We were well represented on the Wednesday evening, some members working, some just enjoying the beers. Six of our number were entrusted with helping to choose the Harry Cragg Beer of the Festival.
We arrived in time to have a choice of 'table'. There were about 10 tables, each with space for 7 tasters. Each table tasted a specific type of beer, we choose one of the two 'Best Bitter' tables. For most of us this was our first attempt at an official tasting although we all have many years of unofficial practice!

We had seven beers to try and score for Appearance, Aroma, Taste & After Taste. Personally I was a bit disappointed with the beers, I don't think I would have had a second pint of any of them! Not that there was anything wrong with them, just not to my taste. Our score sheets were collected and one taster from each table was allowed to move to the top table where the final choice was made, Norman was our representative.

Finally, at about 10 o'clock, the result was announced. Grainstore Ten Fifty was chosen as the Harry Cragg Beer of the Festival. Personally, I was disappointed that we did not find out the identity of the seven beers we tasted, although we had to leave at 10:15 to catch the last bus home.

Despite the disappointments, it was an enjoyable evening, one I would be happy to repeat another year.
Alan Cooke

'Our' table	Norman & Phil get serious		The beer runs out for Norman

The long bar on Wednesday evening		Cider barrels	Photos by Chris Davies

Twelve members took advantage of the free minibus to arrive at the festival ready to start serving at 7 o'clock. It was already fairly busy and soon appeared to reach capacity, so that by 8 o'clock we were working flat out & some of the more popular beers were already starting to run out. The crowd thinned out a bit for the last hour, allowing us to get our breath back a bit and to sample a few beers ourselves. Finally, after time was called, we had the chance to sit down, have another beer & enjoy an excellent curry. The bus left for home at about 11:45.

Our thanks to Martin Mellor for driving and enduring all the 'advice' he was given whilst doing so!

The crowded hall		Under pressure!		At last, a pint to savour!

	Dave looks happy!		Mannequins model the leisurewear range!!
				Photos by Chris Davies

Congratulations to Leicester for another excellent festival & especially to Andy Sales for the selection & quality of beers. I gather the search is on for a larger venue for next year, but I hope that doesn't mean we lose the curries!
Alan Cooke

LEICESTER BEER FESTIVAL 2007

A report from Andy Sales, Beer & Brewery Coordinator

A complete success again!

The Annual 4 day Leicester Beer Festival started off on Wednesday 14^th March 2007 at 5pm at The Charotar Patidar Samaj, the same venue that has been so successful for the previous 6 years.

The festival this year featured 80 different breweries and 194 different beers amounting to a colossal 18040 pints along with 30 Perry and Ciders.

Beers were sourced from all of the Leicestershire & Rutland breweries along with some of the newest and smallest micro- breweries from our neighbouring counties. Nutbrook Brewery from West Hallam made its first ever beer festival appearance. The range was enhanced with other popular beers and some very rare Welsh beers.

The “Beer of the Festival” judging was carried out on the Wednesday night using tasting panels. See results elsewhere.

Another record-breaking attendance saw 4265 people attend during the duration of the festival (12% up on last year) and beer consumption was up by similar numbers. Friday was again the busiest day with some people having to wait a short while outside due to our hall capacity being reached.

Some people took advantage of our beer festival shuttle bus from the railway station using preserved bus No 16 that also featured on our festival glass. The glass was so popular we had sold all 2000 by Saturday afternoon.

With an increased beer order again on last year, we opened on Saturday with 134 beer choices so that we would not run out. Indeed, we closed with 36 beers left on to maintain choice right to the end.

Everards again had their brewery bar at the festival and launched their new beer ‘Sly Fox’. This was so popular that all 4 casks had been sold by Friday lunchtime!

Also launched was Steamin Billy – Billy’s Last Bark named after the famous Jack Russell at the Cow & Plough, Oadby who died recently. Again this was so popular it had sold out by Friday night but it can be found on sale at the pub.

The improved authentic Indian curries were a real success and our traditional English food counter manned by CAMRA volunteers was busy as always.

Once again we collected for LOROS by means of collection buckets and Tombola. The total exceeded £1270 - Thank You.

We would like to thank everyone who attended for making the event so successful.

We would also like to thank our main sponsor Everards and all of our advertisers and brewers of festival specials. Also BBC Radio Leicester for their coverage of the event. Also our main two beer agency suppliers: Buntingford Brewery and Beer My Guest for supplying some fantastic beers.

The festival committee would like to thank all the volunteers who worked throughout the event and made it another complete success including the Hinckley & Bosworth sub branch members. Thanks also to the Red Cross who provided first aid cover for the festival.