Newbury Beer Festival 2015 Options

[Andy Capp]

I see the Newbury Beer Festival as one of the success stories for Newbury. It certainly has grown in popularity year on year.

However, I have stopped going: it is both too big and too noisy for me. While they have a large selection of drinks and usually well kept, they tend to run out of the stronger ones rather too quickly, but that is only to be expected if they are popular.

The biggest off-putter is the entertainment. The last time I went it seemed to be more a hard rock/pop festival than a beer festival.

If though, you share a similar interest in the beer, but don't wish to expose yourself to the rigours of a day out (possibly in the rain), I see there is a beer trail this year! And if you do like the riff-raff of the festival, you can earn discounts for the event too.

Beer lovers hit the Ale Trail Route features: 12 pubs in Newbury and Thatcham ahead of Real Ale Festival
http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/home/15...-Ale-Trail.html

[je suis Charlie]

I see the Newbury Beer Festival as one of the success stories for Newbury. It certainly has grown in popularity year on year.

However, I have stopped going: it is both too big and too noisy for me. While they have a large selection of drinks and usually well kept, they tend to run out of the stronger ones rather too quickly, but that is only to be expected if they are popular.

The biggest off-putter is the entertainment. The last time I went it seemed to be more a hard rock/pop festival than a beer festival.

If though, you share a similar interest in the beer, but don't wish to expose yourself to the rigours of a day out (possibly in the rain), I see there is a beer trail this year! And if you do like the riff-raff of the festival, you can earn discounts for the event too.

Beer lovers hit the Ale Trail Route features: 12 pubs in Newbury and Thatcham ahead of Real Ale Festival
http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/home/15...-Ale-Trail.html

Hilariously, they have the Angel! Last time I went in all they had was some bottled fizz! When I enquired about what was in the handpumps I was told "no, sorry, we no do ales". I didn't stay.

[blackdog]

Hilariously, they have the Angel! Last time I went in all they had was some bottled fizz! When I enquired about what was in the handpumps I was told "no, sorry, we no do ales". I didn't stay.

It's a beer festival, not an ale festival. A bottle of fizz is can still be beer.

[je suis Charlie]

It's a beer festival, not an ale festival. A bottle of fizz is can still be beer.

It's called the ale trail numpty, wake up!

[blackdog]

It's called the ale trail numpty, wake up!

Then again real ale is unhopped - no-one has made real ale for well over 100 years. CAMRA has a lot to answer for!

[On the edge]

Then again real ale is unhopped - no-one has made real ale for well over 100 years. CAMRA has a lot to answer for!

Yes, it certainly does; I've never quite understood the fetish for real ale. They generally taste very similar and all leave an unpleasant after taste. Oh where are the real bottled beers, regional brown and light ales? And indeed, what was so wrong with Watney's Red Barrel? We've all been suckered by a few bearded trendies and a sophisticated long term marketing campaign by big business.

[Andy Capp]

Yes, it certainly does; I've never quite understood the fetish for real ale. They generally taste very similar and all leave an unpleasant after taste. Oh where are the real bottled beers, regional brown and light ales? And indeed, what was so wrong with Watney's Red Barrel? We've all been suckered by a few bearded trendies and a sophisticated long term marketing campaign by big business.

I think you have answered your own question.

[GrumblingAgain]

They generally taste very similar and all leave an unpleasant after taste.

Oh how totally wrong you are. Why not go to a beer festival or visit a pub that regularly has differing beers on tap and actually try them?

Oh where are the real bottled beers, regional brown and light ales?

Presumably you have noticed the new beer shop in Newbury that has been publicised in the local paper - you know, where it has, err, lots of bottled beers, local and from afar.

And indeed, what was so wrong with Watney's Red Barrel?

Everything. Watney's Red Barrel and the other keg beers of the 1970s are the reason why you think beers generally taste the same and all leave an unpleasant after taste.

We've all been suckered by a few bearded trendies and a sophisticated long term marketing campaign by big business.

Err, no, YOU may have, we haven't.

[Turin Machine]

Yes, it certainly does; I've never quite understood the fetish for real ale. They generally taste very similar and all leave an unpleasant after taste. Oh where are the real bottled beers, regional brown and light ales? And indeed, what was so wrong with Watney's Red Barrel? We've all been suckered by a few bearded trendies and a sophisticated long term marketing campaign by big business.

Ah yes, those halcyon days of Watneys red barrel, Tartan Bitter, Double Diamond and Courage Tavern. Great beers that ushered in that technical marvel, the Party Severn! Who can ever forget the aftermath of many a party, trying to persuade some poor soul to take it away with them because even when plastered no one was ever drunk enough to try to drink that sweet nectar!

Top pressure beer had all the nutrients needed to sustain life (at the molecular level) and saw us through the dark and dank days of those tumultuous days of the 60's and 70's when men were real men and women knew their place! Yup, real ale, nothing but a pale simulcrum of the real thing, acon, a sham, good for nothing but drowning slugs in the veg patch.

Come on England! Rise up and demand better! "What do we want? " "Red Barrel?". " When do we want it?" "Err?"

[Andy Capp]

Ah yes, those halcyon days of Watneys red barrel, Tartan Bitter, Double Diamond and Courage Tavern. Great beers that ushered in that technical marvel, the Party Severn! Who can ever forget the aftermath of many a party, trying to persuade some poor soul to take it away with them because even when plastered no one was ever drunk enough to try to drink that sweet nectar!

Top pressure beer had all the nutrients needed to sustain life (at the molecular level) and saw us through the dark and dank days of those tumultuous days of the 60's and 70's when men were real men and women knew their place! Yup, real ale, nothing but a pale simulcrum of the real thing, acon, a sham, good for nothing but drowning slugs in the veg patch.

Come on England! Rise up and demand better! "What do we want? " "Red Barrel?". " When do we want it?" "Err?"

[On the edge]

Ah yes, those halcyon days of Watneys red barrel, Tartan Bitter, DoublNe Diamond and Courage Tavern. Great beers that ushered in that technical marvel, the Party Severn! Who can ever forget the aftermath of many a party, trying to persuade some poor soul to take it away with them because even when plastered no one was ever drunk enough to try to drink that sweet nectar!

Top pressure beer had all the nutrients needed to sustain life (at the molecular level) and saw us through the dark and dank days of those tumultuous days of the 60's and 70's when men were real men and women knew their place! Yup, real ale, nothing but a pale simulcrum of the real thing, acon, a sham, good for nothing but drowning slugs in the veg patch.

Come on England! Rise up and demand better! "What do we want? " "Red Barrel?". " When do we want it?" "Err?"

Ahh yes, the intelligence of youth! Finish off what's a good evening munching a stick containing mechanically recovered animal, having swilled down half a gallon of fizzy liquor produced in some continental factory. And yet the marketing minds amongst us still swear we want un pasteurised warm horse piss! Yep, you couldn't make it up.

[On the edge]

Oh how totally wrong you are. Why not go to a beer festival or visit a pub that regularly has differing beers on tap and actually try them?


Presumably you have noticed the new beer shop in Newbury that has been publicised in the local paper - you know, where it has, err, lots of bottled beers, local and from afar.


Everything. Watney's Red Barrel and the other keg beers of the 1970s are the reason why you think beers generally taste the same and all leave an unpleasant after taste.


Err, no, YOU may have, we haven't.

I can have dozens of brown bottles and dozens of pretty labels and dozens of witty names....but if the stuff inside still tastes the same; it really doesn't matter where it comes from.

Yeah, I've been to the 'Beer Festival', twice as if happens, sorry not impressed! Standing in a muddy field, having my ears blasted out, whilst drinking something tastes as if it ought to be on a dusty shelf in my garage isn't really my idea of fun.

[GMR]

I can have dozens of brown bottles and dozens of pretty labels and dozens of witty names....but if the stuff inside still tastes the same; it really doesn't matter where it comes from. Yeah, I've been to the 'Beer Festival', twice as if happens, sorry not impressed! Standing in a muddy field, having my ears blasted out, whilst drinking something tastes as if it ought to be on a dusty shelf in my garage isn't really my idea of fun.

Even if it tasted good, you want to taste if in comfort and not in some soggy field.

[Nothing Much]

Well in a good few decades I have drunk a couple of swimming pools of brownish beer.
Fullers ESB still stands top of the pole.
Going round the Chiswick route onto the M4 was always fine.
Wandsworth brewery stunk.
Just a slight observation..