Beer Festivals

[nopanic - neil]

Been contacted by a guy in America, who runs the Oregon beer festival.

He is due to come to the UK, not sure when, waiting to hear.

But a question he has asked, is there beer festivals in teh UK worth going to, if so when are they? and where?

Any help would be great.

[Steve Pyro]

I went to the Ipswich Beer Festival a couple of weeks ago - a HUGE selection of real ale and cider.  I can't recall much as I had my falling over trousers on.

The big one in London is the CAMRA Great British Beer Festival at Earl's Court in August every year. http://www.camra.org.uk/page.aspx?o=gbbf

CAMRA list all affiliated festivals here - http://www.camra.org.uk/page.aspx?o=events

[Piglet]

Obviously not the UK but Germany has to be the best bet for beer festival visiting. 

[BigH]

Aaaahh, beer....
I do miss the Bier Keller at Le Mans, you just can't beat the combination of strong foreign beer served in 1 litre glasses, an oompah band and totally inadequate toilet facilities. Nowadays of course they'd all be Polish.
I found myself at this one in Belgium a couple of weeks ago:
H

[Andy Zarse]

I miss the Keller at LM too. Just like that man at the fun fair with the snooker ball which you had to hit round a circular thingy to win a prize, it's gone forever. Never again will we emerge heads spinning into the fiece afternoon sun having spent far too long in trying some over-priced yet deliciously ice cold lunchtime "fresheners". I think it's why things like the DfH party and poo bar are important; we have to build our own attractions these days.

PS When you say you "found yourself" do you mean in terms of the conclusion of a personal journey of spiritual self-discovery? Or simply that you woke up smashed and it slowly dawned on you that "there I was"? You appear to have been hovering six feet off the floor like a drunken kestrel (now there's a good old eighties lager) when you took that photo. Is it Antwerp?

[BigH]

I'm afraid my personal journey of self discovery probably runs a bit like the snooker ball in the fair, tracking in ever decreasing circles. The festival was in Brussels, and I'd no idea it was on, but what a bonus! You just can't beat plates of cold and still twitching seafood, the little fellas looking around and wondering where their shells have gone, washed down with some perfectly brewed beer. After two days I had to be dragged screaming from the place.

Talking of Kestrel and nostalgia (didn't the tins used to have page3 girls on them?) I've just heard that Cadburys have moved operations from their Frys factory in Brum to Holland. Remember "Big Fry" and George Lazenby?
Those ad guys really did their homework back then, - chocolate bars you had to carry on your shoulder and tins of weak beer with semi clad women on them. Sometimes I think we've all got just a little too sophisticated....
H

[Steve Pyro]

I'm sure it was Tennants cans that used to have page 3 girls on them.  We had to endure Tennants lager on one on rusty tanker that took 4 months of my wilderness years.

[Steve Pyro]

Here we go, Google is your friend.  The cans were known as 'Lager Lovelies'

http://www.cannyscot.com/

[nopanic - neil]

Found this, more beer and girls.

Did you know that Carole Smillie was a girl on a can once!

[Barry]

Farnham (Surrey) Beer festival is always a good do.

[BigH]

The cans were known as 'Lager Lovelies'

Blimey, look at the hair do's on that lot!
And I'm sure 'Sylvia' used to present Blue Peter when I was a youngster.
Fashion's a fickle mistress alright, - did the Babycham bottles have pictures of hunky men on them, or was it just a donkey that seemed to be on LSD?
H

[Bob U]

I'm sure Heather was a member Sweet.   Ballroom titz

And Erica is really Robert Plant

[wishy]

Barry,

Good choice of beer festival.........this one has been running for 30 years and if I remember correctly it is in April.

They even have live entertainment to sing along to if inebriated enough

Wishy

[IanB]

Neil,
    The Birkenhead beer fest is due very soon and is local

[Barry]

Barry,

Good choice of beer festival.........this one has been running for 30 years and if I remember correctly it is in April.

They even have live entertainment to sing along to if inebriated enough

Wishy

Think it's older than that, Wishy, I'm certain I have a half pint mug from 1977 in the loft, and I think we first went to the 3rd or 4th one.

We did once have a police escort back on the train, cos a guy who was with us was train surfing on the way back, absolute maniac if you know how low those bridges are on the Ascot to Guildford line.