Bradford Beer Festival 2010
Just thought I'd do a little write up on from my recent visit of the Bradford 2010 Beer Festival helid in the lovely Victoria Hall in Saltaire. It's the 12th festival held at the venue but only my first visit. The intro of the 1/3 pint measure was a good idea, as after the first couple of pints it was a great way to sample far more and at a steady pace. The main room was filled with many friendly faces and the atmopshere was like a bunch of old friends meeting up over a pint.
I decided, too stick to my original plan and go for breweries near where my Mam's family was born, haha, so I started with a Lambton's cask from Double Maxim in Houghton-le-spring, a nice and easy going 3.7%, hoppy light ale and a good session one to ease you in to 4 hours of sampling! Next up I tried the Holden's Double Chocolate Stout as it's from East Coast brewery in Filey, an old family holiday destintation. The stout was rich and strong at 7.2% and was a bit of a shock to the taste buds. It felt like I was drinking a pint of marmite, so you'll either love this one or hate it. I think I prefer it on my toast rather than down the hatch.
On my theoretical journey I decided to come back in land to York brewery with a hefty Nordic Fury a love red malty and dry beer. Partly tried this one as I liked the Viking tie-in, York's been having a week long Viking festival around the same time and I imagined drinking this one on a re-constructed long boat and sailing down the the River Foss.
After the third pint my plan went out the window and I went for an Outstanding Pilsner from Bury at 5% as the hook line states how real lager should taste and it was a thirst quenching one that was a nice stop gap bewteen the beers. Feeling a little overwhelmed with the choice (over 100 real ales, bottled beers, ciders and wines) I asked one of the volunteers behind the bar to choose me a drink and he came thumbs up with a Winter Ale from Hopstar, Blackburn 4.2%, a nice light beer to bring me back down to earth smoothly.
Right now's my chance for the ciders; I had a dabble on the raffle on me ways (note to self never trust a man selling you a raffle ticket with a Garfield t-shirt on). BEST DRINK OF NIGHT! Well Top 5 at least Janet's Jungle Juice a CAMRA gold medal winner in 2007 at 6% from West Croft, Somerset, what a gorgeous amber nectar, sweet and more-ish. Got to try one based on name was the next thought and I went for Grafter's Wobble Gob, an appropriately named beer for me from the Gainsborough based brewery. 4.9% another handle with care, haha.
It was coming to the end of the night and my friend offered me their final tokens to use......Since at heart I'm a cider lover I went back into the main hall and decided to finish on Broadoak's Moonshine, a white and dangerously drinkable 7.5% medium sweet number. What an end to a great do...right when's the next one on!
One's I wanted to try but never got round to:
Crown - Cannonball Adderley 4.7% & Ring of Fire 7.7%
Hadrian & Border - Ginger Beer 4%
Moorview - Cocker Doodle Brew 5.2%
Saltaire - Hazelnut Coffee Porter 4.6%
Great Oakley - Wots Occuring 3.9%
I decided, too stick to my original plan and go for breweries near where my Mam's family was born, haha, so I started with a Lambton's cask from Double Maxim in Houghton-le-spring, a nice and easy going 3.7%, hoppy light ale and a good session one to ease you in to 4 hours of sampling! Next up I tried the Holden's Double Chocolate Stout as it's from East Coast brewery in Filey, an old family holiday destintation. The stout was rich and strong at 7.2% and was a bit of a shock to the taste buds. It felt like I was drinking a pint of marmite, so you'll either love this one or hate it. I think I prefer it on my toast rather than down the hatch.
On my theoretical journey I decided to come back in land to York brewery with a hefty Nordic Fury a love red malty and dry beer. Partly tried this one as I liked the Viking tie-in, York's been having a week long Viking festival around the same time and I imagined drinking this one on a re-constructed long boat and sailing down the the River Foss.
After the third pint my plan went out the window and I went for an Outstanding Pilsner from Bury at 5% as the hook line states how real lager should taste and it was a thirst quenching one that was a nice stop gap bewteen the beers. Feeling a little overwhelmed with the choice (over 100 real ales, bottled beers, ciders and wines) I asked one of the volunteers behind the bar to choose me a drink and he came thumbs up with a Winter Ale from Hopstar, Blackburn 4.2%, a nice light beer to bring me back down to earth smoothly.
Right now's my chance for the ciders; I had a dabble on the raffle on me ways (note to self never trust a man selling you a raffle ticket with a Garfield t-shirt on). BEST DRINK OF NIGHT! Well Top 5 at least Janet's Jungle Juice a CAMRA gold medal winner in 2007 at 6% from West Croft, Somerset, what a gorgeous amber nectar, sweet and more-ish. Got to try one based on name was the next thought and I went for Grafter's Wobble Gob, an appropriately named beer for me from the Gainsborough based brewery. 4.9% another handle with care, haha.
It was coming to the end of the night and my friend offered me their final tokens to use......Since at heart I'm a cider lover I went back into the main hall and decided to finish on Broadoak's Moonshine, a white and dangerously drinkable 7.5% medium sweet number. What an end to a great do...right when's the next one on!
One's I wanted to try but never got round to:
Crown - Cannonball Adderley 4.7% & Ring of Fire 7.7%
Hadrian & Border - Ginger Beer 4%
Moorview - Cocker Doodle Brew 5.2%
Saltaire - Hazelnut Coffee Porter 4.6%
Great Oakley - Wots Occuring 3.9%
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