21^st Annual Ale & Steam Weekend

June 16^th to 18^th 2023

North Cotswold Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale

A Great Weekend Once Again!

Blessed with fine weather, the increasingly popular Ale and Steam Weekend held this year, slightly later than last year, was a great success with all beer and cider at Winchcombe selling out by 1700hrs on Saturday including reserves. The reserves at Toddington were also tapped with 2 new casks from North Cotswold Brewery available for the Sunday. Seen right, Merchant Navy Class, 35006 Peninsular & Oriental S.N. Co., brings into Winchcombe some thirsty customers.		xx
		Held over three days, the Toddington bar had additional beer compared to last year, with 17 beers and 2 reserves plus 5 ciders. The left photo shows ciders and the two reserved beers, right photo the initially tapped beers.
The initially tapped 26 beers at Winchcombe, seen right. They also had 3 reserves and 8 ciders. The beer theme was primarily Wiltshire, Hampshire and Dorset breweries along with a selection of local ales.
		Winchcombe provided the first beer to run out midday on Saturday, Hop Back Citra a 4% Gold from Downton, near Salisbury. Hence Festival Winner. The bar at Toddington hosted the first to empty at about 2.30, namely Moonlight a 3.8% IPA from Hattie Brown’s near Swanage.
Cider of the Festival, served at Toddington, ran out on Saturday, namely Old Stag’s Whiskey Cider a 6% Dabinett apple cider matured in Whiskey oak casks from Fairford. This cider also won last year. The runner up was Priors Tipple Elderflower 7% med dry cider from Stanton served at Winchcombe.
^ Our Festival Director & Bar Manager at Toddington on Sunday^		By Sunday morning 7 beers and one cider remained at Toddington, a quieter day but sufficient customers to finish all stocks by 3-30pm. Most people retained their Festival Glasses sponsored by the Horse and Groom at Upper Oddington and the Mousetrap Inn at Bourton on the Water. Many thanks to them and The Crown and Trumpet at Broadway who sponsored the black staff polo shirts and Token Cards.

^ Some of the bar helpers at Winchcombe (left), and Toddington (right) ^

^ The entrance area at Winchcombe ^		^ The revised layout at Toddington worked very well ^
^ Some of our Customers at Winchcombe ^		^ Some of our Customers at Toddington ^
Many thanks go to Steve Merrett and his son Roger for their help with the brewery & beer selections and to Cider Coordinator James Fry for his selection of "quality" local ciders. Also Martyn Jackson, for compiling the festival beer & cider lists, Rob Brady & The Good Beer Co, who provided the National range of beer plus the racking & Mudway Workmen for providing the Marquees, tables, and chairs. These companies support all our festivals, so many thanks to them. The Railway were delighted with the extra rail travellers and reported heavy train travel over the Weekend. Between 900 & 1000 people attended the festival, a new record exceeding our budgeted 900. More good news as our Membership Secretary Garry Hayward recruited 4 new members for CAMRA. Most of all, many thanks to our customers who turned up to drink us dry & especially our army of volunteer helpers without whom the event could not even take place.