Eastbourne Beer Festival

It comes round once a year in October and this was my fifth year of attendance. Eastbourne is renowned to be something of a sun-trap and this year was no exception, although the skies did 'open up' for a while as I left the station for the 20 minute walk to the venue at the Winter Gardens. But the skies soon cleared and we were bathed in sunshine for most of the remains of the day.

The Harvey's brewery horse drawn dray was parked outside.

My brother joined me once again for one of the year's really pleasant interludes: sampling from a huge selection of real ales, ciders and perry, enjoying typical pub grub and some splendid entertainment from the Long Man Morris Dancers and The Wakin' Snakes - a very talented band playing blue-grass and folk music.

Long Man

Wakin' Snakes

The entry ticket entitles you to a free Festival glass - well, it would be difficult without one! For the record the following is the list of the beers I tried (only a half-pint each!):

Cromarty Brewery Kowabunga 4.6% ABV

Hook Norton Oxfordshire Brewery Old Hooky 4.6% ABV

Purity Warwickshire Brewery Mad Goose 4.2% ABV

Rudgate York Brewery Battleaxe 4.2% ABV

Phoenix Manchester Brewery Wobbly Bob 6.0% (my favourite, an amber beer with a malty, fruity aroma)

Rectory Hassocks Sussex Brewery Rector's Revenge 5.0% ABV (and which some wag had renamed Rectum's Revenge!)

Thornbridge Derbyshire Brewery Jaipur IPA 5.9% ABV

My brother enjoyed himself; we always have a great laugh when we get together.

And he took a candid shot of me perusing the Tasting Notes.

All in all, it was a most enjoyable day....

The Chailey Beer Festival

It was sunny when we left Brighton. We crossed the South Downs into cloud cover and arrived at our friends' house to be met with a blustery wind and a sprinkling of rain. It did not bode well. Graeme's wife, Anne, drove Graeme, Graham and me to the Beer Festival location - a large open sport field in North Chailey. We surrendered our tickets, received a wrist band to exit and enter again (wishful thinking on the part of the organisers) and looked around this very large open space. Four portaloos, a bouncy castle (at a beer festival?!), two stages for the bands appearing, a hog-roast, a burger bar and one beer tent, open on all sides... There must have been around fifty stalwart people on this large sport-field!

We made our way to the beer tent expecting a large selection of real ales. There were five... We ordered three pints of Harveys Best Bitter (4.0%) brewed by Harveys in Lewes and sat at one of the few tables on offer.

Graham and Graeme

Yours truly

We sat and listened to Lady M & the Mr Men pumping out rock arias at high volume. Strewth! Time to move on to three pints of St Austell Tribute (4.2%) brought all the way from Cornwall and returned to our seats in time for John McDevitt, a particularly talented folk/rock singer accompanying himself on guitar and harmonica. Much better.

The next pint was Long Man Golden Tipple (5.0%) from a brewery in Littlington, East Sussex - so certainly 'local'. I sat and contemplated the new Brasher boots - at least they kept my feet warm, apart from the rest of me that was slowly icing up in the cold weather!

Brasher boots - comfy and warm...

The next band, Newick Folk, came on at 5:00pm (dull as ditchwater!) and helped us to make the decision to make a hurried departure and retire across the road to The Kings Head public house.  The pub was warm and welcoming. We ordered our food and had a thoroughly enjoyable meal accompanied by further 'refreshments'.

At 7:00pm a quick 'phone call to Anne secured our transport back home to the warmth of 'Swan Cottage' and some Saturday night TV.

The Festival was disappointing, which had much to do with the inclement weather. I expect that the organisers had much to regret. A shame.