The Great British Beer Festival is something I’ve seen advertised but never managed to get to – we’ve usually been on holiday. However, it coincided with a trip to London this year and although I hadn’t planned on going, a few friends were meeting up for an ale so it seemed a fun destination.
Beers (in order of imbibement, breweries in brackets):
- Lees Bitter (Lees Brewery, Manchester)
- St Lawrence Ale (Yates, Cumbria)
- I Can’t Believe It’s Not Bitter (Oakleaf)
- Lakeland Gold (Hawkshead)
- Shugborough Farmer’s Half (Titanic)
- Cat’s Whiskers (Whittington)
- Summer Ale (Arkell’s)
- O-Garden (Otley, Glamorgan)
I think out of that lot, my favourite was “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Bitter”, which was one of those I got purely on name for the amusement value 🙂
Meanwhile it was great to finally meet Subhi after about 10 years of talking online, plus we bumped into Matt and his folks! I finally got round to joining CAMRA, and we finished the night off with a Turkish dinner somewhere up Earl’s Court to soak up the remains whereupon I fell asleep in the restaurant (well I had been up since 5:15am…!).
A lovely evening, but I think next time I’ll get to the GBBF a bit earlier – it was hellishly busy with folks who’d got there from work when I arrived at 6:30pm.
August 8, 2008 at 10:53 am
My lot were there from about 1:30. I think it was well after 7 by the time we left. Didn’t see you anywhere. Git.
August 9, 2008 at 4:52 pm
Bah. I was there from about one until about eight. 🙁 Rats! See you next year!