Beer, Bangers and Blues

Yes, it was a good fest as usual.

My only two niggles were that many of the beers had gone by Saturday afternoon (yes, I know - same old story - I should have got there earlier), and secondly, arrangements should be made for a bigger outdoor bar - there were often lengthy queues, not helped by the fact that as well as serving beer taking money and giving change, the bar staff had to organise the sale and return of beer glasses and the sale of programmes.

It was the best beer + music festival they've ever run. Demand was unprecedented.

All the beers on the outside bar were sold out by the end of Saturday evening. We racked up and sold out 4 more firkins on Sunday. That's the first time it's ever happened. The inside bar sold a lot of beer too (including completely selling out of [Carling] lager. Friday evening was busy too: one beer ran off, and the rest of the casks were all about half full when dipped at the end of the evening. All in all we sold 30 firkins over the outside bar alone during the festival.

By 7.30 Saturday evening, the beer garden was packed, the pub was full, and the car park was heaving with drinkers. That's a lot of customers!

I doubt that the limited space available would permit a bigger outside bar, but it is being discussed. Certainly, the outside racking area has been expanded by 50% since the last festival, enabling more beers to be offered. The outside bar was staffed almost exclusively by myself and other members of my CAMRA branch. Other members of the pub's own staff came in to work on their days off. It was a *very* busy festival, and everyone was sharing the workload. The fine weather ensured that it was well attended.

I'm sorry you missed out on some of the beers, as did I. It was a first class list, the result of the pub's management asking the regulars what they wanted to drink at the festival, and then going out and obtaining the beers - it wasn't targetted particularly at tickers.

Another point for discussion could be those 3 or 4 handpumps on the outside bar, and the inevitable topping up delays caused by these. Why not make everything gravity dispense?

This, I believe is what a pub beer festival should be about - reflecting the views, tastes and preferences of local people. Tickers are amply catered for at CAMRA national and regional festivals.

Re beers running out, has anyone else noticed it's always the pale citric and hoppy beers that go first (ie the Oakham/Durham/Newby Wyke/Ossett/Bazens etc beers)?

Oh and I wish they'd bring back the Punch and Judy man from about 2 years ago!

That all sounds really great!

Wish I lived nearer....

It used to be all gravity dispense. The fact is that a lot of people around here are used to their beer being served through sparklers, and complain when served a "flat" pint. The handpumps are a bit of a compromise. To speed things up, when I was working, if we had a lively beer on handpump, the sparkler was taken off. We sold the 4 firkins on Sunday entirely through handpumps, with no major queueing problems.

I couldn't agree more.

Generally speaking that's true. It's indicative of the success brewers have had converting lager drinkers to ral ale. It was true this last weekend, but I think the hot weather played a role. At least they are real ales, and people weren't (all) heading for the lager taps inside.

I'll ask about that.

There's always next year :-) The train service isn't bad either. How many other beer festivals are held 15 metres from a station platform?

There will almost certainly be a winter festival too, probably at the beginning of December. I'll post details when they are finalised.

If it's a lkiteral question then the just-gone-last-weekend "Bitton beer festival" is held at the avon valley railway

Does that count ? I think it's under 15m to the platform ;-) Sadly I was at the Venn festival in Bristol instead, and had to pass it off.

Cheers - Neil

------------------------------------------------ Digital Media MVP : 2004-2007

Thanks, Neil.

I didn't know about that one. It isn't the only beer festival on a preserved railway, though. There's one on the Keighley and Worth Valley railway in Autumn, both on the trains and in the shed at Oxenhope, and that's definitely less than 15m from the platform. There are probably others, too.

Ours is at a main line station, which also may well not be the only one, although I can't recall Stalybridge station buffet or the two pubs at Huddersfield running this kind of festival (yet).

The KWVR also has beer on the trains most of the time and not just for festivals (or at least it used to...)

Change of weekend for that this year 26th to 28th October 2007.

Plans well advanced and more nearer the time.

And come to think about I've been to a beer festival at Stalybridge Station Buffet . I seem to remember sitting on the platform with a pint listening to a jazz band which played as the trains came in surprising many of the passengers.

Sorry, do you mean the K&WVR festival? (You didn't quote anything to make it clear).

"Yes I did sorry it was the KWVR beer festival I was on about.

Actually the dates on the Website show 8-10th June so it's *this* weekend!

Quite a number each year at the Prince of Wales Foxfield!!

The Bar on the KWVR is open every day of operation (subject to adequate staffing).

However it is only accesible to passengers holding Santa Special tickets on the last four weekends up to Christmas (though ok Boxing Day and after)

A new buffet car is now in service which means some hot food can be available (again subject to staff availability)

And it's Keighley and Craven Pub of the Season this Summer jointly with the Helwith Bridge (near the Settle and Carlisle north of Settle) with a presentation on 24/6/2007.

see

Bloody hell ur right - I thought I'd missed it !

Cheers for the spot, feller I'll give it a shot tomorrow then, only a bus ride from central bristol (a slow clunky one but hey)

Service says hourly bus no. 332 from Bristol or Bath, about 30 minutes

Cheers - Neil

------------------------------------------------ Digital Media MVP : 2004-2007

Or an easy cycle ride (don't drink and drive!)

I'll be arrogant and x-post to urc, though I'd expect at least some there to already know about it!