I went to the Aylesbury Beer Festival in Stoke Mandeville at the weekend and partook of some lovely beer. There were 28 barrels (see photo) to try.
Unsurprisingly the best beers (IMHO) were the ones that ran out first. St.Austell ‘Bucket of Blood’ was the first to go — this was a sweet, dark bitter. Not far behind was Tring ‘Phantom Monk’ — a very pale, light beer that I enjoyed a lot. One of the more unusual beers was Greenjack ‘Orange Wheat’ — a wheat beer that thankfully was bronish rather than actually orange (as is the colour of Cheddar Valley real cider that looks like radioactive nuclear waste that has been vomited up and is very popular with real cider lovers). There were a few reliable standbys — Woodforde’s ‘Wherry’ and two from reliable breweries Bath Ales ‘Barnstormer’ and Loddon ‘Russet’. Vale had a couple of beers — their ‘Something Wicked’ was based on ‘Gravitas’, which is their very drinkable strong, pale coloured ale. Harviestoun ‘s real lager ‘Schiehallion’ kept its condition well right to the end. Of the stronger beers Derventio’s ‘Barbarian Stout’ was good, as was the hard-to-find Chiltern ‘Lord Lieutenant’s Porter’ which was sponsored in memory of Dick Moore, who was a stalwart of the festival in previous years and who died a few weeks ago.
I’ll go with ‘Buckets of Blood’ plus the ‘red label’ ones especially Chiltern Porter and Barbarian Stout. Also Rudgate Ruby Mild and Bath Ales Barnstormer. One flat beer, Leyden? but otherwise fine beer. Mother and I have some of the Perry at home, pleasant but that was it, not very demanding at all!
I’m drinking my Harviestoun Schiehallion carry out tonight in between going to the pub quiz (which we won). It’s still retaining a fair amount of condition within the beer although it looks fairly flat. Four pints of Lord Lieutenant’s Porter to finish off.