Year: 2014

This year saw the National Winter Ales Festival move from Manchester to Derby, known for its railways, Rolls Royce and probably something else.  After a sweat-breaking dash to catch the train, three members of the Abbeydale team including one from the Devonshire Cat, squeezed into an already full carriage.  Once on board, I began to wonder if any pubs in Sheffield were open that afternoon, as every manager appeared to be Derby bound.

Arriving in Derby, we stated we were going straight to the festival, which was frowned upon by our peers.  In the style of Sheffield lad Sean Bean in Lord of the Rings, we were told, “One does not simply walk straight to the National Winter Ales Festival.”

So, on recommendation we headed to our first stop: The Brunswick, which boasts its own brewery on site.  The pub was buzzing with atmosphere, its beautiful stone-flagged floors packed with festivalgoers, it being their first port of call, too. My first measure of the day was a pint of Great Heck’s Wheat Beer “Amish Mash”.  As common with wheat beers the aroma of bananas dominated, less common, however, was the wonderful hoppy and fruity notes that powered through this cloudy weizen.

Next, we ventured to the Alexander Hotel, part of the Castle Rock group.  After walking through the door, I wondered if Denzel and the Great Heck team had been truthful about the 4.7% ABV on their Amish Mash as I appeared to see a rabbit hutch in front of me, complete with rabbit.  Dismissing this as a mirage, I headed to the bar and selected my next pint, “Goze” by Axholme Brewery (whose creator, Mike Richards, used to brew at Abbeydale).

Leaving the Alexander and suitably warmed up, we headed for the roundhouse.  Usually, as I’ve mentioned previously, it seems to be a CAMRA tradition to place beer festivals in sports halls, places you wouldn’t call ale drinkers’ “natural surroundings.” However, this time we were heading to the oldest roundhouse in the world – a Mecca for train enthusiasts.  Upon entry, it became apparent there were a few who were experts in both real ale and locomotives, easily identified by their strut into the hall like John Travolta in “Saturday Night Fever”.

Abbeydale had three beers present at the festival and as there were three of the team present and the beers were just next to the entrance, it seemed an obvious first choice. Rick from the Dev Cat went for a beer he had helped brew himself, the pale and spicy  “Dr. Morton’s Chronoform”.  Dan opted for the golden and hoppy “Dr. Morton’s Hedgehog Resharpener” whereas I went for one of my all time favourites “Black Mass”. Quality control was passed on all three and it was time to move on to the next.

Scanning over the casks of ales from all over the country, my eyes seemed to instinctively fall upon those with yellow labels.  In an inquisitive manner, I asked one of the very helpful volunteers what the yellow labels meant.  “They’ve been donated to the festivals by the different breweries and are free”.  The ex-student ears of mine pricked up and the palm of my hand seemed to close and tighten after hearing that word. As I’m sure we will all agree, if there’s one thing that makes a good beer taste better, it’s when it doesn’t cost you anything.

So, after a third of Blue Monkey’s dark and fruity mild “99 red baboons,” I went on the search for beers seldom seen to Sheffield. One such beer was “Bramling Porter” from the newly founded Instant Karma brewery, great to see they’re up and running. Next was glass of “Black Rose Stout” a ginger and chocolate dark drop by Middle Earth brewery who’s triple hopped “Mount Doom” IPA was sadly not ready.

After refuelling with a bag of Piper’s crisps, whose free samples the attendees were decimating, I decided I’d had enough dark beers so went in search of some pales. Crafty’s “Sauvignon Blonde” was my first, pale and full of a citrus zing; it had drinkers smacking their lips after every sip.  A recommendation from the lads from Black Iris brewery, who’s beer was on excellent form, lead me to my favourite beer of the festival; “Beast” by Hopcraft brewery. A glorious 6.5% pale packed full of hops. I really want to see more of this brewery!

With an announcement over the PA system that the results were in, pockets of cheers rang out from the densely populated room as the winners of the categories were called out.  But then the room fell silent for the big announcement.  All eyes focused on the centre of the room in anticipation for who would be crowned Britain’s best Winter Ale 2014.  A man, stood in front of the announcer dressed as a King for no apparent reason, practicing his best poker face, merely added to the tension.

In third place was “Winter Glow” by Exe Valley; second was “Cairngorm” by Black Gold and first to “Dunham Porter” by Dunham Massey.

Cheers and applause filled the huge hall and amongst the chaos, we sadly lost one of our team who was kidnapped and subjected to a pub-crawl around Derby and a last train home. 

My last beer of the night was a half of the 10.5%  “High as a Kite” from Heart of Wales.  The last words of the night came from the volunteer serving my beer that stated, “You will be”.  If I were to meet this gentleman again, I’d be unable to state if I was or wasn’t as my memory got a little hazy from then on.

 Greater Manchester CAMRA has continued CAMRA’s tradition of juxtaposing by placing their festival inside the impressive Manchester Velodrome.  The Velodrome’s “regulars” are the kind of people who have their eggs white and coffee black and wear Olympic gold medals around their necks whereas, most beer festival goers prefer their eggs deep fried and wrapped in sausage meat and bread crumbs, their coffee non existent and a golden ale down their necks.

 So, while most of us were polishing off our pints with intermittent dashes to the pie and mash stand all whilst complaining the walk to the toilets was too treacherous a journey, some of Great Britain’s finest physical specimens were hurtling themselves around the velodrome’s steeped banks on two wheels at a pace that hurt ones head to follow.  At least those keeping up with the action had a legitimate excuse for their dizziness, however.

 The festival boasted 300 cask ales from breweries all over the UK with the majority being pulled through a preferred hand pump and not under gravity.  Adding to this ample selection were 75 traditional ciders and perries and oodles of bottled and kegged beers from the world over. Oh, and a man selling hollowed cows horns to drink out of.

 Our night started with an “aif” sorry; an “aaarf “of our very own ”Brimstone”, Abbeydale’s sole beer at the festival.  This 3.9% russet brown beer is massively understated despite being full of flavours of coffee, toffee and liquorice while the US Amarillo hops add a spicey and citrus edge.  Beautifully conditioned and bright, it got a pass from quality control and we left the rest for others to enjoy.

 My first drink was of Marble Brewery’s “Ginger Marble”.  This has been a favourite of mine for a while and the golden beer still packs a fiery ginger punch.  Catching my eye was the pump next to Marble Ginger,  “Earl Grey IPA”.  This brilliant and heavily hopped 6% pale deservingly bagged Gold at the SIBA North West beer festival in 2013 in the premium strong bitter category.

 After a chin-wag with Michelle and the team from Offbeat brewery who were celebrating as their “Way off Wheat” came third overall in the competition, we went to find some of the new kids on the block and South Wales’ only micro-brewery; Tiny Rebel. 

 First up was a glass of their “F.U.B.A.R” which seems to be based on the North American craft ideology of pale beers with large amounts of aromatic hops.  This drop was washed down with “Dirty Stop Out” a smoky oat stout. I’ve got a feeling this brewery is one to watch…

 With an announcement that the dreaded “General Public” was en route, someone I can only assume from the fear on some faces is a ruthless army warlord, there was a mad rush for the bars.

 Upon reaching the front of the queue, I was informed it was my round and that I was to go to order a “Shaft Bender”.  Not being wet behind the ears, I was utterly convinced this was the real ale equivalent of asking the general laborer at a building site to go to the B&Q and buy some “tartan paint and a pot of elbow grease”.  Turns out, it wasn’t.  “Shaftbender” from Saddleworth brewery based in Oldham was just what it said in the program: very dark, rich and dry.

 Macclesfield based Red Willow brewery’s chocolate stout “Heartless” was the last drink of the night.  Dark and delicious, it was a fantastic beer to finish on.

 Slowly walking out the hall, faster than a cannonball we made our way to Piccadilly, under the Pennines and home.