|
The North Cotswold branch of CAMRA
(Campaign for Real Ale) staged the third beer festival at Moreton in Marsh
Cricket Club on the weekend of 24th September. As the previous two years we
were blessed with sunshine, but this year’s event was tempered by a cool
northerly wind, which ensured full use of the heated marquees. Despite this the festival attracted people
from around the country, around 200 of whom camped on site in a variety of
tents, caravans and motor homes.
|
56 Beers ready to
go. Proud Helpers
|
|
Shakespeare Branch
sticking together
|
The larger range of 56 beers,
to ensure supplies for Sunday, was sourced from various parts of the
country as far afield as Scotland,
Kent, Cornwall and Yorkshire. The beer styles included pale ale, bitters,
porters, stouts and speciality beers such as wheat, rye, and a beer brewed
with Japanese hops. The ciders and perry came from
the Herefordshire orchards of Gwatkin Cider.
|
|
The Friday evening attendance
was down on last year, due to the elements, but the regulars were treated to
a great beer selection in superb condition and were entertained by Vinyl
Daze.
|
Winners of
the headgear award
|
|
Smart Tea Shirts
and Customer Service
|
The sun was out for the Saturday lunchtime session and
CAMRA members from near and far turned out in force, some with families, and
they were treated to a set from Irish band the Roving Crows who moved away
from the stage to play in front of the main marquee performing a second set
due to their popularity.
|
|
Late afternoon the beers
started to run out and the first to go was the eventual beer of the festival
(voted for by the customers). The winner was Isle of Avalon Sunrise, brewed
by Avalon at Wessex Brewery in Warminster although Avalon is based in Ashcott in Somerset. The beer was a 5% pale ale and like
many of the others was a new beer to local festivals.
|
Roving Crows in
Action
|
|
Smartest New Member
joins CAMRA
|
James Drinkwater and popular
local band Zool entertained a good crowd through to
closing time with many local Zool supporters
joining later.
|
|
On Sunday lunchtime there was a
closing session, which gave campers a chance to buy
some takeaways from the beer remaining. This proved so popular that the
organisers ran out of containers and some impromptu vessels were used to
carry out the last of the beers. Some of the volunteers had a quiet drink as
they started to dismantle the festival for another year.
|
Not That Birthday
Party again.
|
|
Visitors all the
way from America
|
Voted Best Beers:
1st Isle of
Avalon Sunrise
2nd Uley Pigs Ear
3rd Dark
Star Hophead.
Click here for a full beer list
|
|
|
|
Thanks to all our helpers, to
Moreton Cricket Club for the venue and a welcome to the 18 new CAMRA members
who signed up through the weekend