Cambridge beer fest guide 2015

42ND CAMBRIDGE BEER FESTIVAL

18 –23 May 2015 Opening times

Monday–Wednesday 5–10:30pm Thursday–Friday 5–10:30pm Saturday 12–10:30pm Tuesday–Friday 12–3pm

Free admission at all times to CAMRA members Last admissions 30 minutes before closing

cambeerfest CambridgeBeerFestival www.cambridgebeerfestival.com

Welcome This is festival number 42 – a number wellknown to fans of as the answer to the Ultimate Question. The radio series, book, TV series, stage show, game and film have been enjoyed by millions. It sprang from the imagination of Douglas Adams, born and educated in Cambridge.

Volunteers This year’s festival charity is SERV Suffolk & Cambridgeshire. They’re volunteers who transport urgently needed medical items to hospitals, completely free of charge. You can read more about their work on page 9.

Like all CAMRA beer festivals, this event wouldn’t be possible without the hundreds of volunteers who help to organise and run it.

We're always looking for more help. If you look around while you’re here you’ll see that although it can be hard work it’s also a lot of fun and you’ll make a number of good friends at the same time.

If you'd like to join us, ask any volunteer.

Sadly, this year the foreign bar will be missing a much-loved volunteer. Ronald Schooneveldt passed away recently. His knowledge and passion will be greatly missed, both at the foreign bar and around the whole festival.

As well as our volunteers, we also rely on some longstanding suppliers, both for the site and for

First aid We have qualified first aid personnel on site.

If you find you need attention please ask one of our stewards (the ones in yellow t-shirts or fleeces), or any other member of staff, and they will be able to contact a first aider.

the beer, cider, wine, mead and food. In particular I’d like to thank all the different teams within Cambridge City Council that we work with over the year.

The galaxy and closer to home Demolition is not just a problem for fictional hitchhikers who have their planet destroyed to make way for a hyperspace bypass. Over the years Cambridge and the surrounding area has lost a great many pubs to developers building houses with no regard to local facilities. It's heartening to see the first new build pub for thirty years open recently – the new Queen Edith. Cambridge City Council are also to be thanked here – the city now has some of the strongest planning protection for pubs in the country, introduced partly due to lobbying from CAMRA. You can read more about the work CAMRA does to protect pubs on page 17.

Whether you’re hitchhiking back to Betelgeuse V or something more down to earth, please moderate your consumption so you can get home safely. Please don't drink and drive.

Remember the festival is near a residential area, so please leave quietly – it will help us to continue to use this site in future years.

We’ll be back on the 16–17 October for our Octoberfest, and in January for the Winter Ale Festival, both at the University Social Club on Mill Lane. The 43rd Cambridge Beer Festival starts on Monday 23 May 2016.

Enjoy the festival, and remember to vote for your favourites in our beer, cheese and cider of the festival competitions. A voting form is on page 13.

Bert Kenward

42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 3

Buying your beer Whether you’re a seasoned visitor or this is your first time at a beer festival, here are a few tips to help both you and our volunteers have an enjoyable time.

Glasses You’ll need a glass, so if you haven’t brought your own you can purchase one from the glasses stall.

If you don’t want to keep your glass at the end of the session, you can return it to the stall for a refund.

Glasses are oversized and lined at the third, half and pint measures. This is to ensure that you get a full measure – something CAMRA campaigns for.

Bars Beers are arranged on the bars in alphabetical order by brewery (with a few exceptions).

Bar etiquette When you’re at the bar please note the following to ensure we can serve you as quickly as possible.

Try to make your decision before ordering and have your money ready.

Stand as close as you can to the right place on the right bar.

When you have your drinks move away from the bar as quickly as possible to allow others to be served.

We’re only human, so please be patient! We try to serve everybody in turn, but when we’re very busy it can be difficult to keep track. Note that drawing attention to yourself by banging glasses or money on the bar tends to be counterproductive.

Undecided?

Volunteers will only serve beers from the bar at which they are working, so please check carefully before ordering.

The beers listed in this programme are those we've ordered from the brewers, but we can't guarantee they'll all be available all the time.

Some beers may be available that aren’t listed.

Please refer to the signs on the cask ends to see exactly what’s on, and the prices.

Ciders, perries, mead, wine and foreign beers all have their own bars.

As with any pub, it is an offence to buy (or attempt to buy) alcohol if you are under 18, or for another person who is under 18. Like many pubs in the area, we operate a Challenge 21 scheme. So if you look under 21 you may be asked for ID to prove you are over 18.

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The festival is organised and run entirely by volunteers – real ale enthusiasts who are doing this because it’s fun. Do feel free to ask us about the beers, ciders and other drinks we have – we like talking about them and usually know quite a bit. You can even ask for a taste if you’re not sure.

Finally, enjoy the festival!

What is beer?

The terms beer, lager, ale and bitter are often confused. To help you understand what they actually mean and how varieties of beer differ from one another, our cellar team describe how beer is produced and the ingredients used.

Water, grain, yeast and hops Water is the main component of beer. It naturally contains dissolved salts that can affect a beer’s flavour: Soft London water makes good stouts and the sulphur-rich waters of Burton upon Trent are ideal for bitters.

The usual grain for brewing is malted barley.

Malting involves allowing the grain to just begin to germinate, starting the process of converting the starch into sugar. The germination is stopped by heat. By changing the temperature and duration of the heat, a maltster can produce light malts, medium-dark malts with caramel flavour, or dark roasted malts. Other grains can be used, such as wheat, oats, rye or rice.

Variation in the grains and malts used will alter the colour and flavour of the finished beer.

Yeast is a single-celled organism that converts sugar to ethanol and carbon dioxide gas. In real ale, this fermentation is the only source of gas in the beer. The strain of yeast used can also influence the beer’s flavour profile, and many breweries will guard their particular strain of yeast carefully.

Hops are the flowers of a climbing plant and are used in almost all beers made today. They provide both bitterness and flavour. There are dozens of varieties of hops and the way they are used contributes to the beer's flavour.

What is the difference between ale, beer and lager?

These days, beer can refer to any style of ale or

6 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival

lager. In the past, ale meant a brew without hops, and beer one with hops. Now that hops are almost universal, ale generally refers to beer produced by 'top fermentation'. This is fermentation with a yeast that floats on top of the liquid, at temperatures up to 22°C – this creates the rich variety of flavours. After primary fermentation, the ale undergoes a slow secondary fermentation in a cask. As it matures, the beer develops its flavour and a light natural carbonation.

Lager is produced by bottom fermentation at lower temperatures (6–14°C). It is then stored for several weeks or months at close to freezing, during which time the lager matures. Most massproduced UK lagers are matured for very short periods, but here are some lager-style beers that come closer to the original fashion.

Enville Opa Hay

What is real ale?

Real ale is a beer brewed from traditional ingredients (malted barley, hops, water and yeast), matured by secondary fermentation in the container from which it is dispensed, and served without the use of extraneous carbon dioxide gas.

Real ale should be served at cellar temperature (11–14°C), so the flavour of the beer can be best appreciated. You can recognise real ale in a pub as it is usually served using a handpump, although a number of pubs sell the beer straight from the cask using nothing but gravity – as at this festival.

Real ale is also known as cask conditioned beer, real cask ale, real beer and naturally conditioned beer. The term real ale and the above definition were coined by CAMRA in the early 1970s.

What is beer?

What is the difference between real ale and keg beer?

Keg beer undergoes the same primary fermentation as real ale but after that stage it is filtered and/or pasteurised. No further conditioning takes place. The beer lacks any natural carbonation that would have been produced by the secondary fermentation and so carbon dioxide has to be added artificially. This can lead to an overly gassy product.

What is craft beer?

There is no definition of craft beer. Generally it implies a beer from a smaller brewery with an emphasis on flavour, rather than a bland massmarket product. Craft beer has its origins in the US microbrewery world – our foreign beer bar has some fine examples from that side of the Atlantic. Many real ales are craft beer.

What are bitter, mild, stout and porter?

Ale style beers can be broken down further into various styles, although many beers are hard to fit into one of these categories. We’ve chosen a few examples for each style.

Milds are not very bitter and may be dark or light. Although generally of a lower strength (less than 4%) they can also be strong. Flavour comes from the malt so there is often a little sweetness.

Lord Conrad’s Milton

Bitter is the most common beer style. Usually brown, tawny, copper or amber coloured, with medium to strong bitterness. Light to medium malt character may be present. Bitters are normally up to 4% alcohol, whereas best bitters are above 4%.

Calverley’s Mile Tree Xtreme

Golden ales are a relative newcomer, having first appeared in the 1980s. These are pale

amber, gold, yellow or straw coloured beers with light to strong bitterness and a strong hop character that creates a refreshing taste. The strength is generally less than 5.5%.

Black Bar Crafty

India pale ale (IPA) originally appeared in the early 19th century, and has enjoyed a resurgence in the past few years. First brewed in London and Burton upon Trent for the colonial market, IPAs were strong in alcohol and high in hops.

So-called IPAs with strengths of around 3.5% are not true IPAs. Look for juicy malt, citrus fruit and a big spicy, peppery bitter hop character, with strengths of 5% to much more. The recent appearance of ‘Black IPAs’ has confused many, since they are definitely not pale.

Fellow’s Hop Stuff

Porters and stouts are complex in flavour and typically black or dark brown. The darkness comes from the use of dark malts. These full bodied beers generally have a pronounced bitter finish. Historically a stout would have been any stronger beer, but the term evolved to mean a strong porter beer. In modern usage, the two terms are used almost interchangeably, although stouts tend to have a roast character and be less sweet than porters. They are usually 4–8% in strength.

Cambridge Brewing Company Three Blind Mice Moonshine

Barley wines range in colour from copper to tawny and dark brown. They may have a high sweetness due to residual sugars although some barley wines are fermented right out to give a dry finish. They have an almost vinous appearance in the glass and may have a strength of up to 12%.

The fruity characteristics are balanced by a medium to assertive bitterness.

Bexar County Lacons 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 7

FESTIVAL CHARITY

SERV Suffolk & Cambridgeshire Every night of the year SERV Suffolk & Cambridgeshire provides an essential delivery service to five NHS hospitals in the region, transporting blood, plasma, platelets and other urgently required medical items.

costs being met by donations from members of the public, corporate sponsorship and charitable grants. Membership consists of around 110 dedicated volunteers, who receive little or no financial compensation.

This voluntary organisation, colloquially known as the Bloodrunners, has carried out more than 2500 delivery runs in the four years since it began. It is estimated to have saved the NHS approximately ÂŁ160,000, allowing them to divert funds where they are needed most.

The organisation has two ageing motorbikes that are becoming increasingly expensive to maintain.

The funding challenge facing the Bloodrunners is to raise enough money to replace these machines at a cost of ÂŁ15,000 each.

SERV S&C launched its service in May 2011 with Ipswich hospital, closely followed in June

by West Suffolk hospital. Peterborough city hospital was next in December, with Papworth and Hinchingbrooke hospitals coming on stream in February 2012.

In August 2012, SERV S&C launched a donor baby milk service with Ipswich hospital, delivering donated human breast milk to support premature babies in maternity units.

How can you help?

SERV S&C receives no government funding, its

The group is always looking for new volunteers.

Motorcyclists and car drivers are welcome to join; the minimum commitment is two nights per month. In addition, they need duty controllers who can take telephone calls from hospitals and organise members to deliver blood and milk to where they need to be.

If you want find out more about these very satisfying roles, please visit www.servsc.org.uk.

Please give generously, either at the SERV S&C stand near the glasses stall, or to one of their volunteers who will be around the festival with collecting buckets.

41st Cambridge Beer Festival 9

Awards Each year CAMRA Cambridge and District Branch celebrate the best pubs in the area with their annual awards. Pubs are nominated by branch members and voting takes place at one of the monthly open meetings. Some individuals are also recognised for their support and commitment to real ale. Find out more about the pubs listed here at www.whatpub.com.

2015 Winners LocAle Pub (rural)

Pub of the Year

LocAle Pub (city)

The Mill, Cambridge

The Bank Micropub, Willingham

Community Pub (rural)

Community Pub (city)

Most Improved Pub (rural)

Little Rose, Haslingfield

Flying Pig, Cambridge

The Plough, Shepreth

Most Improved Pub (city)

St Radegund, Cambridge

Dark Ale Pub

Three Horseshoes, Stapleford

Real Ale Champion

Tim Ward

10 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival

The Architect, Cambridge

Cider Pub

Live & Let Live, Cambridge

Lifetime Achievement

John Roos and Karolin Rejnia, Blue Ball Inn, Grantchester

85 - 87 Gwydir St Cambridge CB1 2LG

le e l A is ea d R ara P

The Cambridge Blue

Tel 01223 471680 www.the-cambridgeblue.co.uk

Summer Beer Fest 16th - 21st June 100+ beers plus real ciders and perries

14 Real Ales • 12 Craft Beers 200+ Bottled World Beers

Serving our

4,000th Beer !

Open

Called 4th Dimension, it will be available at our beer festival.

30p OFF All draught products for CAMRA Members

Mon - Sat 12 - 11pm, Sunday 12 - 10.30pm

Food Served

Mon - Sat 12 - 10pm, Sunday 12 - 9pm

The Blue Moon 2 Norfolk St, Cambridge CB1 2LF Tel: 01223 500238

4 Real Ales • 10 Craft Beers Massive Range of Artisan Spirits Home Made Pizzas Served All Day Room Available for Hire

THE THREE HORSESHOES

OPEN: Mon–Fri 5pm–late, Sat 12–late

2 Church Street, Stapleford CB22 5DS Tel: 01223 503402

Real Ale Paradise in Stapleford

8 Real Ales • 8 Craft Beers Real Cider • Belgium Bottled Beers Open: Mon - Thurs 12-3pm & 5 -11pm Fri - Sat: 12 to Midnight, Sun: 12-10.30pm Food: Mon - Sat 12-2pm & 5 -9pm, Sun: 12-3pm

BEER FESTIVAL 27TH - 31ST AUGUST

Voting form What have you enjoyed at the festival this year? We’d like you to vote for your favourites in our festival competitions. Fill in one or more of the sections below, tear out this page and put it in one of the boxes at the glasses counter and around the bars. Deadline for entries is by the time the festival closes on Saturday. Additional forms are available at the glasses counter.

Beer of the Festival

1st 2nd 3rd Cider of the Festival

Cheese of the Festival

1st 2nd Mead of the Festival

Wine of the Festival

Foreign Beer of the Festival

42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 13

Area map

14 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival

Site map

42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 15

Pubs, pints and politics CAMRA continues to support pubs and their patrons, whatever the political climate, says Alistair Cook Writing this in mid-April, it’s impossible to say what the outcome of the UK’s general election will mean for drinkers. And even as you read this, things may not be any clearer. But we can say for certain that whatever shape the new government has, CAMRA will be lobbying for policies that are positive for ale, cider and perry drinkers, and for the producers and publicans who serve them.

In the run-up to the election, CAMRA produced its own manifesto, urging parliamentary candidates to agree to support community pubs, promote Britain’s 1300 breweries and represent pub goers and beer drinkers. Several hundred candidates signed up to it. So how has CAMRA’s campaigning affected your pint and your pubs?

Protecting your pint Five years ago, in the aftermath of the banking crisis, drinkers’ finances were being hit hard. The dreaded Beer Tax Escalator, introduced in 2008, was increasing beer duty by 2% above inflation every year and in January 2011 VAT was raised

from 17.5% to 20%. Inevitably, beer sales fell and pub closures rose. CAMRA and its members campaigned hard and since 2013, beer duty has been reduced by 1p a pint every year.

This reversal has far-reaching consequences: a CAMRA-commissioned Centre for Economic and Business Research report found that stopping the Beer Tax Escalator prevented a 16p a pint rise in beer prices, saw an additional 750 million pints per year sold, saved over 1000 pubs, brought £61 million of additional investment to the brewing industry and created 26,000 more jobs. CAMRA is now campaigning for beer duty to be frozen for the whole of the next parliament.

We also want to retain tax exemption for small cider producers, which the European Union wants to remove. At present there are around 500 such producers, making 80% of Britain’s real cider and perry. Small producers, making up to 7000 litres (12,000 pints) a year, generally make less than £10,000 in sales. Removing their tax exemption would cost them up to £2700 per year. Many would stop production; others wouldn’t even start. CAMRA says it must stay. continued overleaf 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 17

Pubs, pints and politics – continued Tax relief is also essential to support the growing number of microbreweries. We now have 1300 in the UK, each brewing unique ales and even reviving and renewing old beer styles. The more small breweries we have, the greater variety and choice we can enjoy – the 200+ real ales on offer at this festival are just a small taste of what is available across the country. But microbreweries are too small to benefit from the economies of scale the brewers of get-anywhere brands enjoy.

CAMRA will be lobbying the new government to maintain the Small Breweries Relief to make sure small breweries are taxed at a lower rate than the big boys.

Protecting your pub We’ve also had success tackling the problems of pubcos: large, pub-owning property companies that own over a third of the UK’s traditional pubs. The licensees of these pubs can only purchase their beer from specified suppliers and must pay above the market rates. The rents they pay for the pubs are often similarly inflated.

These factors push up the price of beer and make it harder for the licensee to earn a living.

A CAMRA-commissioned survey in 2013 showed that more than half of pubco licensees earned less than £10,000 a year. In 2014, after years of CAMRA lobbying, we finally persuaded the government to introduce a code of conduct and an adjudicator to restrict the pubcos’ worst excesses.

We’re always dismayed to see a pub close because it can’t stay profitable, but it’s so much worse when financially viable pubs are lost because of legislative loopholes. In the last five years, many such pubs have disappeared because demolishing a pub or converting it to some nonresidential uses required no planning consent.

You couldn’t even object: lobbying your councillor was pointless because their hands were tied. At its worst, every week 29 pubs were closing, two were being converted to supermarkets and still more were becoming restaurants. Locally, we have seen the Rosemary 18 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival

Branch in Cherry Hinton flattened, and the former Waggon & Horses in Milton turn away those who only wanted a drink. In last year’s programme we highlighted the Pear Tree in Hildersham, which had been rebranded a furniture shop.

Pubs support over 1 million UK jobs and inject an average of £80,000 into their local economy each year. And they provide immense value to the communities they serve. As of January this year, CAMRA succeeded in guaranteeing that pubs listed as Assets of Community Value (ACV) can no longer be demolished or converted without planning permission.

However, CAMRA believes this protection should apply to all pubs, not just those with ACV listing, and so the campaign continues. It doesn’t matter if it’s the Regal or the St Radegund, none should be lost without planning consent.

CAMRA has 170,000 members, almost 4000 of them in the Cambridge and District branch. This allows CAMRA to commission the research, uncover the facts and lobby politicians on the issues that matter to ale, cider and perry drinkers, and maybe cheese eaters too. So as you sit out on what will hopefully be a sunny Jesus Green at the 42nd Cambridge CAMRA Beer Festival, enjoying a pint and contemplating the meaning of life, the universe and everything, raise your glass to CAMRA and its members.

And if you’re not already a member, join today and help us to support your pubs and keep your beer affordable.

Foreign beers

We hope you will pay the foreign bar a visit – it’s well worth it. As always, Belgium and Germany will be well represented, but we’ll be looking over some other borders as well. At the time of writing, we know we’ll have plenty of Dutch bottled beers, as well as a couple of French and Spanish brews. Also, look out for some New Zealand beer on draught!

Please take note of our main bar rules: No drinking from the bottle! Our volunteers will pour beer from the bottle into your glass. No glass, no service.

Bottles do not leave the bar. This is a safety measure designed to protect you, as well as the bottle costing us a deposit.

We have signs hanging up showing what’s available on draught. We can’t make our full draught offer available all at once. The menus on the bar have tasting notes, but don’t get too focused on them or you might ask for a whole range of things we can’t serve.

a gaggle of knowledgeable and enthusiastic volunteers, who will be only too happy to help you find something to suit your taste. If you think you will need some guidance, please try to visit us at a quiet time.

Foreign beer styles We’ve included notes here to introduce you to the main beer styles and terminology you are likely to come across at our bar. We’ve also included the names of some prime examples of certain styles, which we are likely to have available. If you’re looking for something more obscure and different, don’t worry, we’ve got that too!

Germany Germany produces a huge variety of lagers and pilsners, generally ranging from 4.5 to 5.5% abv.

A beer designated a pilsner is likely to be more hoppy than a lager.

Lagers are brewed through a distinctly different Unfortunately, the selection of beers for the foreign process to ales. They are bottom-fermented at a bar is not finalised until shortly before the festival, significantly lower temperature – around 10°C – so we cannot include a list in the programme. You continued overleaf can find a full list of beers at the bar itself, as well as 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 21

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More than just a Carvery!

A great welcome awaits you at The Farmers, Yaxley.

We are famous for our fresh vegetables and great carvery meats, succulent and served with all the trimmings, then finished off with a tantalising hot or cold dessert!

Open Every Day 10am - 5.30pm All Day Menu & Coffee Midday - 2:30pm Carvery & Specials Menu 5:30pm - LATE Carvery & Grill Menu Sunday Open From 12 Noon - 9pm All Day Carvery

Check out our lunch-time grill menus and our everchanging specials boards. Put it all together with three fine cask ales and you have the perfect place to enjoy dinner with friends or a family celebration. We have a self -contained function suite which is ideal for parties, weddings and all of life’s celebrations.

So if you’ve not been before give us a try and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Planning a wedding or special family event?

We have lots of packages available including our new Green Room facility.

Please call for further details.

Now taking bookings for Father’s Day

200 Broadway, Yaxley Tel: 01733 244885 Email: thefarmers@btconnect.com

www.thefarmersyaxley.co.uk

Foreign beers – continued and consequently the fermentation takes weeks or months rather than days. A different species of yeast is also required.

This process is used to make a wide variety of lagers – they are by no means all pale blond! If you make yourself familiar with the following terms you should be able to navigate your way around most of the German lager on offer at the foreign beer bar.

Helles is German for ‘light’, referring to the colour of the beer (not the strength). Helles beers are straw-coloured lagers.

Dunkel is German for ‘dark’. Dunkel beers are dark brown in colour, generally less bitter and

In memoriam: Ronald Schooneveldt Ron Buchet pays tribute to our friend, who passed away earlier this year.

I first met Ronald and his brother Harry at Bière Sans Frontières at the Great British Beer Festival in London in 1993. We very quickly became firm friends. Ronald came to Cambridge in 2000 when I was having problems staffing our foreign bar. He visited Cambridge every year, except in 2013, so he was one of our long-standing volunteers.

Ronald’s beer knowledge was encyclopaedic, and his sense of humour helped us through some difficult times.

I know many people on the bar, around the festival and indeed a lot of customers will miss him greatly. At 54 he has been taken from us all too early. Please join us this year in raising a beer to Ronald to celebrate his life; it’s what he would have wanted.

Sleep well Ronald, my old friend and know that you are missed. We have named the bar after you this year.

hoppy than their blond counterparts, though still light and refreshing. They are very different in character from British dark ales, so don’t be put off trying one if you think you don’t like dark beer.

Kellerbier, or ‘cellar beer’, is unfiltered lager that is usually quite hoppy and aromatic, generally amber or reddish in colour.

Examples:

Kölsch Always popular when the weather is hot (and indeed when it isn’t), Kölsch beers are blond, fizzy and easydrinking, and therefore easily confused with lager. In fact these beers are topfermented and so are technically pale ales. The name ‘Kölsch’ refers to the city of Köln (Cologne), where this style of beer originates.

Example: Rauchbier ‘Rauch’ is German for ‘smoke’, and the name signifies that the barley malt has been dried over an open fire. This treatment gives the beer a distinctive smoked flavour, reminiscent of barbecued burgers or sausages. These beers have a dedicated and very enthusiastic group of fans.

Example: Weizenbier/weissbier ‘Weizenbier’ translates as ‘wheat beer’. German weizenbier is made with at least 50% wheat instead of barley. The term weissbier means ‘white beer’, which refers to the familiar pale yellow colour of wheat beers. However, there are also dunkelweizen, or dark wheat beers.

Wheat beers are usually unfiltered, making the beer naturally cloudy. These beers are continued overleaf 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 23

Bacchanalia ‘live life, love beer’

www.winegod.co.uk Join us on twitter bacchanalia_cam

Bacchanalia Cambridge

Bacchanalia is the best beer shop in Cambridge specialising in British, Belgian, German and U.S beers. We have a huge range, over 300 beers in stock, with 1000s available to order. We also sell draught British beer (concentrating on local breweries) to take away, either for a quality sup at home, or in larger quantities for parties.

90 Mill Road, Cambridge CB1 2BD tel/fax 01223 315034 ed@winegod.co.uk 79 Victoria Road, Cambridge CB4 3BS te/fax 01223 576292 paul@winegod.co.uk (smaller but perfectly formed range)

24 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival

Foreign beers – continued sometimes referred to as hefeweizen, or ‘yeast wheat’ beers. In contrast, kristallweizen are filtered and therefore clear.

Most weizenbiers are sold bottle- or caskconditioned, which means they are very lively when poured. They are refreshing and easy to drink, though, with complex and interesting flavours, which can include clove, banana and a spicy character. To allow these flavours to shine, these beers are usually lightly hopped and therefore not bitter.

Example: Alt Altbier is a style of ale that originated in the Dusseldorf area. These beers are generally a darkish copper colour, and have a refreshing flavour with a mild fruitiness and dry finish. The term ‘alt’ means ‘old’, and refers to the fact that this style of beer was around before the lagering process was invented.

Belgium It is virtually impossible to capture all Belgian beers in a neat set of categories, as the variety is huge. Here we introduce you to some of the foremost types to help you navigate your way around most of what we have to offer (the terms applies to many of the Dutch beers too). If you spot something on our menu that doesn’t fit within any of these categories, we recommend you give it a try!

Abbey and trappist beers The terms (abbey beer) and trappist are appellations rather than referring to a particular style of beer. Abbey beers are brewed in the monastic tradition on behalf of a particular abbey, while trappist beers still see monks themselves involved in the brewing process.

Many abbey and trappist brewers offer beer according to a system that reflects the role of the drink in monastic life, with beers at three

different strengths. The lightest beer was for daily consumption, the mid-strength beer for special occasions, and the strongest beer for guests and for sale outside the abbey. However, not all breweries follow this pattern, notably Orval, who offer a single dry-hopped amber beer that is unlike anything else and well worth a taste.

These days, the mid-strength beer (about 5.5–7%) is often a dubbel, a rich dark brown beer that has a noticeable sweetness. The highstrength beer (8–9.5%) is generally a tripel, a blond beer that may range in flavour from sweet to dry and hoppy, and has lovely depth of flavour that may include spicy or fruity notes.

The monastic tradition has had wide influence on brewing in Belgium and elsewhere, and you will see numerous dubbels and tripels offered by non-abbey breweries.

Example: Blonds Belgian blond ales range hugely in strength, flavour and, it must be said, quality (though we naturally only stock the best!). A good blond will avoid blandness but still be easy to drink, even the ones higher in strength. If you are new to Belgian beer this style is a good place to start.

Examples: (French) Saisons The saison style originates from the south of Belgium, and refers to a light, refreshing beer to be drunk in the summer. Saisons are pale in colour and generally quite lively.

The flavour should always be crisp, but in nature may range from dry and hoppy to sweet or even slightly sour. Example: (Dutch)

continued overleaf 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 25

26 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival

Foreign beers – continued Witbier Witbier is the Flemish term for wheat beer, the Walloon equivalent being blanche; both names mean ‘white’, referring to the universally pale colour of Belgian wheats.

Belgian wheat beers are typically citrusy and may have hints of herby coriander. This is a very accessible, deliciously refreshing style of beer.

Example: Wild beer or lambic ‘Wild beer’ is a catch-all term for beers that are fermented using yeast present in the air, rather than added by the brewer.

Additionally, to produce lambic, brewers use old hops that still have their antiseptic qualities, but have lost much of their bitterness. The beer may be left to age for up to four years to allow the complexity of flavours to develop. The result is a sour beer that should be drunk almost more like a wine than a beer.

There is a reason these are known as the champagne of beer!

less enamoured of hoppy bitterness. Fruit-flavoured ales can be much sweeter than the crisp fruited lambics. Another popular flavouring is honey, which when fermented has the effect of softening the usual bitterness of the beer without becoming overly sweet or cloying.

Examples: (redcurrant), (honey)

Don’t forget, you can get many of our beers from the Bacchanalia shops in Cambridge, or from Beers of Europe in Setchey, Norfolk.

Geuzes are blends of lambics of different ages.

Krieks and framboises are produced by steeping cherries or raspberries, respectively, in casks of fermenting lambics. These beautifully coloured beers can range from quite sweet to very tart and refreshing, and are consistently popular.

Examples:

Flavoured ales An increasingly popular activity of brewers in Belgium and elsewhere is to add fruit or other flavours to beer – usually in an attempt to make the beer sweeter and more appealing to those 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 27

A warm welcome awaits at

The Ancient Shepherds Fen Ditton

Now under new management No major changes - simply building on what the exceptional previous tenants put in place!

A quintissentially English pub with an excellent range of beers, wines and fine food. Happy to cater for well-behaved children anywhere in the pub - and dogs are welcome in our garden or Fold Bar. Open: 12noon - 2.30pm and 6pm - 11pm (12noon - 6pm Sunday) 5 High St, Fen Ditton, Cambridge CB5 8ST

Tel: 01223 293280 ancientshepherds.co.uk 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 31

The beer list Apart from our brewery bars from Adnams, Nethergate, Moonshine and Woodfordes, all the beer is arranged on the bars alphabetically by brewery name, starting at the left hand end of the main bar.

The list contains a few omissions and some entries may be apocryphal, or at least wildly inaccurate. The tasting notes have come from various sources – CAMRA’s , the breweries or our own painstaking research.

Unfortunately, for some beers we don’t have notes. This is generally because the brewery or beer is very new: in some cases, the festival is the very first time the beer has been made available.

Not every beer will be available at every session.

Some beers take longer to settle – we want the beers to be in the best possible condition when we sell them. Towards the end of the week some of these will no doubt have sold out. Some beers are particularly limited in quantity, either due to the type of beer or the size of the brewery. There may also be beers available that aren't on this list.

The signs behind the bar on the end of the casks show exactly what's available at any time, along with the prices and strengths.

As well as this printed beer list, the list is also available at www.cambridgebeerfestival.com and through smartphone apps for both iOS and Android. All the online versions will be updated throughout the festival as beers come and go. If you need a large print version, please ask at the bar.

Brewery bars Adnams Coconut Cove Porter

7%

Aged in oak barrels previously occupied by Adnams' North Cove vodka. Coconut and cocoa nibs create a rich, warm, nutty beer with chocolate and coffee flavours.

Fat Sprat

3.8%

Pale amber summer beer with a citrus, grapefruit aroma and some spicy notes. The citrus character of the hops is balanced with a light biscuit flavour and a crisp, dry finish.

Ghost Ship

4.5%

Pale ale with an assertive pithy bitterness and a malty backbone provided by pale ale, rye, crystal and cara malts. Citra and other American hop varieties create some great citrus flavours.

Jester

4.8%

Golden beer brewed with pale ale malt and singlehopped with a new British hop called jester. Aromas of grapefruit and tropical fruits partner with a complex bitterness and subtle herbal notes.

Mosaic

4.1%

Made with mosaic hops, this pale blonde has mango, peach, lemon and pine flavours, with a dry, hoppy finish.

The Herbalist

4.8%

Golden saison brewed with pale ale, pilsner and pale rye malts and hopped with mosaic, citra, centennial and four herbs (pineapple sage, pineapple weed, lemon thyme and lemon verbena).

Moonshine Moon of the day

Once again, please remember that the staff serving you and looking after the beer are all unpaid volunteers.

32 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival

During 2015, Moonshine will brew a special beer on the night of each of the 13 full moons. The first five moons will be available, one each day from Monday onwards.

1st Moon: American Pale Ale

5.5%

Brewery bars Colour key for beer styles : Bitter Old Ale IPA Wheat Mild Stout/ Porter Speciality / Lager Golden Barley Wine Fruit Beer Vegan-friendly Gluten free Brewed on January's full moon. Hoppy, American style pale ale.

2nd Moon: Passion Fruit Pale Ale

4.3%

Brewed on February's full moon. Light golden ale with added passion fruit that adds to the citrus flavour of citra hops.

3rd Moon: English Pale Ale

5.5%

?%

Yet to be brewed at time of going to press. Brew date 4 May. Tasting notes to be confirmed. Brewery's first beer using a new variety of malting barley that is grown on the farm where the brewery is based.

Black Hole Stout

5%

Full bodied stout with a complex malt profile. The roasted flavours are rich, smooth and long lasting.

Cambridge Best Bitter 4.2% Copper coloured, English best bitter. Malt and hop aromas carry through to the taste and the finish is rounded with a growing hop bitterness.

Cambridge Pale Ale

3.8%

Pale coloured ale. Well balanced beer with a smooth malt profile that is complemented by a restrained hop flavour.

Heavenly Matter

3.9%

Old Growler

5%

Complex, satisfying porter, smooth and distinctive.

Roast malt and fruit feature on the palate and the finish is powerfully hoppy.

Stour Valley Gold

4.2%

Light, fruity beer with apricot flavours.

Suffolk County

4%

Well balanced bitter, with delightful malt and hop aromas and a bitter finish.

Brewed on April's full moon. Strong, mid-coloured best bitter with prominent hops and a bittering finish.

5th Moon

Growler Bitter

Delicately smooth and well balanced. Amber coloured bitter, fruity and light on the palate, with a hint of earthy spice and a delicious hoppy finish.

5.7%

Brewed on March's full moon. English style pale ale based on a recipe by William R Loftus, Edgware Road, London, from 1857. Brewed in collaboration with Charles Roberts of Pickled Pig Cider.

4th Moon: Premium Best Bitter

Nethergate

4.1%

Crisp, clean, straw coloured, light bodied beer. Huge hoppy, citrus and tropical fruit aroma and taste that leads to a generous bitterness in the finish.

Red Watch Blueberry Ale 4.2% Red coloured beer, brewed with the addition of fresh blueberries. Light, fruity, refreshing and thirst quenching.

Umbel Ale

3.8%

Fresh tasting, bone dry, lemony brew. Coriander gives a floral aroma, fruity tang and a well-rounded finish.

Umbel Magna

5%

Coriander adds a wonderful spiciness to the roast malt and fruit flavours and powerfully hoppy finish of the complex, smooth and distinctive Old Growler porter.

Woodforde’s Admiral’s Reserve

5%

Solid and generous sweet fruit flavours create a complex and satisfying dark chestnut coloured beer.

Bure Gold

4.3%

Aromatic golden ale brewed using pale and lightly roasted malts in combination with American and Slovenian aroma hops.

Nelson’s Revenge

4.5%

An infusion of vine fruit, malt and hops provide a rich, rewarding experience. A sweet, Madeira-like finale.

Royal Norfolks’ Ale

4.5%

Distinctive, full-bodied ale made from 100% English ingredients including Norfolk malted barleys.

Sundew

4.1%

Pale in colour and light on the palate with a distinct hoppy finish. Deliciously golden and refreshing.

continued overleaf 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 33

Main bar - continued Wherry

B&T

3.8%

Fresh and zesty with crisp floral flavours.

A background of sweet malt and a hoppy 'grapefruit' bitter finish this champion bitter.

Main bars 4%

American pale ale, with cascade, centennial and chinook hops. Spicy and citrus notes throughout with a hint of bitterness at the back end.

Stout

4.3%

Dragonslayer

4.5%

Straw coloured beer; dry, malty and lightly hopped.

Bartrams Chocolate Cherry Porter 4.8%

4T’s APA

Black Dragon Mild

Strong dark mild with pronounced roast flavours.

5%

Mouth-watering English stout, well balanced and smooth. Biscuit, chocolaty, burnt notes at the start, with flowery tones of English hops breaking through.

Traditional porter enriched with flavours of cherry and chocolate.

Comrade Bill Bartram’s Egalitarian AntiImperialist Soviet Stout 6.9% Russian stout with peppery, bitter chocolate flavours.

Perfectly Normal Beer 4.2% High impact combination of malt and hop flavours.

Bexar County

Adnams

Cacahuete

5%

Peanut butter brown session ale (contains nuts; unfined).

El Último Adiós

Alechemy Bad Day At The Office 4.5% Light golden ale with heavy hop bitterness and a strong fruit and citrus aroma.

Ten Storey Malt Bomb 4.5% Modern take on a Scottish 80/- made with ten varieties of malt.

Anspach & Hobday 6.7%

Dark, roasted beer. Smooth finish with balanced malt and bitterness.

The Smoked Brown

6%

Lightly smoked brown ale, fruity, malty and smooth.

Arbor Ales Breakfast Stout

Five stouts, one available each day from Monday onwards.

Coffee Stout

5%

Coffee and dark malts provide a smooth drinking stout that smells as good as it tastes.

Doodle Stout

5%

Dark stout with a blend of dark malts to provide a complex character.

Ginger Doodle Stout

5%

Stout infused with root ginger for a refreshing zing.

Hot Dog Chilli Stout

5%

Vanilla Stout

5%

7.4%

Oats, smoked malt, coffee and chocolate contribute to this rich black imperial stout.

Motueka

6.1%

Stout of the day 4%

Single hopped with New Zealand's nelson sauvin.

Massive citrus gooseberry nose and long bitter finish.

The Porter

Hop Damn

Big, dark and hoppy. Brewed using Mexican dried chillies and dry-chillied with habaneros. Not for the faint of heart (unfined).

Binghams

AleCraft Sauvin So Good

7.7%

American style barley wine. Big hop flavours with a long, sweetish finish (unfined).

3.8%

A pale, hoppy session beer with Motueka hops.

Flavours and aromas of tropical fruit and sweet citrus.

34 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival

continued overleaf

Main bar - continued

Black Country Ales English Summer

Golden Bud 4.1%

3.8%

Traditional brown ale with a quaffable balance of hops and malt undertones.

Well balanced light, golden, hoppy bitter. Grapefruit nose and citrus flavours give way to a mellow, slightly sweet after-taste.

BlackBar

Brentwood

Bitter

3.6%

Malty, tawny brown bitter with a noble hop finish.

Black Economy

Hix’s Darkside 4%

Blonde beer with cascade hops on the nose, progress for bitterness and a touch of pioneer in the middle.

Theory

4.5%

The latest entry in the Theory series. Further details not available when we went to print.

4.4%

Straw coloured ginger beer.

4.5%

Dark creamy stout. Black in colour with a creamy mouthfeel.

Nova

3.8%

Maris otter, carapils and wheat malts allow the bright, fresh and zesty hop aromas to shine, underpinned by herbal and floral notes.

Brampton Brampton Mild

Marvellous Maple Mild 3.7% Dark brown mild with a hint of maple syrup.

Milk Stout 4%

Classic dark mild.

Ginger

7%

Originally brewed for export to Discworld, this rich, dark oatmeal stout is aged for two years. Chocolate, treacle and dark fruit in the aroma and flavour. Hop bitterness on the finish.

Bristol Beer Factory

Boggart Dark Mild

2.5%

4.6%

Black ale–not a stout or a porter.

Blacklight

BBC 2

True session pale ale; full bodied with malty flavours.

American hops give a tropical fruit and citrus punch.

4.9%

Dark, roasted and jam-packed full of flavour. Coffee, toffee and caramel tones.

Buntingford Full Tilt

4.1%

Brewed with maris otter pale, cara, wheat and chocolate malts, along with hops from Germany and the US.

36 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival

Main bar - continued Colour key for beer styles : Bitter Old Ale IPA Wheat Mild Stout/ Porter Speciality / Lager Golden Barley Wine Fruit Beer Vegan-friendly Gluten free

Polar Star

4.4%

Heavily hopped blonde with a refreshing citrus hop kick. Pineapple, peach and grapefruit hop flavours.

Burscough Flat Rib Mild

Kia Kaha!

4.3%

Hop bomb, made with pale malt and a touch of wheat for a creamy head. Hopped using New Zealand's finest to give a tropical fruit and lime peel aroma.

3.6%

Classic mild, dark and satisfying. Produced with crystal, mild ale and black malts.

Priory Gold

Cwrw Iâl

Limestone Cowboy

4.5%

Robust dark copper ale using roasted malts, American hops and west coast yeast for a hop-forward style ale.

3.8% Pothole Porter

5.1%

Golden session ale with a light body and moderate bitterness. Fragrant citrus aroma with hints of pine and lemon.

Classic porter: black and roasted, bursting with British golding hops.

Calverley's

Dark Star

5 Hops Bitter

3.9%

Classic English bitter with a modern twist, dry hopped for a delicate citrus finish.

Best Bitter

4.8%

Smooth amber ale with balanced malt and subtle bittering hops.

Cambridge Brewing Company Chocolate & Banana Stout 4.5% Dark with some banana in the aroma. Chocolate dominates the initial flavour. Banana reappears towards the finish.

Honey Bee-R

5%

Golden ale made with honey. The honey is fully fermented, giving a drier result. East Kent goldings provide hop flavour and aroma.

Colchester Colchester No. 1

4.1%

Classic English best bitter, copper in colour. Whole leaf boadicea hops for flavour and the definitive aroma of east kent goldings.

Crafty Beers Sauvignon Blonde

4.4%

Aromatic golden ale brewed with nelson sauvin hops from New Zealand.

Wilbraham

4.2%

Amber ale with rich malt flavours and good balancing bitterness. Subtle hop aroma with the characteristic earthy notes of fuggles.

Espresso Stout

4.2%

Black beer brewed with roasted barley malt and challenger hops, with a coffee aroma from freshly ground espresso beans.

Hophead

3.8%

Clean-drinking pale golden ale with a strong floral aroma and elderflower notes from the cascade hops.

Revelation

5.7%

Amber in colour. Bitter hoppy citrus fruits throughout, balanced by sweet malts.

East London Cowcatcher

4.8%

American pale ale, generously hopped with amarillo, chinook, simcoe and citra.

Orchid

3.6%

A mahogany-coloured, slightly sweet, dark mild; lightly spiced with vanilla.

Elgood’s Black Dog

3.6%

Dryish, complex dark mild. Malt, roast and dark berry fruit flavours with a hint of sweetness.

Coolship

6.7%

Spontaneously fermented using wild yeasts in open cooling trays (the coolships) and aged in oak barrels.

Oak and fruit aromas precede a flavour of sharp apples and berries.

continued overleaf 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 37

Main bar - continued

Elgood’s Golden Newt

4.1%

Fuggles, goldings and cascade hop flavours and aromas.

Elmtree Mad Maudie

4.5%

Straw coloured with a pleasant citrus palate and an unusual hop combination.

Nightlight Mild

5.7%

Old style mild, strong but well balanced. Liquorice hints and a lasting nutty finish.

Enville Cherry Blonde

4.2%

Light blonde bitter infused with essence of cherry to produce a Belgian style fruit flavoured beer.

Czechmate Saaz

4.2%

Classic Czech-style beer using single variety saaz hops.

Light, fruity and dry.

Nailmaker Mild

4%

Well-defined hop aroma and sweetness give way to a dry finish.

Fellows Gulping Fellow

4.2%

A dry, bitter finish complements the spicy hop character of this full flavoured and well balanced best bitter.

Old Fellow Brown Ale 7.8% Decadent brown ale. Rich malt flavours provide a backdrop for US hops.

Old Fellow IPA

7.2%

Amber in colour. Floral with a big hop character, with enough sweetness to balance the bitterness.

Five Points Hook Island Red

6%

Full bodied, aromatic red rye ale brewed with malted barley, 20% rye, and chinook, columbus and simcoe hops.

Railway Porter

4.8%

Aromas of chocolate and coffee with hints of caramel, brewed with British east Kent goldings hops.

Goachers Real Mild

3.4%

A full-flavoured dark mild brewed with chocolate and black malts.

Main bar - continued

Golden Triangle Hop Lobster

5.5%

Brewed with East Anglian pale malt and five American hops to give a strong pale beer with big explosive hop notes.

a good dose of oats. Fresh wild Maldon oysters are added for a subtle extra complexity to the taste.

Hardknott Code Black

5.6%

Toasty, citrussy, bitter, hints of chocolate.

Mosaic City

3.8%

Light and refreshing with the distinctive hop note of Mosaic.

5%

Based on a 1790 Whitbread recipe. Black in colour with roast notes dominating from the aroma to the long lingering ending.

Blonde Ash

4%

Wheat beer with a lemon, clove and banana nose.

Sweet, fruity flavour supported by a hoppy bitterness.

Caramel appears in a strong finish.

Oak

3.8%

Well balanced session beer with a light amber colour.

Fermented slowly to give a dry, moreish finish.

7.5%

Sussex Best Bitter

4%

Full bodied brown bitter. A hoppy aroma leads to a good malt and hop balance and a dry aftertaste.

Harviestoun Bitter & Twisted

3.8%

Refreshingly hoppy beer with fruit throughout.

A bittersweet taste with a long bitter finish. A golden session beer.

Schiehallion

4.8%

Wheat and lager malts combine to give a crisp palate.

The hops give a lingering, fresh, grapefruity finish.

continued overleaf

Green Jack Orange Wheat

Prince of Denmark

Strong, dark beer of great complexity and depth.

Grain Blackwood Stout

Harveys

4.2%

A light wheat beer with grainy citrus and marmalade flavours.

Red Herring

5%

Rich, fruity red ale brewed with oak and beech smoked malt giving the beer a subtle smokey flavor with a dry, smokey finish.

Trawlerboys

4.6%

Full bodied, copper coloured premium bitter brewed with English whole cone hops. Rich and malty with fruity hop flavours.

Gyle 59 Toujours

4%

Saison with a mixture of malts combined with English and German hops to complement the earthy, peppery and spicy yeast flavours. Unfined.

Hammerton N1

4.1%

A session pale ale with a variety of fruity and aromatic hops from around the globe.

Pentonville

5.3%

Brewed with a variety of flavoursome malts, including 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 39

Main bar - continued

Holden’s Black Country Mild

P51 3.7%

Red/brown mild. A refreshing, light blend of roast malt, hops and fruit, dominated by malt throughout.

Kissingate

Hop Back Crop Circle

4.2%

The subtle blend of hops gives a crispness on the tongue that is delicately fruity, giving way to some dryness. Brewed gluten free.

Taiphoon

4.2%

Pale gold beer with hints of lemongrass and coriander.

3.8%

Low abv, high flavour beer made from a selection of citrus and tropical fruit-flavoured hops.

Renegade IPA

5.6%

Bold and hoppy, with rich caramel flavours.

Hopshackle Double Momentum

7%

Based on the recipe for the popular Momentum IPA but with twice the amount of hops added. A golden beer with an aroma of vinous fruit with a hoppy edge.

It has a coarse white head and an intense taste of malt, fruit and alcohol with a bitter finish.

Sumo

5.2%

Golden amber beer with an aroma and flavour packed with hop resins balanced by a malty background.

Humpty Dumpty Broadland Sunrise

4.2%

Red-orange in colour and brewed with additions of crystal malt and rye, giving it a complex malty flavour and a refreshing dry finish.

Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster

4.6%

The says the effect of drinking a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster is like having your brains smashed out by a slice of lemon wrapped around a large gold brick. This beer is almost, but not quite, entirely unlike that. Your brains will not be smashed out, but it is a golden beer and it has does have lemon in.

KCB 66Âş

Gardenia Mild

4.5%

Refreshing amber mild with subtle floral fragrances.

Mandarina Red

4.8%

Red IPA with multiple flavour layers of malt and prominent citrus fruits. A riotous citrus and bittersweet finish.

Stout Extreme Jamaica 6%

Hop Stuff APA

5.1%

Christmas pudding combines with a dark roast character and a floral hint on the nose.

A fulsome bitter and slightly less sweet stout. Intense liquorice, coffee and molasses flavours with a hint of rum and raisin.

Lacons Audit

Four Kisses

Hoppy, burnished gold with a hint of butterscotch.

40 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival

4%

Golden amber with a fragrance of woody forest berries. Smooth biscuity malt flavours mature to a rounded nutty and lightly spiced end.

Liverpool Organic Bier Head

4.1%

Best bitter with a hoppy foretaste, complex spice and crisp malt overtones.

Shipwreck IPA

6.5%

Grapefruit, aniseed and peach notes feature in the hoppy bite that builds to tropical fruit and a generous, piney bitterness in the finish.

Loch Ness HoppyNESS

5%

Hugely hoppy beer with a little sweetness in the background.

MadNESS

4%

A fruity red beer with a huge US hop finish.

Lord Conrad's Pheasant's Rise

4.6%

8%

Strong, dark, copper barley wine with a prominent flavour of berry fruit, laced with pronounced spice. A warming, smooth and sweet finish.

5.5%

Beechwood smoked malts and a thrice-hopped finish.

Spiffing Wheeze

3.9%

Pale ale with crisp bite and mellow floral, peppery notes.

Zulu Dawn

Cask Marque accredited Ales for the last 12 years

184 Sturton Street, Cambridge, CB1 2QF 01223 576092 www.thedobblers.com

3.5%

Cider & Ale Festival 21st-26th May

Dark with red highlights. Citrus bitterness on a malty base.

A selection of local ciders & ales

Traditional English ale, chestnut brown in colour. A fruity malt taste balanced with bitterness from classic English hops.

Open Mic Night Thurs 21st Live Music with The Larks Fri 22nd Last day of The Premiership Sun 24th The Dobblers 2nd Annual Bake Off Mon 25th Quiz Night Tues 26th

Now serving pizzas & snacks all day

Mile Tree Crescent Ale

3.9%

Larksong

4.5%

Clean, crisp amber ale, full bodied aromatic flavour with a fruity hop aroma. Floral notes and a hint of toffee.

Milton Cor Aurum

5.5%

Powerfully hoppy beer, brewed with maris otter malt.

Generous quantities of English, American and New Zealand hops are used in this infinitely improbable ale.

Justinian Valid 19th May - 31st May 2015 ( T&C apply)

3.9%

Crisp, pale gold coloured bitter. Attractive bitter orange flavours persist into a satisfying lasting finish.

Marcus Aurelius de la Rosa

7.8%

The acknowledged delights of Marcus Aurelius are further enhanced with the addition of port from our friends at Quinta de la Rosa. Velvety, rich and powerful, this is a special release for Cambridge Beer Festival.

The Bicycle Specialists Scotsdale, Horningsea CB25 9JG Phone 01223 860471

For Cycle Repair Collection and friendly, expert service on...

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Orpheus

4.2%

Full flavoured mild ale with rich chocolate and malt notes, hints of vanilla.

Pegasus

4.1%

Fruit and some hops on the nose lead into a fine balance of malt, fruit and hops on a bittersweet base. Malt is also present in the long, dry finish.

Moncada Notting Hill Ruby Rye 5.2% Robust, ruby ale, made with rye and complemented by a fruity hop aroma.

Notting Hill Summer

www.benhaywardcycles.com

3.2%

Refreshing pale ale with lots of New World hops that create citrus and tropical flavours.

continued overleaf 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 41

Main bar - continued Colour key for beer styles : Bitter Old Ale IPA Wheat Mild Stout/ Porter Speciality / Lager Golden Barley Wine Fruit Beer Vegan-friendly Gluten free

Moonshine

Opa Hay’s

Moor

Bavarian style wheat beer, naturally cloudy due to original Bavarian wheat beer yeast. A distinct aroma of cloves and banana.

Liquid Bread

Return of the Empire

5.7%

English IPA showcasing modern English hops.

Unfined and naturally hazy.

TM

Nene Valley Brewery 5.2%

Refreshing saison with fresh grapefruit. The peel imparts an initial bitterness that gives way to a juicy, citrus and slightly sharp finish.

Starless Stout

Maibock

7%

A strong German spring ale brewed with Bavarian yeast and Munich malt, hoppy and malty.

3.9%

Traditional mild, brown and malty.

Pulp Fiction

5.2%

4.2%

Smooth oat stout, refreshing dark grain flavours with a slight hop bite to finish.

Nethergate

Samuel Engel Meister Pils

4.8%

Pilsner style beer with German Hallertau hops. Light in colour with a hoppy aroma.

Otley O2

4.2%

Light golden ale full of citrus hop aromas.

O9

4.8%

Clear wheat beer spiced with roasted orange peel, coriander and cloves. Good hop aromas with a subtle bitterness.

Panther Ginger Panther

Oakham Bishop's Farewell

4.6%

Elaborate fruity hop notes with a grainy background and dry finish.

Forger

3.5%

Rich and punchy hop flavours with citrus berry aromas and a smooth malt taste.

Hawse Buckler

5.6%

Bursts with chocolate, raisin and dark malt aromas.

Sweet fruit and roast malt is eclipsed by complex spice and coffee malt flavours leading to a dry, spicy, bitter finish.

Oakleaf Hole Hearted

4.7%

Golden ale with powerful floral and tropical fruit flavours and a delicate bitterness.

3.7%

Fiery with a ginger flavour and subtle lemon flavour notes.

Mild Panther

3.3%

Smooth, malty character and notes of chocolate give this beer plenty of flavour and aroma.

Pig & Porter Neither Nor

5%

Pale ale brewed with lager yeast. Features pine and citrus hops while the lager yeast lends a crispness often lacking in other pale ales.

Poppyland Freshes Creek

5.4%

Low carbonated, orange coloured beer with pronounced mouthwatering lactic acidity and fruity notes. Gluten free.

continued overleaf 42 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival

Main bar - continued

Poppyland Poppyland Harvest

Raw 5.2%

Anubis Porter

5.2%

Rich golden ale with a hint of north Norfolk honey and Norfolk mint, all gently infused with coriander seed and curaรงao orange peel. Gluten free.

Smooth roast malt and mild coffee flavours with a lingering bitterness and gentle hop aroma.

Portobello

Session version of the brewery's Grey Ghost IPA with a powerful grapefruit/citrus aroma.

Market Porter

Baby Ghost IPA 4.6%

Aromas of cappuccino, chocolate, dark fruits and vibrant fresh peel. Velvety and rich, with notes of coffee, chocolate and hazelnuts with warming alcohol and cocoa in the finish.

Potton Lion IPA

4.4%

Golden ale with a smoky character throughout.

Orange/citrusy in aroma with a malty flavour.

Phoenix

3.8%

Refreshing, hoppy pale ale with a hint of smoky flavour.

4.8%

Red coloured with complex flavours of toffee and caramel, nicely offset with American centennial and amarillo hops.

44 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival

3.2%

Seven different malts give smooth roast malt flavours with hints of coffee. Spicy bitterness and a slightly fruity hop aroma.

Redemption Rock the Kazbek

4%

Blonde ale, single hopped with Czech kazbek hops for refreshing zesty lemon, lime and grapefruit flavours with a delicate lemon aroma.

Trinity

Privateer Red Duke

Majic Mild

3.9%

3%

Refreshing golden beer with strong citrus notes throughout. The strong bitterness is softened by a little sweet malt character that is also present in the aftertaste with a lingering dryness.

Main bar - continued Colour key for beer styles : Bitter Old Ale IPA Wheat Mild Stout/ Porter Speciality / Lager Golden Barley Wine Fruit Beer Vegan-friendly Gluten free

Rudgate Jorvik Blonde

Muck Cart Mild 3.8%

Flaxen blonde ale with a balanced hoppy bitterness and a crisp, fruity finish.

Ruby Mild

4.4%

Nutty, rich, ruby ale, stronger than usual for a mild.

Sadler's Red IPA

5.7%

Red in colour and big in character. A citrus, passion fruit and mango aroma leads to a resinous hop character and is balanced with a sweet malt finish.

Worcester Sorcerer

4.3%

A golden English best bitter, full bodied with a well rounded hoppy character.

Black Jack

3.7%

Dark ruby mild. Roasted malt with caramel tones and a slight smoky finish.

Pipe Dreams

4.2%

Autumn sunset gold in colour, with refreshing, hoppy aromas of citrus and passionfruit.

4.8%

American style pale ale with the floral aromas and strong bitterness of cascade and centennial hops, infused with a hint of blackberries.

Elderflower Blonde

4%

An easy drinking, smooth, golden coloured ale with subtle elderflower aroma leading to a pleasant elderflower fruit taste and a long refreshing finish.

Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby Mild

6%

This strong, absolutely black ale has a good balance of fruit and malt on the palate leading to a pleasant, lingering finish.

Son of Sid Bee Sting

5.5%

Springhead Drop o' the Black Stuff 4% Ominously dark but not heavy, with the lingering finish of roasted barley.

4.8%

A dark, smoky, intense flavour with a toffee finish.

Brewed in the style of Belgian trappist ales.

St Peter’s G-Free

4.2%

Clean, crisp, gluten free ale with a pilsner style lager finish and aromas of citrus and mandarin.

Grapefruit

Saltaire Blackberry Cascade

Raspberry Wheat

The Raspberry Pi is the computing phenomenon of Cambridge and this wheat beer is the raspberry phenomenon of Cambridgeshire. The sourness of the wheat is balanced by the raspberries, leading to a refreshing beer.

The Leveller

Saffron

3.5%

Smooth, dark mild with a long liquorice finish. Roast and fruit aromas, with chocolate and coffee flavours and a lingering roast finish.

4.7%

Refreshing, made using a wheat beer as a base. The zesty/pithy grapefruit flavour is in harmony with the hops and malt.

Organic Ale

4.5%

Delicate, clean, crisp, lightly carbonated, traditional English Ale with a full citrus hop aftertaste.

Spelt Blonde

4.2%

Brewed with spelt for a refreshing, thirst-quenching and sought-after taste. A subtle biscuity and fruity palate combined with a floral hop aroma.

Star Lilith

4.3%

Lilith (meaning 'dark moon') is a deep coppercoloured best bitter, with a smooth bitterness and zesty finish.

3.6%

Refreshing 'citrafied' golden bitter.

continued overleaf 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 45

Main bar - continued

Star Summit

Titanic Mild 4.6%

3.5%

Strong, golden ale, single hopped with summit hops.

Full of roast malt and balanced by delicate hops. A rounded sweetness and a smooth dry finish.

Stewart

Tydd Steam

Edinburgh No. 3

4.3%

Full bodied, smooth, with an intense colour, rich malty taste and clean finish.

Stringers

Armageddon

5%

Sweet malt flavours combine with a complex blend of fruity hops leading to a satisfying sweet finish.

Barn Ale

The North Will Rise Again 4.9%

3.9%

Amber/red, herbal hop aroma, touch of sweetness and a tangy bitter finish.

Golden bitter with a good biscuity malt aroma and flavour, balanced by spicy hops. Long, dry, fairly astringent finish.

Surrey Hills

Verulam

Gilt Complex

4.6%

Huge hop aroma, a hint of spice in the fruity flavour and a long finish.

The 3 Brewers of St Albans Classic English Ale

4%

Deep amber colour, light hoppy aroma and a rich and rounded malty taste balanced by subtle hoppiness. A supremely clean, smooth and refreshing ale.

Three Blind Mice Black Bank Porter

4.7% 4.4%

Amped-up version of an old favourite. Pale with columbus hops.

Table Liquor

3.3%

Farmer’s Joy

4.5%

A light hop bouquet leads to a full, burnt malt flavour balanced with citrus hops. A bitter finish.

Weird Beard Dark Hopfler

Smooth, coffee, chocolate, with a bitter finish.

Super Corumbo

Black Mild

Classic dark mild. Chocolate, nutty caramel and roasted malt dominate the aroma and the initial flavour. Dry, earthy English hop flavours build towards the finish.

2.8%

2.5%

Dark ale with a rich, complex flavour accentuated with lactose and dry hops.

K*ntish Town Beard

5.5%

Easy-drinking American wheat pale ale brewed with willamette, centennial and cascade hops.

Windswept APA

5%

Very dry, light and bitter pale ale. This little beer packs a big hop punch.

IPA with smooth malts and a tangy grapefruit finish.

Tiny Rebel

IPA crafted with a robust malt character to complement the tropical fruit and resinous pine of the citra hop.

Dirty Stop Out

5%

Complex, dark, smoked oat stout.

Urban IPA

5.5%

An intercontinental blend of hops.

Tornado

Weizen

6.7%

5.2%

Cloudy, effervescent hefeweizen bursting with bananas and caramel.

Titanic Iceberg

4.1%

Flowery and citrus aroma of lemon and grapefruit.

Great raspy hop mouthfeel with refreshing hoppy bitterness and a lingering finish.

continued overleaf 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 47

Main bar - continued

Wold Top Against the Grain

4.5%

Gluten-free bitter with a creamy head, refreshing bitterness and a citrus hop aftertaste.

Headland Red

4.3%

Red with a mellow, malty flavour.

Woodforde’s

XT 4

3.8%

Amber beer with a special Belgian malt and a fruity mix of American and European hops.

6

4.5%

Rich, ruby red beer. Malty and smooth with a cascade hop finish.

Xtreme Ales Pigeon Ale

4.3%

Light and hoppy. A good session beer.

Vogon Poetry

5.5%

Light and hoppy! Brewed especially for the Cambridge Beer Festival with the travellers' favourite hop Galaxy used exclusively to give loads of flavour and a long aftertaste.

York Centurion's Ghost

5.4%

Dark ruby in colour. A mellow roast flavour balanced by light bitterness and autumn fruit flavours that linger into the aftertaste.

Guzzler

3.6%

Light golden beer with well balanced hops and malt against a background of fruitiness. Crisp, dry, and refreshing.

Rhubarb Pale

4.8%

Flavoured with Yorkshire-grown rhubarb, this pale beer has a refreshing fruity tartness.

48 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival

NOTES

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Latta Hire Ltd are pleased to support the 2015 Cambridge Beer Festival

68 King Street, Cambridge 01223 351464

Champion of the Thames

Welcome to the Clarendon Arms. A traditional public house since 1812, serving pub food at its best using seasonal and locally sourced produce to create a delicious home cooked menu.

Traditional Real Ale pub, just five minutes walk from the festival.

We have a lovely dining area and bar with an open fire for those winter nights and for those warmer days a beautiful courtyard garden.

OPEN ALL DAY

We serve a selection of five real ales, wines and spirits, so there is a little something for everyone, Oh, and well behaved dogs and children are very welcome.

Good Beer Guide 2014 Listed

For any information give Bex a tinkle on

5 Real Ales Available (including 3 guests)

01223 778272

you can also follow us on Twitter

@clarendon_arms

www.theclarendonarms.co.uk 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 49

Cider Well, last year we managed to have enough cider and perry to last right to the very end of the festival! We’ll try to do the same this year.

At this festival we bring you a wide range of ciders and perries from most cider producing areas, including an ever expanding range from Cambridgeshire and the five other counties in East Anglia. We’re introducing cider and perry from a few new makers, from East Anglia and further afield. We’ll also see the return of many producers who have not been seen at the festival for a number of years.

combination of mellow, aromatic, tangy, sharp, fruity, or tannic, as well as being sweet, medium or dry. These are real flavours, not masked by cold temperature or fizz! All of the well known 'industrial' ciders are not recognised by CAMRA as real traditional cider or perry.

Please be aware that traditional ciders and perries typically have higher alcohol content than most of the commercial cider you get in pubs or supermarkets, so please drink responsibly and enjoy your time at the festival.

Wassail!

Back to basics Real cider and perry have been enjoyed in Britain since Roman times. Many people have discovered the delights of these traditional beverages and the rich world of flavours they offer. While methods of production have benefited from modernisation, the basics still stay the same: pick, press, ferment, enjoy!

Cider and perry made using these traditional methods are unpasteurised, uncarbonated and full of natural flavour. The taste can be any

(SV) = Single variety

Ciders Apple Cottage F.T.J. (Filthy Tramp Juice) T’orchard continued overleaf 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 51

Cider and perry – continued Barnes & Adams Old Parlour Biddenden Strong

Cassels Bourns Bounty Dabinett (SV) Summer Session Sweet April Cider by Rosie Cider

Bollhayes Cider Burnard Monty’s Double Cam Valley Cambridgeshire Kingston Black (SV) Dabinet Blend Ida Red (SV) Scrumptious (SV) Cambridge Cider Co. Angry Wasp Much Merriment Scratters Reward

CJ’s Surprise Copse House Cider Cotswold Cider Cromwell Oliver’s Choice Oliver’s Sweetheart Oliver’s Last Gasp Session Crossman’s Cider

Double Vision Cider Dove Syke Ribble Valley Gold Evershed’s Aldercar Franklin’s Fuddle Gasper Glebe Farm Side-R “Sweet” Green Valley Cider Hallets PX Sherry Cask Hardings 3 counties Bounty 3 Peace Sweet

THE SIX BELLS • FULBOURN•

The White Family welcome you to their warm and friendly pub dating back to the 15th century, nestled in the heart of Fulbourn.

A proper local with a love of real ale complemented by good old fashioned home cooked food. As well as the bar areas we have a lovely light dining area, a large function room for parties and not forgetting the large garden for the summer.

Six real ales at all times, two constantly

changing guests plus a real cider

9 High Street, Fulbourn CB21 5DH Telephone: (01223) 880244 www.thesixbellsfulbourn.co.uk 52 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival

Cider and perry – continued Harry’s Cider Hereward Cambridgeshire “Medium Sweet” Cider Apples (Stoke Red/Dabinett) Hill Holme Majors Cider Hubz’s 'Ang Over

Little Red Rooster

Village Green

Cider Perry

Cider

Newton Court

Waddlegoose Lane

Perry

Spadger Woodsprite Watergull Orchards

Oliver’s Perry Pickled Pig Will’s Perry “Medium Dry” Will’s Perry “Medium Sweet”

Farmhouse “Dry” Farmhouse “Sweet”

Newton Court Cider

Whin Hill “Medium”

Pickled Pig Oak Cask Porker’s Snout Sweet Little Pig

Wilkins Farmhouse

Potton Press Perry Pyder

Winkleigh Autumn Scrumpy

Ross-on-Wye Perry

Potton Press Sweet Spot Ross-on-Wye Cider Seacider Cider Severn Cider

Perry

Apple juice

Baynham Court Perry

Simon’s As It Comes

Butford Perry

Spinney Abbey

Cam Valley Punters’ Perry

Tricky Cider

Whin Hill Perry

Barnes & Adams

Burnard Perry

St. Ives Clodgy

Simon’s Barton Perry, Secret Agent

Apple Cottage Pyder Baldock

Sheppy’s Farmhouse

Monk and Disorderly Virgin on the Ridiculous

Severn Perry

Cam Valley Bramley Cox Red Pippin

Cromwell Cavalier Perry Double Vision Impeared Vision Perry Hereward Perry 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 53

JOHN ANDERSON HIRE

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54 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival

Cheese and beer Better together? Definitely. Roger Hart tells us why.

Cheese goes with wine, right? Nonsense. Wine goes with food, and cheese goes with everything.

It's good general advice to match lighter beers with softer, gentler cheeses, darkening the beer colour as the cheese gets harder or more aged.

But that could leave you missing out on, say, offsetting the creamy sharp saltiness of a soft goat’s cheese with the sweet, full-bodied impact of an imperial stout like .

There’s fun to be had playing mix and match with your beers and cheeses, and here are a few suggested pairings. I’ve not covered all the styles, but this should help you start.

Golden, gently hoppy ales Burrata and Brillat-Savarin cheeses are basically flavourful cream that’s been told to sit still, so a golden ale with a little fruit (maybe Hopback , or 4T’s ) would go beautifully.

You don’t see many UK cheeses of that runniness, but our brie tends to the mild, and you wouldn’t go far wrong with a white stilton here.

Hop monsters and their friends: IPAs, light and dark Get your goat on. To be honest, goat’s cheese will go with anything hefty and complex: a big dry stout or a black IPA. Hops will trample any subtle flavours, however, so this might be the place for cheeses with washed rinds. Stinking Bishop is the English classic. Or you could go to town on bitter flavours: Hereford Hop is a hard-ish cheese with hops packed into the rind.

Medium brown, about 4% abv A solid bitter is what many think of when you say “ale”, and cheddar isn’t far off the same for cheese.

They work together, too. With both, there aren't any overpowering flavours, there is a little sharpness, and the craftsmanship is front and centre.

If cheddar doesn’t excite you, try a pint of Fellows or Milton with wensleydale, or even a gentle, crumbly ewe’s cheese. Y Fenni is a classic Welsh cheese, made with beer and mustard, and it’s great with a robust bitter.

Stronger bitters, bests, and old ales will complement the smoked versions of similar cheese. Try a Tydd Steam , or a beer that’s smoked itself.

Rich and dark: porters, stouts and the odd barley wine A stout with a bit of sweetness just wants to cosy up to a nice salty blue. Something creamy like a Cambridge Blue, or a Dolcelatte will have the salt and the body to go with a big, hefty porter, or a stout that isn’t too dry. A really mature, crumbly stilton could overshoot here, but try something like a Five Points with the creamy blues.

For more resinous beers like imperial stouts, maybe go sharp – Lincolnshire Poacher will cut right through it.

Milds Milds are tricky, and much underrated. They’re dark but easy-drinking, often with a little nut and caramel. Alpine-style semi-hard cheeses have a softness and nuttiness that matches mild, and both are subtle. A good raclette or gruyere, maybe. The UK makes gruyere in Cheshire, or you really can’t beat a Cornish Yarg with a pint of mild.

Mix and match Obviously that doesn’t cover everything. What about wheat beers, or cheeses with fruit in? We have around 200 beers from the UK alone, and well over 50 cheeses. New cheeses will be available each day, and we do our best to keep as many of the beers on at once as possible, so there are lots of opportunities to discover an exciting new pairing.

42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 55

27 High Street, Histon, Cambridge CB24 9JD www.theredlionhiston.co.uk

A Minimum of 9 Cask Ales Westons Perry, Pickled Pig and guest ciders

Large selection of world bottled beers Adnams Dry Hopped Lager, Meister Pils, Liefmans Kriek, Erdinger Weisbier and Kostritzer available on draught.

Carry outs available Home cooked food available: Mon - Fri 12 to 2.30pm, Tues - Thurs 6pm to 9.30pm, Sat 10.30am to 9.30pm, Sun 12 to 5pm.

Call (01223) 564437

WATERBEACH SUN ‘THE PLACE FOR GOOD QUALITY REAL ALE’

BIG SCREEN SATELLITE SPORTS HOMECOOKED FOOD 6 DAYS A WEEK

FUNCTION ROOM AVAILABLE

Events & Music June 6th Silverbacks Blues Band

GOOD BEER GUIDE ENTRY 2012 to 2015

September 19th Stiff THE SUN INN WATERBEACH 56 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival

Wine This year we are delighted to offer a selection of English wines from five different vineyards.

Reserve 2012

Rosé 2013 Chilford Hall Müller Thurgau /Schönburger 2013

11%

11%

Dry white wine with a delicate bouquet of fresh lemon and peaches.

Elysian Fields Bacchus 2013

11%

White wine with notes of elderflower and green apple.

Bacchus 2013

11%

Straw coloured white wine with a bouquet of marzipan and honeysuckle.

Blush 2013

10.5%

Salmon pink dry wine that opens with a blast of strawberries and vanilla, before a long smooth finish.

Chilford Hundred Sparkling Wine 2012

11.5%

Delicate dry sparkling wine that opens with aromas of freshly cut grass, lemons and biscotti.

Chilford Sparkling Rosé 12% Distinctive pale pink wine with a bouquet of fresh strawberries and a lingering finish of toasted almonds.

Chilford Sparkling Pinot Noir 12% Delicate wine with aromas of mown grass, herbs and lemons. Grapefruit and lime flavours on the palate, with a lingering finish of kiwi and lemon.

Dedham Vale Bacchus 2013

12%

Crisp dry white wine with intense citrus aromas and the dry refreshing taste of lemon and elderflower.

10.5%

Pale lemon white wine with gentle floral notes, a dash of citrus and a hint of peach.

Little Owl Block 2012

10.5%

Dry white wine with a floral nose, but dominant apple and citrus on the palate.

Pinot Noir Rosé 2013 Ortega /Reichensteiner 2013

11%

Light and refreshing medium dry rosé with a soft fruit character on the palate.

Clean and pale white wine that opens with a bouquet of fresh grapefruit.

Müller Thurgau /Ortega 2013

10.5%

Ruby red wine with red berry aromas and complex flavours of redcurrants, raspberries and liquorice.

10.5%

Off-dry rosé with loads of summer fruit notes on the bouquet. A balanced acidity with hints of strawberry and peach on the palate.

Felstar Felstar

10.5%

Dry white wine made from madeleine and huxelrebe grapes.

Crix Green 2013

10.5%

Medium dry white wine made with bacchus grapes.

Good range of flavours with a gentle fruitiness and a subtle elderflower undertone.

Black Notley 2012

10.5%

Medium white from müller–thurgau grapes.

Fruity and mellow with a moreish palate and a hint of smokiness.

Pinot Noir Rosé 2012

11%

Medium dry rosé with flavours reminiscent of spring meadows.

Warden Abbey The Reformer 2013

12%

White wine with aromas of elderflower and spring flowers. Fresh, citrussy and light to start, followed by tropical fruit and white peach.

The Founder 2013

12%

White wine with pear and apple on the palate.

42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 57

Mead Joanne Fried raises a glass to Britain’s bees

Mead is essentially fermented honey. Its main ingredients are just honey and water – no grapes, no hops – to make it one of the simplest types of alcoholic beverage. Most of the differences and nuances of flavour come from these key ingredients:

raise a glass to the lovely bees of Britain, who make all this possible.

Lyme Bay Traditional Mead

14.5%

Sweet, light, full flavoured honey, a good mead to start with.

West Country Mead 14.5% Honey – bees in different parts of the country feast on different flowers and plants, leading to lighter or darker meads. Traditional mead is light, sweet and highly quaffable.

Water – Moniack mead, for example, is made with water from Scotland’s whisky region.

This yields a rich, peaty aroma.

Flavours – some meads contain additional spices or spirits to generate a truly unique flavour. Reserve mead is infused with rum, whereas Christmas mead is blended with festive spices.

Brewed by the Vikings, druids and ancient civilisations, mead became linked with tradition, ritual and feasting. In the past, wine was only produced in areas where grapes grew, so it didn’t emerge in Britain until the Romans arrived. But with hops and honey easily sourced from northern Europe, beer and mead flourished.

Local produce shaping alcoholic beverages is a concept recognised by LocAle – a CAMRA initiative that encourages pubs to stock locally brewed real ale. The scheme builds on a growing consumer demand for quality local produce and an increased awareness of green issues to celebrate what makes a locality different. All of the mead at this festival is from the British Isles, from dry to sweet, all flaunting how gorgeous British mead can be.

I hope you enjoy this year’s selection – it’s one of the largest at any CAMRA beer festival – and 58 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival

Medium sweet with slightly drier spiced edge.

Christmas Mead

13%

Christmas pudding spices in a glass.

Tournament

11%

Dark and sweet with a discreet hint of ginger.

Moniack Moniack Mead

14.6%

Dark, rich, peaty mead made with water from the Scottish highlands.

Lurgashall Dry Mead

15%

Rich honey and caramel aroma with a touch of citrus.

Refreshingly dry and crisp.

Spiced Mead

13%

Medium sweet with a spicy taste.

Whisky Mead

20%

Fortified with Scotch whisky.

St Aidan’s Winery Lindisfarne Mead 14.5% Light coloured honey mead with a clean, light, floral honey flavour.

THE

X

Y

X

ELM TREE

Orchard Street, Cambridge CB1 1JT Y 01223 503632

Our relaxed backstreet pub is decorated with brewery memorabilia and quirky bric-a-brac and has seating outside to catch the May sunshine.

Come and enjoy a beer from one of our 10 hand pumps dispensing changing ales from a myriad of breweries.

A cider or perry is also served, and to complement these we have a menu of over 150 bottled Belgian beers

We look forward to serving you.

8

ASL W S HI

K

N ROM TTIVAL I MF S FE

42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 59

Castle St, Cambridge CB3 0AJ

May not be the best pub in the world, but it’s in the top two.

Opening Times Monday to Sunday 11.30am - 11pm

The Son Of Sid Brewpub Bob and Wendy Mitchell invite you to try their unique unspoilt village local with its own special atmosphere.

Family run for the past 64 years.

71 Main Road, Little Gransden SG19 3DW Tel: 01767 677348 www.sonofsid.co.uk 60 42nd Cambridge Beer Festival

42nd Cambridge Beer Festival 61