Sweeties, Pies and Ginger

I pitched up at the beer festival around half past eleven after picking up a few items in town. This was probably the earliest I’ve been to a Saturday at the beer festival in all the years I’ve gone. Bumped into a n old colleague who was also helping out, which was quite cool, although we were working on different bars so I didn’t have much contact with him.

I started out working behind the bars and since we had quite a lot of staff it was quite relaxed. All too soon it got a bit busy and with staff off on break or off home, things got quite hectic for times. Around quarter past four I was asked to go and work on glasses; the most feared job at the whole festival.

Well, what an education that was, I’d never realised that glasses could be so manic; we were running around like headless chickens. We had no pint glasses, no change and only two of us trying to service hundreds of people coming and going out. It was total pandemonium. I’ve got a whole new respect for Anthea and Les who do the glasses year after year without complaint.

It wasn’t until quarter to six that I managed to escape, I was going to leave at five, but I couldn’t leave the other chap on his own. So I got myself another beer after ditching the Milton Jupiter and found some friends outside on the grass. After a couple of half pints it was off to catch the bus, which I duly missed. A couple of texts later and Karen came out ot pick me up, which was really nice of her; otherwise I’d have had to wait for another hour for the next bus.

So in the order that I drank them, these are the beers I tried:

Branthill Light (4.3%), Fox (Heacham)

Might have been off! Tasted pretty rank, really malty, sickly and a bit cloudy. Ditched after a couple of sips.

???

I had a beer before the Shefford Mild, but I haven’t a clue what it was. Not very good note taking on my part...

Shefford Mild (3.8%), B&T (Shefford)

Lovely and smooth with a lingering malt aftertaste

Palomino Pale Ale (4.2%), Old Stables (Sandy)

Nice and fruity refreshing pale ale. Recommended this to loads of people and they didn’t complain.

Jupiter (3.5%), Milton (Milton)

Ditched it as I was too dehydrated and it was too sickly and malty to the taste. Only ditched so I could get a couple of pints of water down my neck before having a lighter beer, not a reflection on the quality of the ale.

Beacon (3.8%), Everards (Narborough)

Nice and light, refreshing with slight malt overtones

Blue Bell Bitter (3.6%), Plassey (Eyton)

Nice and refreshing even with the dry finish

All in all it seemed to be a successful festival and I’m pleased I managed to work more sessions than I have done for the past few years. Beer festivals are such an important tool in educating people about good beer, so they deserve all the support we can give them.