Thursday 22nd - Saturday 24th January, 2009
Welcome to the 1st Colchester Winter Ale 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
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For the second year running, we're delighted to be hosting the Champion Beer of East Anglia Awards.
These will be presented by David Sherman, Chairman of the Selection Panel, from 2.00 - 2.30 pm on Saturday 24th January - come and have a chat to the lovely people responsible for brewing the stuff you're enjoying.
Beers
This is a list of the beers we have ordered for the festival, correct as of 14th January
There is always a chance that some won't turn up, and will be replaced at short notice
Some may not be ready at the beginning of the festival, some will be finished before the last day - sorry!
| BREWERY | Location | Beer | ABV | Style | Description |
| Bartrams | Rougham, Suffolk | Comrade Bill….. | 6.9 | ST | Comrade Bill Bartram's Egalitarian Anti Imperialist Soviet Stout |
| Bartrams | New Years Dayz | 5.2 | O | Old Ale with wild hedgerow hops, slightly smoky | |
| Bartrams | AH64 | 6.4 | SG | Powerful IPA brewed with British and American hops | |
| Bartrams | Marld | 3.4 | M | Traditional dark ruby mild, a festival favourite | |
| Brentwood | Chestnut Stout | 4.0 | ST | Easy drinking stout brewed with local chestnuts | |
| Brentwood | Heavenly Body | 4.3 | GBB | Fruity, floral, blond best bitter | |
| Brentwood | Volcano | 4.6 | BB | Deep brown bitter with a spicy edge | |
| Brentwood | Screaming Virgin | 5.2 | GBB | Golden premium bitter with light citrus flavours | |
| Crouch Vale | South Woodham Ferrers, Essex | Amarillo | 5.0 | GBB | Premium golden ale with spicy floral hops |
| Crouch Vale | Brewers Gold | 4.0 | GB | Twice Champion Beer of Britain, ever popular | |
| Crouch Vale | Essex Boys Bitter | 3.5 | B | Low gravity session bitter with bags of flavour | |
| Farmers | Maldon, Essex | A Drop of Nelson's Blood | 3.8 | B | Award-winning dark bitter with added brandy |
| Farmers | Puck's Folly | 4.2 | GB | Ever-popular golden ale with grapefruit citrus notes | |
| Farmers | Hotel Porter | 4.1 | ST | Classic stout with a smoky tang, winner of numerous awards | |
| Felstar | Felsted, Essex | Essex Best | 4.0 | B | Traditional hoppy bitter |
| Felstar | Felstar Winter Bitter | 4.2 | B | Brand new, sorry, we've not tried it yet! | |
| Felstar | Back Stabber | 10.0 | ST | Oh dear…Triple malt stout matured for 3 years! | |
| Hart of Stebbing | Stebbing, Essex | Hart's Content | 4.1 | B | Traditional bitter seldom seen away from the pub where it's brewed. |
| Harwich Town | Harwich, Essex | Leading Lights | 3.8 | B | Copper-coloured quaffing ale, very easy drinking |
| Harwich Town | Parkeston Porter | 4.5 | PR | Rich, heavily-hopped American-style porter | |
| Harwich Town | Hoppy Poppy | 3.6 | GB | Sweet, zesty, blond ale brewed for the Royal British Legion | |
| Mauldons | Sudbury, Suffolk | Micawbers Mild | 3.5 | M | Full flavoured traditional dark mild |
| Mauldons | Eatenswill Old | 4.0 | O | Dark brown old ale brewed with bags of malt flavour | |
| Mauldons | Blackadder | 5.3 | ST | Multi award-winning smooth but full bodied stout | |
| Mersea Island | East Mersea, Essex | Yo Boy | 3.8 | B | Ever-popular mid brown session bitter |
| Mersea Island | Mersea Mount | 3.9 | B | Well-balanced bitter combining malty sweetness with great hops taste | |
| Mersea Island | Skippers Bitter | 4.8 | BB | Fabulous premium bitter from our local brewery | |
| Mersea Island | Oyster Stout | 5.0 | ST | Easy drinking stout with real Mersea Oysters, a festival favourite | |
| Mighty Oak | Maldon, Essex | Oscar Wilde Mild | 3.7 | M | Award-winning traditional dark mild, always a quick seller |
| Mighty Oak | English Oak | 4.8 | BB | Sweetish, malty, premium bitter | |
| Mighty Oak | Anti Virus | 4.0 | B | Brand new seasonal special - we've no idea, but bound to be good! (Golden Ale) | |
| Mill Green | Edwardstone, Suffolk | Bulls Cross Bitter | 3.5 | B | Darkish session bitter, well balanced |
| Mill Green | Mawkin Mild | 2.9 | M | Very dark mild, amazing flavour for it's strength | |
| Mill Green | Mad Old John | 4.2 | O | Traditional dark old ale | |
| Mill Green | Good Ship Arbella | 5.4 | GBB | Brand new, light American-style premium ale | |
| Nethergate | Pentlow, Essex | Essex Border | 4.8 | GBB | Orange-gold premium bitter with a sweetish edge |
| Nethergate | Old Growler | 5.0 | PR | Award winning dark porter, amazingly easy to drink! | |
| Nethergate | Umbel Magna | 5.0 | PR | Old Growler brewed with coriander - yet another award winner | |
| Pitfield | Epping, Essex | Pitfield Bitter | 3.7 | B | Mid-brown organic session bitter, beautifully balanced |
| Pitfield | 1839 IPA | 7.0 | SG | Powerful India Pale Ale brewed with passion and tradition | |
| Pitfield | FV5 | 14.0 | SG | Festival special, handle with care! It really is 14% | |
| Railway Tavern | Brightlingsea, Essex | Crab & Winkle | 3.7 | M | Festival regular, dark mild with bags of flavour, vegan-friendly |
| Railway Tavern | Bladderwrack | 5.0 | ST | Occasionally brewed dark stout | |
| Red Fox | Coggeshall, Essex | Fox & Hind Bitter | 3.8 | B | Traditional bitter from our newest local brewery |
| Red Fox | Hunters Gold | 3.9 | GB | Aromatic golden bitter from the brewer who devised Brewers Gold | |
| Red Fox | Arctic Fox | 4.5 | BB | Seasonal special with fruit, christmas spice and brandy notes | |
| Red Fox | Wily Ol' Fox | 5.2 | BB | Highly aromatic amber bitter | |
| Red Fox | Ruby Red | 6.9 | SG | Brand new, dark red and full-bodied strong ale | |
| Red Rat | Elmswell, Suffolk | Hadleys | 4.0 | GB | Golden amber bitter, Champion bitter at our 2008 summer festival |
| Red Rat | Waterloo | 4.2 | B | Pale Ale commissioned by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards | |
| Red Rat | Crazy Dog Stout | 6.0 | ST | Powerful dark stout, Sainsbury's champion in bottled form | |
| Red Rat | Porter | 5.5 | PR | New dark porter - sorry, not tried it yet! | |
| Saffron | Henham, Essex | Saffron Blonde | 4.3 | GBB | Refreshing goldne ale, bags of hop character |
| Saffron | Squires Gamble | 4.4 | BB | Deep amber premium bitter with a hoopy edge | |
| Saffron | Shiver Me Timbers | 4.4 | BB | Brand new dark copper biiter, brewed with molasses | |
| Shalford | Shalford, Essex | Levelly Gold | 4.0 | GB | Popular golden summer ale - it is summer, isn't it? |
| Shalford | Stoneley Bitter | 4.2 | B | Award-winning mid-brown bitter | |
| Wibblers | Mayland, Essex | Hoppy Helper | 4.0 | B | Golden, light and refreshing bitter |
| Wibblers | Darker Mild | 4.3 | M | Brand new beer, darker than their previous dark mild! | |
| Key: | |||||
| M | Mild | ||||
| B | Bitter | ||||
| GB | Golden Bitter | ||||
| BB | Best/Premium Bitter | ||||
| GBB | Golden Best/Premium Bitter | ||||
| O | Old Ale | ||||
| ST | Stout | ||||
| PR | Porter | ||||
| SG | Strong Ale & Barley Wine |
Ciders & Perry
The Cider & Perry List - as with the beers, correct as of 14th January 2009. Others may magically materialise.
We've got a couple of local ones, but have had to search further afield to give our customers a good variety.
Some will be gin-clear, some will have bits in - they're supposed to be like that, honest! Real Cider and Perry varies from year to year according to temperature, length of growing season, etc.
For this reason, we can't say whether they are dry, medium, etc until our Cider Manager has tasted the lot.
He'll be the one lying on the floor behind the cider bar - wake him up and ask his opinion.
| Producer | Location | Cider | abv |
| Castlings Heath | Suffolk | Organic Bittersweet Rebecca Cider | 7.3 |
| Cheddar Valley | Somerset | Classic Dry Cider | 6.0 |
| Delvin End | Essex | Cyclone Cider - Single Varietal Cox | 6.5 |
| Delvin End | Festival Spice Cider (with cloves) | 6.5 | |
| Double Vision | Kent | Blended Cider, Festival Favourite | 7.4 |
| Double Vision | Blended Perry | 7.4 | |
| Mr Whitehead's | Hants | Newton's Discovery Cider | 3.8 |
| Mr Whitehead's | Cirrus Minor Cider | 5.0 | |
| Mr Whitehead's | Strawberry Cider (added strawberries!) | 5.0 | |
| Mr Whitehead's | Heart of Hampshire Cider | 6.0 | |
| Mr Whitehead's | Midnight Special Perry | 5.0 | |
| New Forest | Hants | Snakecatcher Cider | 7.5 |
| Thatchers | Somerset | Medium Blended Cider | 6.0 |
| Thatchers | Heritage Cider | 4.9 | |
| Westons | Herefordshire | First Quality Blended Cider | 5.0 |
| Westons | Traditional Scrumpy | 6.0 | |
| Westons | Old Rosie - ever popular classic Cider | 7.3 | |
| Westons | Traditional Herefordshire Perry | 4.5 |
Download Beerlist
Opening Times & Entry Fees
Open 12noon - 11pm Daily
(Wednesday members preview 7.30pm - 10pm)
Admission £1.50 until 6.30pm, £2.50 from 6.30pm - 11pm
Camra members free at all times on production on a valid membership card.
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).
Food
Hog Roast
Music
By popular demand, the return of Norfolk's UGLY DOG SKIFFLE COMBO!
Why not come and dance the night away (foot tapping accepted) on Saturday 24th January from 8pm
To see what you're letting yourself in for, visit their website: Ugly Dog Skiffle Combo
Charities
This year we are pleased to support two very worthwhile charities:
HELP FOR HEROES, in aid of servicemen and women wounded in the recent campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan
and
CHARIOT COMMUNITY BUSES, the Colchester-based volunteer charity providing subsidised transport for numerous local groups
We will willingly refund any unused amounts on your beercards, but you may wish to place them in the box provided at reception.
In addition, several of our local brewers have donated t-shirts, pumpclips etc. which will be on sale at the Membership Stand with all proceeds going towards the same good causes.
These funds will be divided equally between the two charities, and we thank you for your kindness on their behalf.
We also wish to thank our festival caterers Hollie & Luke for their kind donation.
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 (word doc or pdf)and return it to Dave Nunn.