Come to Kingsway Hall, Dovercourt this December and we'll transport you back in time.
Quite a bold claim we know, but we've been planning something rather special for the 400th anniversary of Harwich's Royal Charter!!
In the mid 19th Century Harwich was the departure point for voyages of discovery, not South to the equator and beyond but North into the freezing waters of the Arctic in search of the North West Passage that was supposed to lead above America and on to the Far East via the Eastern Pacific. Sir John Franklin's expedition of 1845 had never returned and in 1852 another expedition commanded by Captain Sir Edward Belcher set sail from Harwich to find out what had become of Franklin. Belcher's expedition had new technology on board to cope with the freezing temperatures - a strong and nourishing ale brewed by Samual Allsopp - "Arctic Ale".
We've been researching this pinnacle of Victorian brewing expertise and with the help of our organisation the Campaign for Real Ale, the Brewery History Society and brewing experts this ale has been recreated in the form of Harwich Charter Ale.
In early September 2004 Frances Moore from Elveden Ales in Suffolk took all the research - including a suggested recipe from our own Colchester CAMRA homebrewer extraordinaire Colin Miller - and turned it into reality at her Elveden Brewery in Suffolk. Two highly successful brewers - Brendan Moore from the Iceni Brewery and Ian Hornsey from the Nethergate Brewery - had been involved in the final recipe and Brendan (Frances' Father) was on hand to help brew the beer. The beer will mature in cask until December when eager noses and taste buds will be on hand to sample this revival of a forgotten style.
So - what is the beer going to taste like? Here are some tasting notes from the 1875 brew:
.. of a nice brown colour, and of a vinous, and at the same time nutty flavour, and as sound as on the day it was brewed.
Another taster recorded that the beer was:
.. mellow as old Burgundy and as nourishing as a beefsteak.
It is not going to be a session ale but one that you will want to sip and savour!
But don't forget this is a beer festival and so there will be a whole range of other great British cask-conditioned ales for you to sample as well as a selection of real ciders and Continental bottled beers. We're already working hard to bring you a great selection of fabulous beers from all over the country - something different for you to try and some old favourites. There is food and live music as usual plus easy transport links by bus and train with late trains on the Mayflower line to get you home.
Please click here for a beer list, or go to www.harwich.net/beerfest for further information. You can also download a staffing form here.
See you in at the festival - Thursday 2nd - Saturday 4th December, 2004.
Additional information can be found on the Harwich website, www.harwich.net/beerfest