Yes, it's the annual Cambridge Beer Festival again. Time passes by fast, I still remember going to the previous one
But this year, we went to the Beer Fest twice, once on Tuesday (thinking that it will be the only sunny day this week, so better grab the change) and again on Friday (extremely nice weather and it's Friday).
Entrance fee is £2.50 per person and you can bring your own glass, if not, you can buy the glass near the entrance which you will be able to keep as souvenir or return at the end of the night.
With 170+ real ales and 60+ foreign beers, ciders, perries, English wines and mead to choose from, what did we had?? Below are the list of ales we tried, the description from the booklet and our verdict.
1. Greene King - Ale Fresco
Seasonal beer. Golden in colour and hop notes throughout then a lingering fresh finish
Our verdict : I love this drink, it's refreshing and not bitter.
2. Darwin's Downfall
Ruby gold in colour, hoppy, fruity and bitter-sweet in the taste, citrus notes in the aftertaste
3. Olympia
Pale, powerfully hoppy strong bitter with citrus fruit notes and a most refreshing finish.
4. White Dwarf
Full bodied wheat beer, with citrus notes. The finish is mainly dry but has some sweetness.
5. Adnam's - Broadside
Well-balanced premium ale, with a beguiling mix offlavorss and a good blend of malt and hops. Long sustained finish.
Our verdict : This had always been one of Sam's favorite drink.
6. Cambridge Buffet Express
A hoppy fruit beer with some sweetness in the taste and finish.
Our verdict - Too diluted.
7. Crouch Vale - Brewers Gold
Champion Beer of Britain 2005. Honey-toned golden ale with sharp citrus fruit notes throughout.
8. Front Street - Norfolk Spring
A special beer brewed for this time of year using green tea as one of its ingredients.
9. Fox - Beagle
Amber beer made with black cherries and four different hops. Floral aroma leads to a bitter taste, the finish is dry and lingering.
Out verdict - Good
10. Old Stables - Palomino Pale Ale
Subtle hoppy notes with underlying malt flavour make this an easy drinking refreshing beer.
11. Straw Dogs
Pale wheat beer with banana notes in the taste and finish. Interesting combination of flavours kick in when drinking this beer.
12. Bateman's Valiant
Golden beer, clean, dry and refreshingly zesty. Good balance of hop and malt.
13. Porter
Malty with some chocolate roast notes. Subtle dry malt finish.
14. 1648 Brewery - Bee Head
Light gold in colour, produced using local East Sussex Northdown hops and honey from a nearby farm.
15. Chiltern - Three Hundred Old Ale
Strong old ale, with crystal malt and roast character plus hints of liquorice. Deceptively strong.
Out verdict - Good. Sam love it.
16. Grand Union - Honey Porter
Black beer with chocolate and fruit notes in the aroma plus fruit and some caramel notes in the sweet taste and finish.
17. Hogs Back - Summer Capers
Dark brown in colour, fruity and hoppy with malt notes throughout and a bitter-sweet finish.
Our verdict - SHIT!!!
18. Malvern Hills - Priessnitz Pizen
A British-styled lager beer, brewed using lagering hops. Fairly sweet to the taste with delicate hop notes throughout.
