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18^th Annual Ale & Steam Weekend June 21^st to 23^rd2019

North Cotswold Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale

Records are Shattered Once Again!

Blessed with fine weather, the increasingly popular Ale and Steam Weekend held on 21^st to 23^rd June was a massive success with all beer and cider selling out by close of play on Sunday at 4 pm. The event was held over three days, with Toddington bar open on the Friday for the first time. Winchcombe Station with 30 beers and 14 at Toddington Station with 14 ciders split 9 - 5 between the two bars. The Friday provided an opportunity to try all the range of beers and cider before the busier Saturday.		xx
^ Ready with the Beers in the Winchcombe New Building ^		^ Some of the Toddington 14 Beers, in the Waiting Room, as usual ^
^ Customers bask in the sun at Winchcombe ^		^ Customers in Toddington boarding an early train to Winchcombe, in the sun ^
Winchcombe provided the first beer to run out and therefore Festival Winner at 2-20 pm on Saturday, Cotswold Lion’s Woolpack at 4% apv. This is a brewed at Cobberley, a light golden Summer Ale. It also won last year at the Spring Ale and Steam.		The bar at Toddington provided several past festival winning beers from previous years. They followed up 10 minutes later with their first beer to run out: Arbor Shangri-La at 4.2% apv, a light fruity beer brewed in Bristol. Winner of the 2018 Summer Ale and Steam.
Cider of the Festival, running out at 2-40 pm on Saturday, was Hecks Kingston Black at 6.5% apv. A medium cider from Devon produced from the famous Kingston Black apple. At 2-50 pm Priors Tipple Elderflower at 6.5% ran out first at Toddington, a local cider from Stanton and previous multiple winner.
^ Winchcombe Bar on Sunday ^		By Sunday morning, 7 beers and one cider remained running at Toddington and 7 beers and three replacement ciders at Winchcombe. A quieter day than the very busy Saturday, but sufficient customers to finish all stocks by 4pm including staff take outs. Most people retained their Festival Glasses sponsored by the Inn at Fossebridge. Many thanks to them and The Crown and Trumpet at Broadway, who sponsored the green staff polo shirts.
Congratulations to Festival Director Alan Mclellan, and Festival Coordinator Martyn Herbert for his beer selection and to Cider Coordinator James Fry for his selection of "quality" local ciders and Perry. Rob Brady, Good Beer Co, who provided the National range of beers and past winners plus all the racking. Mudway Workman provided both Marquees, tables and chairs. These companies provide reliable and quality services to support all our festivals, so many thanks to them. Photo right shows some of the helpers at Winchcombe, with Martyn Herbert second from left, and Garry Hayward is in the black shirt. >>
		<< Some of the bar helpers at Toddington, shown left.
The Railway were delighted with the extra rail travellers and felt it had been a huge success and reported a new record train travel over the Weekend. Membership Secretary Garry Hayward recruited 8 new members for CAMRA.
^^ Foremarke Hall, just returned to Toddington from loan elsewhere ^^		Most of all, many thanks to our customers who turned up to drink us dry. Look forward to seeing you all at the 12^th Moreton Festival on 13^th and 14^th September 2019. Next year there will be the 19^th Annual Ale and Steam on 19^th to 21^st of June 2020, plus 13^th Moreton in September.

Report by: Roger Price, Branch Chairman, with photos supplied by Roger & Peter Rowe