31st Cambridge Beer Festival Programme : Next section

A * by the brewery name is used to denote a brew-pub.

A [*] denotes beers delivered during the festival week in a re-order.

This year we have chosen to highlight Cambridgeshire breweries by grouping them together in their own section which can be found near the middle, on the Gold bar.

Other beers are arranged in approximately alphabetical order going from right to left: Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword. We have continued commemorating the 60th Anniversary of D-Day by selecting beers with a Second World War theme and also by commissioning festival specials.

We hope you find more than one or two that you like. Don't forget to vote for the Beer of the Festival. Forms are available from the glass counter.

Beer of the Festival Voting

Adnams (Southwold, Suffolk) 1890

Old Ale (4.1%)

A mellow taste, similar to a mild but with a bit more body and strength.

May Day (5.0%)

Fruity, hoppy and full-bodied with a lingering bittersweet finish.

Atlas (Kinlochleven, Argyll) 2002

Meridian (4.0%)

A tawny coloured ale which combines caramel and biscuit maltiness with spicy hops.

B&T (Shefford, Bedfordshire) 1981

Shefford Mild (3.8%)

Well-balanced dark mild, fairly sweet with a lingering malt finish.

Goldleaf (4.0%) [*]

R101 (4.7%)

Named after the R101 airship, which crashed in France in 1930. Hoppy but bitter with underlying citrus notes.

Bank Top (Bolton, Greater Manchester) 1995

Dark Mild (4.0%)

Roasty nutty mild, full-flavoured with some chocolate undertones.

Bartrams (Rougham, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk) 1999

Gemini (4.2%)

The latest beer from the new zodiac series. We know that all beers brewed by this brewery have that something different, so we expect good things from this one.

Red Queen

Headway

Barum * (Barnstable, Devon) 1996

Jester (4.2%)

Hoppy bitter, fruit notes continue into the dry finish.

Breakfast (5.0%)

Interesting hop flavours with underlying malt notes, well-balanced with subtle banana hints.

Bateman (Wainfleet, Lincolnshire) 1874

Dark Mild (3.0%)

A festival favourite, voted best mild on several occasions. Ruby/black mild with a creamy texture and a complex mix of nutty malt, hop and fruit tastes.

PortuGOAL (4.0%) [*]

Ruby read beer with the characteristics of port from the famous vineyard regions of Portugal. Delicious with cheese. A special for the imminent football Euro2004 finals in Portugal.

Hairy Womble (4.4%) - FESTIVAL SPECIAL - a tribute to the Hairy Womble

This beer is fruity and hoppy with some sweetness in the taste and finish.

Salem Porter (5.0%)

Ruby Black colour, with a liquorice aroma, hoppy and bitter with a mellow finish.

Bazens' (Salford, Greater Manchester) 2002

Blue Bullet (4.5%)

Hoppy bitter with citrus fruit notes throughout. Originally a seasonal brew which was so popular with its local drinkers it has been made a regular beer.

Blue Anchor * (Helston, Cornwall) 15th Century

Spingo Middle (5.1%)

Brewed in what was formerly part of a monastery. Malty with a slight sweetness giving its traditional Cornish taste.

Boggart Hole Clough (Moston, Manchester) 2001

Dark Side (4.4%)

A classic porter with a smooth roast finish complemented by a subtle hop aftertaste.

Arnhem Bridge (4.6%)

A new beer not yet tasted; knowing the brewer, it will have that something-to-remember factor.

Breconshire (Brecon, Powys) 2002

County Bitter (3.7%)

A Session bitter, hoppy with malt undertones, but with some fruit notes in the taste and finish.

Discovery (4.5%)

New seasonal beer, not yet tasted but may have a slight hint of a Brakspears beer as the brewer worked there previously.

Buffy's (Tivetshall St Mary, Norfolk) 1993

Bitter (3.9%)

Well-balanced amber beer with just a hint of malt in the taste. Blackcurrant fruitiness gives way to a hoppy bittersweet finish.

Norwegian Blue (4.9%)

A malty full-bodied beer with berry fruit and caramel flavours balanced by bitter hops.

Bullmastiff (Cardiff, Glamorgan) 1987

Welsh Gold (3.8%)

A light gold session bitter. Some sweetness but hop notes dominate.

PAWS (Pale Ale Welsh Style) (4.8%)

Hoppy bitter in the style of a pale ale, fruit flavours throughout and a lingering bitter finish.

Charles Wells (Bedford, Bedfordshire) 1876

Eagle IPA (3.6%)

Amber in colour. A good quaffing ale to start drinking with, citrus hop notes, with slight malt tones.

Summer Solstice (4.1%)

Light hoppy and refreshing with some sweetness throughout, bittersweet finish.

Bombardier (4.3%)

Flagship beer for this brewery, well-balanced with some hop bitterness and malty undertones.

City of Cambridge (Chittering, Cambridgeshire) 1997

Beers are on the Cambridgeshire bar

Jet Black (3.7%)

Dark almost black mild, full-flavoured as well as full-bodied.

Boathouse Bitter (3.8%) [*]

A light copper-coloured session bitter, quenching and dry. A pleasant aroma created from the distinctive floral and citrus Cascade hops.

Rutherford IPA (3.8%) [*]

Fresh and amber-coloured, this is made from a blend of two yeasts.

Bailey Bridge (3.6%) - FESTIVAL SPECIAL

Named after the portable bridges used by the D Day invasion force. A hoppy IPA-style beer.

Hobson's Choice (4.1%)

Golden beer with a pronounced hop aroma with continues into the taste and dry finish.

Michaelmas (4.6%) [*]

A darkish, smooth and complex beer, combining sweetishness with a subtle aftertaste.

Parker's Porter (5.3%)

Reddish in colour, roast notes come to the fore in the taste and continue into the bittersweet finish.

Conwy Brewery (Conwy Morfa, Aberconwy) 2003

Castle Bitter (3.8%)

A session ale, malty rather than hoppy, and very easy to drink.

Crouch Vale (South Woodham Ferrers, Essex) 1981

Blackwater Mild (3.7%)

Fruity full-bodied mild, with malt notes dominating, and just a hint of chocolate.

Amarillo (5.0%)

Made with Amarillo hops which add a wonderful aroma and a lasting spicy flavour.

Cwmbran (Upper Cwmbran, Gwent) 1998

Gorse Porter (4.8%)

Almost black porter, slight sweetish notes within the malty taste and finish, some berry fruit undertones.

Eastward & Sanders (Elland, West Yorkshire) 2002

Born to be Mild (3.7%)

Mild brewed for CAMRA's Mild Month. Malty and full-bodied with fruit hints and some sweetness in the finish.

KSA (4.9%)

"Kölsch-Styled Ale" is brewed in the style of this famous German beer.

Elgood's (Wisbech, Cambridgeshire) 1877

Beers are on the Cambridgeshire bar

Black Dog Mild (3.6%)

Black dry mild with raisin fruit notes and a hint of liquorice followed by a dry bitter finish.

Pageant Ale (4.3%)

A premium beer with a good aroma of hops and malt, a well-balanced bittersweet flavour and a lingering finish.

Overlord (4.4%) - FESTIVAL SPECIAL

Named after the military plan to liberate Europe, "Operation Overlord". We expect it to be a malty and fruity dark beer, and quite distinctive.

Greyhound Strong Bitter (5.2%)

Full-bodied tawny beer combining malty sweetness and berry fruits with a surprisingly bitter finish.

Elveden (Thetford, Norfolk) 2003

Stout (5.0%)

Brewed on the Elveden Estate, home to the head of the Guinness family. Traditionally-matured in Oak whisky casks.

Everards (Narborough, Leicestershire) 1849

Beacon (3.8%)

Light and refreshing pale amber beer with a Burton-style finish.

Perfick (4.5%)

Hoppy light bitter brewed for spring, some citrus notes and a lingering hop finish.

Facer's (Salford, Greater Manchester) 2003

Wordsworth (3.9%)

Brewer was once head brewer for Boddingtons but this beer is quite different. It's hoppy, fruity, well-balanced and very drinkable.

Fenland/Isle of Ely (Little Downham, Cambridgeshire) 1997

Beers are on the Cambridgeshire bar

St Audrey Ale (3.9%)

An amber coloured well-rounded hoppy beer, formerly known as IPA.

Summer Fen (4.0%) [*]

Osier Cutter (4.2%)

A gold coloured ale with a delicate but hoppy aroma.

No. 3 Group Bitter (4.5%) - FESTIVAL SPECIAL

This remembers the famous American Air Group based at Mildenhall during the later stages of the Second World War. The beer will be amber-coloured and fruity.

Sparkling Wit (4.5%)

Refreshing wheat beer with citrus notes and a dry finish.

Fox * (Heacham, Norfolk) 2002

Branthill Light (4.3%)

A hoppy and refreshing golden beer like their Heacham Gold but a bit stronger.

Glossop (Glossop, Derbyshire) 2003

Dexter's Best (3.8%)

This brewery opened late in 2003. Malty session bitter, with hop notes throughout.

Greenfield (Greenfield, Near Oldham, Greater Manchester) 2002

Jabeth (4.4%)

New beer from this brewery, they have a reputation for producing mellow beers, well-balanced and drinkable.

Harviestoun (Dollar, Clackmannanshire) 1985

Bitter & Twisted (3.8%) [*]

The current Champion Beer of Britain. A refreshingly hoppy beer with fruit throughout. A bitter-sweet taste with a long, dry, bitter finish. A golden session beer.

Schiehallion (4.8%)

Award-winning cask-conditioned lager. Very refreshing with hop and grapefruit flavours predominating.

Hereward (Ely, Cambridgeshire) 2003

Beers are on the Cambridgeshire bar

Session Ale (3.8%)

A classic session beer from Cambridgeshire's latest brewery.

Oatmeal Stout (4.5%)

Malty beer with chocolate roast notes and berry fruit undertones.

Hobden's Wessex (Warminster, Wiltshire) 2001

Naughty Ferret (3.5%)

A session bitter with full flavour, tawny colour, spicy bitterness and citrus hop aroma.

Russian Stoat (9.0%)

Dark, rich and smooth.

Hogs Back (Tongham, Surrey) 1992

Traditional English Ale (TEA) (4.2%)

A citrus fruity aroma with hints of caramel in the taste, followed by a bittersweet finish.

Hook Norton (Hook Norton, Oxfordshire) 1849

Old Hooky (4.6%)

An unusual reddish brown beer with a strong nutty aroma and palate balanced with fruitiness. Full-bodied with a bitter-sweet aftertaste.

Hop Back (Salisbury, Wilts) 1987

Spring Zing (4.2%)

Pale, crisp, refreshing ale.

Hydes' (Mosside, Manchester) 1863

Light (3.5%)

One of the few classic light milds still brewed. A lightly hopped, amber coloured session beer with a dry finish.

Cloud Nine (4.4%)

A classic smooth, well-balanced beer.

Iceni (Ickburgh, Norfolk) 1995

Belter (4.4%) [*]

Ported Porter (4.4%)

A dark ruby porter containing a bottle of port per firkin. Malty with bittersweet notes throughout, some coffee chocolate notes as well as hints of berry fruit.

Raspberry Wheat (5.0%)

Refreshing pale coloured wheat beer with raspberry fruit dominating the aroma taste and finish. Very popular.

Winter Lightning (5.0%)

Inveralmond (Perth, Perthshire) 1997

Independence (3.8%)

Scottish Ale with well-balanced malt and hop flavours and a hint of fruit and spices. Hops come to the fore in the finish.

Lia Fail (4.7%)

Gaelic for Stone of Destiny. Dark full-bodied beer, smooth and balanced.

W J King (Horsham, West Sussex) 2001

King Mild (3.6%)

Seasonal Mild brewed for CAMRA's Mild month. Malty with just a hint of hops.

Horsham Best (3.8%)

Well-rounded session beer with nutty overtones. Well-balanced with both malt and bitterness in the lingering finish.

Leek (Leek, Staffordshire) 2002

Staffordshire Gold (4.0%)

Hoppy bitter with fruit notes throughout, some sweetness in the finish.

Mauldons (Sudbury, Suffolk) 1982

Mulberry Harbour (4.0%) - FESTIVAL SPECIAL

Named after D-Day's Mulberry Harbour, which maintained the Allies' supply route.

Cuckoo (4.3%)

Subtle malt flavours are complemented by a hoppy finish, in this well-balanced bitter.

Mighty Oak (Maldon, Essex) 1996

Dark & Dengie (4.6%)

Seasonal beer not yet tasted but we are told that it has malt notes throughout with plenty of hop undertones.

Milton (Milton, Cambridgeshire) 1999

Beers are on the Cambridgeshire bar

Jupiter (3.5%) [*]

A golden session beer with a delicate hoppy flavour, leading to a satisfying bitter finish.

Justinian (3.9%)

Popular session beer, with bitter orange flavours persisting into a satisfying finish.

Pegasus Bridge (4.1%)

A dry hopped version of Pegasus which gives it that little extra. Long fruity finish with a hint of toffee.

XXX Depth Charge (4.4%) - FESTIVAL SPECIAL

This name was used on official paperwork when beer was flown out to the D Day troops under the wings of Spitfires. This will be a refreshing golden bitter with a crisp citrus aroma.

Vulcan (4.4%) [*]

Pale, well-balanced pint with delicious bitter orange flavours.

Nero (5.0%)

A rich dark beer with complex roast flavours and hints of coffee and chocolate.

Moonshine (Cambridge) 2004

Beers are on the Cambridgeshire bar

Mulberry Whale (4.0%)

Named after the Mulberry harbours and the troops' nickname for their construction. Reddish in colour, with a true English Best Bitter taste made from East Anglian malts and the finest Kent hops. This is the brewery's first ale to be sold and all proceeds will go to the Festival charities.

Nethergate (Clare, Suffolk) 1986

Old Chap (4.2%)

This pale gold beer has a distinctive floral nose and a soft bitterness, followed by a long well-balanced finish.

Old Growler (5.0%)

Award winning porter, smooth and complex with dark roast malt dominating the taste and a strong hop finish.

Newby Wyke * (Little Bytham, Lincolnshire) 1998

White Sea (5.2%)

This beer uses American Mount Hood and Chinook hops and has wonderful grapefruit citrus flavours.

Northern (Runcorn, Cheshire) 2003

All Niter (3.8%)

Session beer with complex hop notes and malt undertones.

O'Hanlon's (Whimple, Devon) 1996

Port Stout (4.8%)

A classic dry bitter stout enriched with ruby port. Roast malt aroma and taste, with hoppy bitterness in the finish.

Oakham * (Peterborough, Cambridgeshire) 1993

Beers are on the Cambridgeshire bar

Barton's Mild (3.5%) [*]

Jeffrey Hudson Bitter (JHB) (3.8%)

A thirst quenching, straw coloured beer. Floral hops dominate the distinctive taste of this award-winning bitter.

White Dwarf (4.3%)

This wheat beer is full-bodied with a well-defined citrus hop character and a dry lingering finish.

Bishop's Farewell (4.6%)

Well-rounded, full-bodied strong bitter. Floral fruit flavours lead to a dry finish.

Black Hole Porter (5.5%)

Intensely malty throughout with a hint of raspberries and redcurrants.

Old Cannon * (Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk) 1999

Gunner's Daughter (5.5%)

Well-balanced strong bitter with complex hop notes, some malt sweetness and a bitter aftertaste.

Old Chimneys (Diss, Norfolk) 1995

Military Mild (3.3%)

Rich dark full-bodied mild with sweetish toffee notes and some roast bitterness.

IPA (5.6%)

Hops and citrus flavours dominate, giving way to a dry lingering finish.

Old Stables * (Sandy, Bedfordshire) 2002

Palomino Pale Ale (4.2%)

A crisp, refreshing beer with citrus flavours and a hint of peaches, leading to a long bitter finish.

Orkney (Quoyloo, Stromness) 1988

Northern Lights (4.0%)

A light and refreshing full-flavoured beer with a fruity finish.

Skullsplitter (8.5%)

A festival favourite. Intense malt aroma with a spicy edge and a long dry finish.

Ossett * (Ossett, West Yorkshire) 1998

Silver Fox (4.1%)

A pale coloured beer with a hint of sweetness.

Otter (Luppitt, Honiton, Devon) 1990

Bright (4.3%)

Straw coloured beer with a fruit and hop aroma and a strong bitter finish.

Plassey (Eyton, Wrexham) 1985

Blue Bell Bitter (3.6%)

Session bitter with an underlying fruitiness and a dry finish.

Dragon's Breath (6.0%)

Fruity strong bitter, quite sweet but not cloying with an intense berry fruit aroma; dangerously drinkable.

Potton (Potton, Bedfordshire) 1998

Shannon IPA (3.6%) [*]

A traditional IPA-style beer, light and quaffable.

Night Fighter (4.0%)

Brewed in support of the deHavilland Mosquito Museum.

Village Bike (4.3%)

Bedfordshire CAMRA beer of the year 2003. A well-rounded bitter with complex hop flavours.

Randalls (Guernsey) 1868

Island Gold (4.0%)

New beer from Guernsey's only surviving brewer of cask beer.

Sipping Bull (4.2%)

Red Squirrel (Hertford, Hertfordshire) 2004

Stout (4.9%)

New beer from a brewery which started in March this year.

Ringwood (Ringwood, Hampshire) 1978

Fortyniner (4.9%)

This pale brown beer has a malty taste with a strong hop balance and a fruity finish.

Old Thumper (5.6%)

A mid-brown beer. Very malty with berry fruit flavours and a bittersweet finish.

Rockingham (Blatherwyke, Northamptonshire) 1997

Saxon Cross (4.1%)

Golden red ale, nut and coffee aromas, citrus fruit flavours predominate.

Fruits of the Forest (4.2%)

Champion beer at last year's festival. An interesting beer with complex flavours of summer fruits and spices.

Salopian (Shrewsbury, Shropshire) 1995

Lemon Dream (4.4%)

Pale and refreshing with lemon and citrus flavours and a dry aftertaste.

Sarah Hughes * (Sedgley, West Midlands) 1987

Dark Ruby (6.0%)

Dark ruby coloured strong mild, well-balanced with winey fruit and a malty finish.

Shaws (Dukinfield, Cheshire) 2002

Best Bitter (4.0%)

An interesting well-balanced bitter, with underlying fruit notes.

Shepherd Neame (Faversham, Kent) 1698

Spitfire (4.5%)

Malty bitter with some hop fruit notes, slightly sweet in the finish.

Swansea * (Bishopston, Swansea) 1996

Deep Slade Dark (4.0%)

Dark malty ale with some berry fruit notes combining with chocolate roast.

Three Rivers (Stockport, Greater Manchester) 2003

GMT (3.8%)

Session bitter with some fruit notes in the taste and underlying maltiness. The name refers to the three local rivers: Goyt, Mersey and Tame.

Thwaites (Blackburn, Lancashire) 1807

Mild (3.3%)

A traditional dark mild, with a smooth malt flavour and a slightly bitter finish.

Lancaster Bomber (4.4%)

A prominent hop aroma and bitterness, balanced by a full malt flavour, leading to a dry finish.

Titanic (Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs) 1985

They Think It's Ale Over (4.5%) [*]

"Moore, Charlton, Stiles and company took us all the way, now will today's heroes match the feat? As the excitement mounts let the intensity of the English grown hops and balancing smooth English grown malt take the strain and like the beer let's hope for a sweet finish."

Upper Agbrigg (Honley, West Yorkshire) 2001

Keller Bier (4.8%)

Is brewed in the style of German Kellerbier.

Waveney (Earsham, Norfolk) April 2004

Lightweight (3.9%)

Straw coloured and drinkable.

East Coast Mild (3.8%)

Malt notes to the fore, with a hint of hint of hop in the aftertaste.

Weatheroak (Alvechurch, Birmingham) 1997

Ale (4.1%)

A golden beer with a bitter hop aroma, hints of fruit and a dry aftertaste.

Wensleydale (Carlton, Leyburn, North Yorkshire) 2003 (formerly Lidstones)

Forester (3.7%)

A mellow beer with a predominantly malty body and a hint of fruit.

Gamekeeper (4.3%)

New beer that is likely to be reminiscent of one of its Lidstones predecessors.

White Star (Southampton, Hampshire) 2003

U-X-B (3.8%)

A crisp dry session bitter. The name is an acronym for "unexploded bomb".

Whittington's (Newent, Gloucestershire) 2003

Cat's Whiskers (4.1%)

Tawny coloured ale with a rich, complex and well-balanced flavour.

Wissey Valley (Stoke Ferry, Norfolk) 2003 (formerly Captain Grumpy)

Khaki Sergeant (6.7%)

This stout was Champion Beer at our Winter Ale Festival 2004.

Wolf (Attleborough, Norfolk) 1996

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing (3.7%)

Malty reddish mild with fruity undertones. Malt is the dominant flavour in this clean-tasting beer.

Defiant (4.4%) - FESTIVAL SPECIAL

Named after a fighter plane which was built in Norwich during the Second World War.

Straw Dogs (4.5%)

A wheat beer with slightly floral hints and refreshing citrus flavours.

Woodforde's (Woodbastwick, Norfolk) 1981

Mardler's Mild (3.5%)

Dark brown Norfolk mild with definite roast and caramel tastes.

Wherry (3.8%)

Lots of citrus and grapefruit in the aroma with hints of caramel, followed by a long bitter finish. This easy drinking beer is another festival favourite.

Norfolk Nog (4.6%)

A smooth, reddish-black old ale with dark roast malt notes throughout, dried fruit undertones and a bitter finish.

Wylam (Heddon on the Wall, Northumberland) 2000

Hedonist (3.8%)

Session beer with hop notes throughout, light and refreshing.

Bohemia Pilsner (4.6%)

A Czech-style beer made to an authentic recipe. Deep gold in colour, malt and hop dominate the aroma and taste, fruity finish.

Young's (Wandsworth, London) 1675

Double Chocolate Stout (5.2%)

Chocolate notes dominate the aroma, taste and finish. This beer is in fact totally chocolate. What more can we say!