A highlight of the local calendar, Cambridge Beer Festival returns to Jesus Green from 21 to 26 May.
It’s the 45th outing for this CAMRA-organised event, and as always, there’ll be hundreds of great brews to taste your way around, plus cider, perry, wine and mead, and a few nibbles too.
With less than a week to go, festival organisers have confirmed which beers have arrived so far, as opposed to ordered (which just might lead to disappointment). That’s Mintal is a stout that’s heavy mint on the nose but subtle on the tongue, from Peterborough brewery Bexar County, while Bitter Old Bustard is a rich russet ale with warm nutty biscuit flavours from Norfolk brewer Barsham.
Coolship Mango, from Elgood’s in Wisbech, and Hazelnut Mild and Rhubarb & Custard Mild, brewed by Brass Castle in Yorkshire, are more self explanatory, while Cambridge brewer Calverley’s Imperial Porter features liquid cake batter with notes of chocolate and coffee.
There’s also cider, perry, mead and wine to choose from, and among the huge range, there are plenty of vegan and gluten-free beers to taste.
Then of course, it’s a festival tradition to try the cheese on offer, with creamy, crumbly, hard, nutty, mouldy and much more to try. Seriously dedicated fromage fans could venture to sample Stinking Bishop, with its odour of socks and wet towels!
So grab some pals, pick up your specially-designed Beer Fest glass and get stuck in – all we need now is some sunshine!
