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Hinckley & Bosworth Branch |
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Reading & Long Itchington Beer Festivals 3rd May 2008 Saturday morning and by 9.45 we had joined with the Leicester branch from our usual pick up point on the A5 - six of us and quite a few of them (still only recognizing some at the last call of the day). Our first venue: Reading 14th CAMRA Beer and Cider Festival By 10.45 we had joined the queue to get into the two huge marquees. With around 450 beers on offer we were not expecting to be disappointed. After a short delay (health and safety you know!) we filtered in although the queue lasted all day. I decided to concentrate my efforts on new or local breweries, and managed to get as far as "B" before sampling my first ale of the festival. Bays from Paignton, and I had the last of their best bitter - very good it was too and paved the way for a most enjoyable session which included: Celt Experience from Caerphilly, Irving from Portsmouth, Loddon from Dunsden Green, West Berkshire (festival b.o.t.f. winner) from Yattendon, Zerodegrees from Reading and Heart of Wales from Llanwrtyd Wells. A group of us had decided to also investigate the pubs in town, so at about 3.00 set off. Following the What's Brewing City crawl (May 2008) we tried the Blagrave Arms (not open until 6.00), the Three Guineas (decided not to go in - see photo!), the Butler ( Fullers but most tried the Butcombe) and last but by no means least the Nags Head in Russel street (which came well recommended) - Time to head back for the bus for part 2 of what later became called "the dawn to dusk trip".
1st Long Itchington Beer Festival Firstly for a village of this size to have 6 pubs is in itself pretty remarkable, but to all join together for a beer festival is even more so. It could have been the quirky British weather or the uncertainty of success but on early Saturday evening beer supplies appeared to be running low and quite a few of the expected ones (about 80 different beers) had been drunk - I suppose visits from 6 or so CAMRA branches had something to do with it! Again thanks to all involved in each of the events and those who joined us.
Words & Photos by Chris Davies
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