Tuesday 29th May - Saturday 2nd June, 2007
Welcome to the 22nd Colchester Real Ale & Cider Festival.
Please bear a thought for our staff. This festival is organised and run on an entirely voluntary basis by branch members.
No-one is being paid, and every member of staff is giving up their time to help out.
Why not join CAMRA at the products & membership stand, and play a part in future festivals, branch meetings, brewery visits and socials?
CAMRA promotes responsible drinking
Soft drinks are free to drivers
PLEASE DO NOT DRINK & DRIVE
Beers
Provisional Beer List as of 20th May 2007, and subject to change. Download pdf version here
| Brewery | Beer | ABV |
| Arundel | Footslogger | 4.4 |
| Bartrams | The Cat's Whiskers | 4 |
| Bartrams | Imperialist Soviet Stout | 6.9 |
| Beartown | Bearskinful | 4.2 |
| Beartown | Polar Eclipse | 4.8 |
| Beartown | Pandamonium | 5 |
| Blackawton | Golden Hind | 4 |
| Blackawton | Peninsula Ale | 4.6 |
| Brandon | Wee Drop of Mischief | 4.2 |
| Brandon | Saxon Gold | 4 |
| Brandon | Rusty Bucket | 4.4 |
| Brandon | Royal Ginger | 4.1 |
| Branscombe | Summa That | 5 |
| Brentwood | Heavenly Body | 4.3 |
| Buffys | Norwich Terrier | 3.6 |
| Burton Bridge | Thomas Sykes Old Ale | 10 |
| Burton Bridge | Burton Porter | 4.5 |
| Cotleigh | Buzzard | 4.8 |
| Cotleigh | Harrier Lite | 3.5 |
| Cotleigh | Kookaburra | 4.4 |
| Crouch Vale | Amarillo | 5 |
| Crouch Vale | Golden Duck | 3.8 |
| Crouch Vale | Brewers Gold | 4 |
| Dark Star | Old Ale | 4 |
| Dark Star | Summer Solstice | 4.2 |
| Dark Star | Mild for May | 3.6 |
| Downton | Chimera Quad Hop | 3.9 |
| Earl Soham | Albert Ale | 4.4 |
| Farmers | A Drop of Nelson's Blood | 3.8 |
| Farmers | Golden Boar | 5 |
| Farmers | Pucks Folly | 4.2 |
| Fat Cat | Honey Ale | 4.3 |
| Fat Cat | Marmalade | 5.5 |
| Fat Cat | Meow Mild | 4.3 |
| Felstar | Wheat | 4.8 |
| Felstar | Rayne Forest Mild | 4 |
| Green Jack | Orange Wheat | 4.2 |
| Green Jack | Ripper | 8.5 |
| Hampshire | Mayhem | 4.1 |
| Hampshire | 1066 | 6 |
| Hampshire | Merlin's Magic | 5 |
| Hoggleys | Mill Lane Mild | 4 |
| Hopback | Summer Lightning | 5 |
| Iceni | Red White & Blueberry | 4 |
| Iceni | Honey Stout | 4.3 |
| Mauldons | Moletrap | 3.8 |
| Mauldons | Micawbers Mild | 3.5 |
| Mauldons | May Bee | 3.9 |
| Mauldons | Black Adder | 5.3 |
| Mersea Island | Skippers | 4.8 |
| Mersea Island | Yo Boy | 3.8 |
| Mersea Island | Monkeys | 5.1 |
| Mersea Island | ? | ? |
| Mighty Oak | Oscar Wilde | 3.7 |
| Mighty Oak | Burntwood Bitter | 4 |
| Mighty Oak | Moneypenny | 4.5 |
| Mighty Oak | Honey Rider | 3.8 |
| Mighty Oak | Maldon Gold | 3.8 |
| Mighty Oak | English Oak | 4.8 |
| Moor | Milly's Mild | 3.9 |
| Moor | Somerland Gold | 5 |
| Nethergate | Old Growler | 5 |
| Nethergate | Three Point Nine | 3.9 |
| Nethergate | Azzaskunk | 4.3 |
| Nethergate | Stour Valley Strong | 6.2 |
| Oakham | Mompessons Gold | 5 |
| Oakham | White Dwarf | 4.3 |
| Pitfield | Eco Warrier | 4.5 |
| Pitfield | Red Ale | 4.8 |
| Pitfield | 25th Anniversary Ale | 6 |
| Pitfield | 1850 London Porter | 5 |
| Railway Tavern | Nettle Ale | 4.4 |
| Railway Tavern | Crab & Winkle | 3.7 |
| Ramsgate | Gadds no 3 Pale Ale | 5 |
| Ramsgate | Gadds no 5 Ramsgate Best | 4.4 |
| RCH | Doubleheader | 5.3 |
| Rebellion | Zebedee | 4.7 |
| Saffron | Blonde | 4.3 |
| Saffron | Muntjac | 3.7 |
| Saffron | Henham Honey | 4.5 |
| Saint George's | Sonnet | 4.3 |
| Skinners | Cornish Blonde | 5 |
| Stonehenge | Sign of Spring | 4.6 |
| Tring | Mansion Mild | 3.7 |
| Tring | Shaw Thing | 4.1 |
| Triple FFF | Pressed Rat & Warthog | 3.8 |
| Vale | Wychert Ale | 3.9 |
| White Star | Royal Standard | 4.3 |
| White Star | Dark Destroyer | 4.7 |
| Wolf | Golden Jackal | 3.7 |
| Wolf | Straw Dog | 4.5 |
| Wolf | Lavender Honey | 3.7 |
| Wonky Dog | Sunbeam | 4.8 |
Cider & Perry
Details of the apple and pear juice ... More to follow
| ABV | ||
| Delvin End | Cyclone Cox Dry | 7 |
| Delvin End | Smiling Moose Dry | 7 |
| Pitfield | Longhorn Dry | 5 |
We will be offering a small selection of local English white wine from Mersea Island Vineyard
Mehalah: A dry dry white wine, fresh tasting with a slight acidity.
Lightly Oaked: A full flavour white wine, fermented and matured in oak barrels in the 'New World style'. Easy drinking on any occasion.
Subject to change & availability
Opening Times
Camra Members Preview Evening :TBA
Tuesday 29th May : 6pm - 11pm
Wednesday 30th May - Saturday 2nd June: 12 Noon - 11pm
Entry Fees
Camra members free at all times on production on a valid membership card.
Tuesday 29th May : £2.50
Wednesday 30th May - Saturday 2nd June: £1 until 6.30pm, £2.50 after 6.30pm
A refundable deposit of £2.50 is payable for a festival glass
Why not join Camra at the festival, entry fees will be refunded & you might get some free beer!
Finding Us
The Beer Festival will be held at the Colchester Arts Centre, just off Colchester High Street. The best way to find us is to look for 'Jumbo' the water tower!
For those who don't know, the Arts Centre is a beautiful deconsecrated church situated just off Head Street in the heart of the town centre. Apart from its historic connections (it played a major part in the Siege of Colchester, 1648, allegedly the source of the "Humpty Dumpty" nursery rhyme), it is in my view one of the best beer festival venues in the UK - and I've visited a few!
Food
Food will be available during the festival to supplement the usual nuts, crisps and pork scratchings available from the bars.Details to follow but should include rolls etc during the day and burgers etc of an evening.
Music
Tuesday: Thud and Blunder
Wednesday: Quiet evening, no music
Thursday: Quiet evening, no music
Friday: Quiet evening, no music
Saturday: Ugly Dog Skiffle Combo
An Appeal to all Members
Festivals do not run themselves.
Months of planning and admin are needed, and we rely on volunteers to staff the festival.
If you can help, even for a couple of hours, and especially during the quieter weekday afternoon/early evening sessions, please complete this Staffing Form and return it to Alan Wareham, Membership Secretary, who will be managing the staffing this year.