Just over a week to go until the 6th Colchester Winter Ale festival. This year's festival is the biggest yet, open for a full 4 days for the first time, from Wednesday 23rd January.
We like to make our Winter festival a little different to our Summer event. So we choose to showcase beers from East Anglian brewers. Staying local doesn't mean just the same old beers though, so if you've been to any of the previous 5 Winter festivals don't panic as we've got new beers from old brewers and new beers from brand new brewers too. The beer list is now out, put together by Beer Festival Organiser Martin, it includes a wide range of beer styles in any colour you choose from classic bitters, hoppy dry goldens to rich stouts and a few unusual brews that you might not see in your local anytime soon.
A quick glance down the list and several beers jump out. Bartrums's Pulp Fiction, 'an orange stout', perhaps with a bit of chocolate malt in there? Who knows? Sounds good though. One of the nice things about a beer festival is that some of the beers are as much a suprise for us organising as they are for you who come to drink them. Sticking with the fruity theme, there's the return of Raspberry Wheat Beer from Dominion, a rightly popular choice at a previous ColCAMRA fest.
Some previous Beer of the Festival award winners are making a return too - Mersea Island's Mud and Oyster Stout and Colchester's AK Pale to name a few. What's this festival's beer of the festival going to be? Well that's up to you, so don't forget to vote once you've made your visit(s).
And what's this? A Lager? Yes, Norfolk Brewhouse's StubbleStag Lager, a real lager served in cask. If your usual tipple is highly carbonated and fizzy then don't think there's nothing for you at a beer festival. As well as the StubbleStag there's light beers like Mersea Island Gold or George's Excalibur all of which make a flavorsome alternative to the cold fizzy stuff. Talk to the bar staff and you're welcome to try before you buy.
Norfolk Brewhouse is one of several brewers whoose beers we'll see for the first time at a ColCAMRA festival. Also debuting are Jo C's, 'a bird brewing beer' (her words, not ours) in Fakenham. Panther brewery in Reepham, Norfolk brings us their Golden, Red and Black Panthers. The brewery opened in 2010 and is named after the black big-cat seen stalking the fields around Reepham by locals (whether this is before or after drinking the local ale is unclear!). Brightlingsea brewery in, er, Brightlingsea is another new addition, you might have found their beers at The New Inn over the last few months. Finally, Shortts Farm whoose 'Strummer' bitter has been popular in pubs and festivals around the region bring us their new addition 'Skiffle'. Seems to be a bit of musical theme going on there.
It's not just beer at a beer festival of course. There's real cider for you apple lovers out there. If you want something with a foreign accent then there's Belgian beers on draught and in bottles. There's English Wines from Mersea Island Vineyard too. We don't forget Des either - there's free soft drinks for drivers.
All that beer and cider needs something to eat to go with it and we're very pleased to welcome back Ken "the curry man" Flett. He's moving from his usual spot on the market to bring his us his range of daily-changing curries (with veggie and non-veggie options). A beer fest isn't complete without a hog roast so Porkies will again be supplying roast-pork-in-a-roll.
Finally, bear a thought for everyone who's working to make the festival happen. What you see for 4 days in January is the culmination of months of preparation. No-one is getting paid, we do it because we enjoy it, and if you're a CAMRA member and you fancy lending a hand then do fill in a staffing form.
See you all at the Arts Centre on the 23rd January!