Many thanks to everyone who took part in this year’s Beer Festival Programme Competition – a staggering 70 entries, of which 14 managed to get all 55 correct. It was great to see so many people poring over their programmes at the festival, loads of head scratching, and the occasional friendly argument over the answers. Dave tells us he even had offers of bribery for the right answers from some customers – to which he assures us he didn’t succumb!

The winners were drawn at our June branch meeting, held at the Mersea Island Brewery. First prize, a year’s CAMRA membership and a festival t-shirt goes to Pauline Pratley of West Mersea. All entries went into a second draw, and a case of Pitfield Ales goes to Jason Milner of Colchester.

Just in case anyone’s interested, the one which foxed most people was 3 V of the G B in S. And whilst our preferred answer to 12 D of C is printed below, we also accepted 12 Disciples of Christ as correct – seems only fair for a festival held in a deconsecrated church!

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1 Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
2 Heads are Better Than One
2 Little Boys by Rolf Harris (1969)
2 Turtle Doves (and a Partridge in a Pear Tree)
2 Quavers in a Crotchet
3 Value of the Green Ball in Snooker
3 Musketeers by Alexander Dumas
3.9 is brewed by Nethergate
4 Aces in a Pack of Cards
4 Inches in a Hand
5 Rings on the Olympic Flag
6 Feet in a Fathom
6 Wives of Henry the Eighth
7 Brides for 7 Brothers
7 Seas of Rhye by Queen (1974)
7 Wonders of the Ancient World
8 Pints in a Gallon
10 Green Bottles Hanging on the Wall
12 Dozen in a Gross
12 Days of Christmas
12 Labours of Hercules
12 Signs of the Zodiac
14 Pounds in a Stone
14 Days in a Fortnight
15 Men on a Dead Mans’ Chest
15 Players in a Rugby Union Team
15 Red Balls on a Snooker Table
18 Holes on a Golf Course
20 Hundredweight in a Ton
20/20 Vision
26 Letters of the Alphabet
27 Cubic Feet in a Cubic Yard
29 Days in February in a Leap Year
44 Special is brewed by Blackawton
50 Points for a Bullseye in Darts
50 Ways to Leave Your Lover by Paul Simon (1976)
57 Heinz Varieties
60 Minutes in an Hour
64 Squares on a Chess Board
72 Pints in a Firkin
88 Two Fat Ladies in Bingo
90 Degrees in a Right Angle
100 Years in a Century
147 Maximum Break in Snooker
200 Pounds for Passing Go in Monopoly
366 Days in a Leap Year
1440 Minutes in a Day
1648 Brewery is based in East Sussex
1760 Yards in a Mile
1905 Centenary Ale is brewed by Rhymney
1996 the Mighty Oak Brewing Company was formed
2003 England won the Rugby World Cup
54321 by Manfred Mann (1964)
63360 Inches in a Mile
01727 867670 is the Fax Number of the Campaign for Real Ale