Thursday 21st - Saturday 23rd January, 2010
Welcome to the 3rd 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
Download Poster
Staff for set up
Anyone wishing to help with the set up from 9am on Tuesday and then again on Wednesday 19th & 20th January, 2010. Please if possible attend the Beer Festival meeting at the Odd One Out on Thursday 14th January 2010 from 8pm.
If you can help at anytime on these two days please advise either Alan (Staffing) or Martin (Festival Organiser) as soon as possible. Thanks.
Beers
Correct as of 13/01/2010. Due to current weather conditions, this list is subject to change if Breweries are unable to deliver ordered beers.
| Brewer | Location | Beer | Style | abv | Description |
| Brentwood | Brentwood, Essex | Resolution IPA | SB | 5.5 | Masses of hops and flavours in this traditional IPA. |
| Winter Warmer | BB | 4.7 | Well balanced traditional winter ale, with spicy notes | ||
| Brentwood Gold | GB | 4.3 | Formerly known as Heavenly Body. Fruity, floral, blond best bitter | ||
| Chockwork Orange | O | 6.5 | Strong dark ale with chocolate and orange hints | ||
| Spooky Moon | B | 3.8 | Dark traditional session bitter, with a sweet fruity after taste | ||
| Cliff Quay Brewery | Ipswich, Suffolk | Cliff Quay Bitter | B | 3.4 | Refreshing easy drinkng session bitter |
| Tolly Roger | BB | 4.2 | Mid gold coloured beer with a slight sweet hoppiness | ||
| Tumble Home | BB | 4.7 | A good ruby ale | ||
| Black Jack | P | 4.2 | Dark porter brewed using star anise for a really liquorise flavour | ||
| Cox & Holbrook | Buxhall, Suffolk | Old Mill | B | 3.8 | Pale, hoppy and thirst quenching. |
| Rattlesden Best | B | 4.0 | Good, well balanced bitter | ||
| Crouch Vale | South Woodham Ferrers, Essex | Hurricane | BB | 4.2 | Burnished gold in colour, with English Pioneer hops |
| Amarillo | GB | 5.0 | Gold bitter, full-flavoured and spicy | ||
| Essex Boys | B | 3.5 | Pale session bitter with hoppy aroma and dry finish | ||
| Crouch Best | B | 4.0 | Mid-brown beer is wonderfully full bodies and malty | ||
| Brewers Gold | GB | 4.0 | Multi award-winning golden ale with a hint of grapefruit | ||
| Earl Soham | Earl Soham, Suffolk | Albert Ale | BB | 4.4 | Slightly darker than light with a softer Fuggles hop character and a hint of sweet |
| Gannet Mild | M | 3.3 | Superb dark mild with fuggles hops to balance the flavour | ||
| Sir Rogers Porter | P | 4.2 | Black, full bodied and can be sweet | ||
| Victoria Bitter | B | 3.6 | Popular hoppy, refreshing session bitter | ||
| Ha'penny Brewery | Ilford, Essex | Sixteen-String Jack | B | 3.8 | Golden brown coloured, highly hopped IPA and very refreshing |
| Spring-Heeled Jack | P | 4.0 | Traditional porter, malty and full-bodied with toffee, coffee, chocolate and liquorise notes | ||
| Harwich Town | Harwich, Essex | Misleading Lights | B | 4.0 | Copper coloured well-hopped session beer |
| Phoenix | SB | 5.1 | A pale gold American Pale Ale brewed with cascade hops | ||
| Re-doubt Stout | S | 4.2 | Full-bodied traditional stout | ||
| Imperial Re-doubt Stout | S | 8.0 | Brewed especialy for Harwich beer Festival, a stronger version of the re-doubt stout | ||
| 1/2 -Penny Mild | M | 3.6 | Smooth traditioanl mild, sweet tasting and midly hopped | ||
| Kings Head | Bildestone, Suffolk | Landlady | B | 4.0 | Pale with pronounced hop character from wild hedgerow hops |
| Mauldons | Sudbury, Suffolk | Eatenswill Old | O | 4.0 | A good winter ale of deep red and brown hue. It is well balanced with fruit and malt |
| Midwinter Gold | BB | 4.5 | An amber coloured beer with a fine balance of malt and hops for a full bodied flavour. | ||
| Black Adder | S | 5.3 | Multi award-winning smooth but fullbodied dark bitter stout | ||
| Silver Adder | B | 4.2 | A light coloured bitter with fine hop and malt combinations, giving a crisp finish | ||
| Mole Trap | B | 3.8 | Crisp mid-brown bitter with a malty finish | ||
| Mersea Island | East Mersea, Essex | Skippers | BB | 4.8 | Fabulous premium bitter |
| Yo Boy | B | 3.8 | Ever popular light brown session bitter | ||
| Oyster Stout | S | 5.0 | Smooth dark stout with real Mersea oysters | ||
| Mighty Oak | Maldon, Essex | Bar Steward | GB | 3.9 | Goldern amber beer |
| Maldon Gold | GB | 3.8 | Light, fresh and floral, a great quaffing bitter | ||
| Simply the Best | B | 4.4 | Tawny coloured ale brewed with Maris Otter Pale and Crystal malts | ||
| Oscar Wilde Mild | M | 3.7 | Traditional dark mild, always a good seller | ||
| Mill Green | Edwardstone, Suffolk | Mad Old John | O | 4.2 | Traditional dark old ale |
| Green Goose | BB | 4.0 | Well balanced, dark ruby best bitter with a mass of complex flavours | ||
| Mawkin Mild | M | 2.9 | Traditional Suffolk mild with amazing flavour | ||
| Obama Extra | S | 6.8 | A remake of the O'Bama stout using English Brambling Cross hops | ||
| White Horse Bitter | B | 3.6 | Classic bitter with a ruby glow brewed with bitter English hops & sweet crystal malt | ||
| Nethergate | Clare, Suffolk | Crossborder | BB | 4.1 | Light-bodied Blond Ale/Bitter, refreshing on the mouth |
| Mary's Ruby Mild | M | 4.5 | Strong, smooth dark mild | ||
| Essex Beast | SB | 6.2 | Amber, full boded and very drinkable | ||
| Azzaparrot | BB | 4.2 | Copper colour, Aroma is wood, herbs, mild fruityness as well as some slight floral notes | ||
| Umble Magna | P | 5.0 | Old Growler brewed with coriander - yet another award winner | ||
| Old Growler | P | 5.0 | Award winning dark porter, amazingly easy to drink | ||
| Augustinian Ale | BB | 4.5 | smooth drinking premium beer, celebrating the priory in Clare original home of Nethergate | ||
| Suffolk | B | 4.0 | Dark ale, with pronounced malty taste with a bitter finish | ||
| 3.90% | B | 3.9 | Amber session beer with a dry malty finish | ||
| Priory Mild | M | 3.5 | Old fashioned dark mild with a freshness to the palate | ||
| Umble Ale | B | 3.8 | Light bitter with coriander | ||
| IPA | B | 3.5 | Amber bitter that is surprisingly drinkable for it's strength | ||
| Wisemonkeys | BB | 4.2 | Well-balance bitter with malt notes and a dry finish | ||
| Old Cannon | Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk | Old Cannon Best | B | 3.8 | A refreshing hoppy session ale using Bobeck hops |
| Gunners Daughter | SB | 5.5 | Well-balanced strong ale with a complexity of hop, fruit, sweetness and bitterness | ||
| Red Fox | Ruby Red | SB | 6.9 | Dark red and full-bodied strong ale | |
| Artic Fox | BB | 4.5 | Seasonal special with fruit, Christmas spice and brandy notes | ||
| Black Fox Porter | P | 4.8 | A rich flavoured, black beer with smooth chocolate notes. | ||
| Coggeshall Gold | GB | 4.0 | Intensley hopped golden beer | ||
| Saffron Brewery | Henham, ssex | Ramblers Tipple | B | 3.9 | Copper coloured bitter, smooth with hints of toffee and caramel |
| Squires Gamble | BB | 4.3 | Deep amber premium bitter with a hoopy edge and hints of citrus | ||
| Saffron Blonde | GB | 4.3 | well-balanced, smoother and maltier than many golden ales | ||
| Shalford | Shalford, Essex | Braintree Market | B | 4.0 | Traditional easy drinking session beer, a hoppy lingering dry bitter finish |
| Stonely Bitter | BB | 4.2 | Award winning mid-brown bitter | ||
| 1319 Mild | M | 3.7 | Dark mild with a delicate chocolate sweetness | ||
| Hyde Bitter | BB | 4.7 | Pale amber hoppy bitter with malt throughout | ||
| Levelly Black | S | 4.8 | Winter stout, dark malty, and smooth | ||
| Sticklegs | Elmstead Market, Essex | Malt Shovel Mild | M | 3.4 | Old fashioned dark mild, with loads of flavour |
| NVA | B | 3.6 | No notes available | ||
| ??? | BB | 5.0 | No notes available | ||
| Wibblers | Mayland, Essex | Dengie Devil | B | 4.0 | Brown coloured beer |
| Crafty Badger | SB | 5.8 | A recreation of the Simmonds (Reading) 1880 amber ale. Four different malts and English hops | ||
| Apprentice | GB | 3.9 | Golden in colour, hoppy nose and definitely a session beer | ||
| Crafty Stoat | S | 5.3 | A dark and complex stout with six types of malt | ||
| Wibblers Best | B | 3.6 | A popular bitter to tempt those who like a darker malty brew with plenty of flavour |
Ciders & Perry
| Westons | Herefordshire | First Quality | 5.0 | A clear bright still cider with a smooth, well-balanced fruity flavour and clean apple finish |
| Westons | Trad Scrumpy | 6.0 | A hearty and wholesome cloudy cider. Sufficiently strong to satisfy but not too sweet to smother the mature flavour of traditional bittersweet apples | |
| Westons | Old Rosie | 7.3 | Award winning Old Rosie Scrumpy is allowed to settle out naturally after fermentation resulting in a truly old fashioned, full flavoured, appley, cloudy scrumpy; with a well balanced medium dry character | |
| Westons | Bounds Brand | 4.8 | A crisp, dry, fruity, traditional, cloudy Scrumpy cider | |
| Westons | Original Vintage | 7.3 | ||
| Cheddar Valley | Somerset | Cheddar Valley Med | 6.0 | |
| Double Vision | Kent | Dry Cider | 4.0 | Blended cider, a regular at our festivals, always in demand |
| Double Vision | Medium Cider | 4.0 | Blended cider, a regular at our festivals, always in demand | |
| Thatchers | Somerset | Medium Cider | 6.0 | Medium Blended cider |
| Hecks | Somerset | Kingston Black Cider | 6.5 | Award winning |
| Castlings Heath | Suffolk | Snoots Cider | 6.0 | |
| Delvin End | Essex | Mill white | 6.5 | |
| Westons | Trad Perry | 4.5 | Made from perry pears and fullly matured in old oak vats to develop its strength and traditional character. Free from all artificial colouring, flavouring and sweetening it retains its natural pale colour |
Important Note: real cider and perry varies from year to year according to temperature, length of growing season, etc. Please refer to cask cards for tasting notes, degree of dryness, etc, which will be added once our Cider Manager has tasted the lot!!!
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).
Description & aerial photo's of route from Colchester North Station by
... Bus
... Foot Google Maps Route
Alternative foot route from Colchester Town Station ... Google Maps
... Bus
... Foot Google Maps Route
Alternative foot route from Colchester Town Station ... Google Maps
Food
Hog Roast
Music
Saturday Night - The Ragged Street Band
Charities
Joint charities this year :-
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 (PDF - Word Doc) and return it to Staffing Officer.
All staff are required to be aware of the Festival Safety Policy (PDF - Word Doc) and the CAMRA Volunteers Handbook (PDF 1.7mb)