has passed be by a bit so I’m late with the news.  The festival starts today and runs though until the 28^th so there is plenty of time to get down there still.  In truth I’ve never been to the Trimmers, something I’ll have to rectify, so I can’t comment on the place but the beer list looks great.  There will also be 9 brews from the Bitter End Brewery whose Espresso Stout was a lovely pint at the recent Newcastle Arms festival.

Beer:

1648 Brewery Brew-Master 3.9%

1648 Brewery Triple Champion 4.0%

Acorn Gorlovka Stout 6.0%

Acorn Motueka Ipa 5.0%

Allgates Hop Devil 5.5%

Banks & Taylor Dunstable Giant 4.4%

Banks & Taylor Shefford Old Dark 5.0%

Batemans Miss Canada 4.1%

Battledown Porter 4.5%

Bazens Zebra Best Bitter 4.3%

Beartown Ursa Minor 3.6%

Bowman Nutz 5.0%

Brentwood Blind Date 4.1%

Bridestones Dark Mild 4.5%

Burton Bridge Old Expensive 6.5%

Castle Rock Hairstreak 3.6%

Clarks Midwinter Mistletoe 4.2%

Corvedale Molly Morgan 4.0%

Elland Catch The Rainbow 4.1%

Empire Imperium 5.1%

Frog Island Croak & Stagger 5.6%

Golcar Guthlags Porter 5.0%

Green Jack Maheer Ipa 5.0%

Humpty Dumpty Porter 5.4%

Leeds Midnight Bell 4.8%

Loddon Penny Pond Porter 5.5%

Moles Moleo & Juliet 4.4%

Oakleaf Quercus Folium 4.0%

O’Hanlons Storkstay 5.0%

Ramsbury Pophams Pride 3.6%

Three Castles Love Beer 4.0%

Thwaites Hops & Kisses 3.8%

Wolf Remus 4.1%

Cider:

Biddendens Bushells 6.0%

Biddendens Kentish Medium 8.0%

Moles Black Rat 6.0%

Thatchers Cheddar Valley 6.0%

Thatchers Trad Dry Cider 6.0%

KC

Local Beer Fest News – The Duke of Wellington

Just a quick one to say that there is going to be a small beer festival held at the Duke of Wellington on High Bridge Street between the 11^th and 13^th of March.  This used to be the Saturday haunt for HH and I but I don’t think either of us has been in for a number of years now.  No particular reason other than we thought the choice of beer took a bit of a hit and the décor change wasn’t to our liking…finicky blokes us two.  Anyway here is the beer list and you never know we may venture back in for a pint or two.

Abbeydale Moonshine 4.3%

Anglo Dutch Tabatha the Knackered 6.0%

Beartown Ginger Bear 4.0%

Blue Monkey BG Sips 4.0%

Cotleigh Old Buzzard 4.8%

Durham White Amarillo 4.1%

Fyne Ales Avalance 4.5%

Hadrian Border Reiver’s IPA 4.4%

Hadrian Border Tyneside Blonde 3.9%

Hornbeam Lemon Blossom 3.7%

Jarrow McConnells Irish Stout 4.6%

Mighty Oak English Oak 4.8%

Moor Somerland Gold 5.0%

Mordue IPA 5.1%

Roosters Yankee 4.3%

Saltaire Cascade Pale Ale 4.8%

Spectrum Old Stoat Wobbler 6.0%

Thornbridge Jaipur IPA 5.9%

Wylam Gold Tankard 4.0%

KC