The 35th Cambridge beer festival began yesterday evening and we walked over in the sun with our new CAMRA membership cards (free entry and no queueing!), grabbed a couple of pint glasses, and a wine glass for a souvenir, and got stuck into 64 pages of beers in the festival programme!
First up I had what proved to be the best beer of the night, Fox’s ‘Heacham Gold‘ described as “straw coloured, refreshingly hoppy bitter. Some caramel in the nose disappears under the dominance of the hops” – and what hops! (Cascade, Phoenix and First Gold according to their website). Louise’s first tipple was a half of Shaws ‘Golden Globe’ which was merely ‘ok’ in the presence of the Heacham Gold.
With over 170 real ales, plus ciders, foreign beers, wines and mead, while drinking one beer you’re planning what to drink next! So into the programme again and back to the bar for a Milton Brewery’s Dionysus, a “straw coloured bitter, powerfully hoppy, with a fine citrus finish” which we both agreed had a slightly musty aftertaste but was nevertheless an enjoyable locally brewed beer.
Next a half of Rockingham Ales ‘Forest Gold‘ (the champion best bitter here in 2001) described as “a hoppy blonde ale with citrus undertones” but which I described as ‘like mushy peas’. I liked it! This prompted a visit to the vegetarian food van for some potato wedges.
Final tasters of the night were Banks & Taylor’s ‘Goldleaf‘ and Buntingford brewery’s ‘Western Musketeer‘. Have enjoyed beers by both these breweries before (B&T are regular beers at the Cambridge Elm Tree, Buntingford brews the fantastic ‘Silent Night‘) and these were again lovely golden hoppy ales (those cascade hops again!)
Returned for two more pints of Heacham Gold, one of which came home as we thought about which beers to drink on day two!
Tags: Cambridge Beer Festival, real ales
