Bury St. Edmunds Winter Beer Festival

I missed this last year, but thought I'd go along for a couple of beers yesterday afternoon... and went back for a couple more this afternoon. They had over 20 beers and 5 ciders on and it was a nice cost atmosphere. They also had the football on a big wide-screen TV, but with the sound turned off. With generous half pint measures a spent a pleasant couple of hours each day over 4 half pints of beer.

After some  refreshing Crouch Vale Amarillo Gold to start with yesterday I moved onto the dark beers. Along with some Nethergate Ian's Milk Stout (very moreish) and some Colchester Brewery Brazilian Coffee & Vanilla Porter ( lovely coffee flavour) I was delighted to be able to have some of Comrade Bill Bartram's Egalitarian Ant-Imperialist Soviet Stout, which has not been generally available since the brewery, just across Rougham Airfield from me, closed in 2018 (see here).

This afternoon was a bit busier (and the shopping centre was heaving!) and there were some people from Essex at the tables next to me, some who had never been to Bury St. Edmunds before. I realised on my way home when I saw all the coaches by Angel Hill that lots of people had come to the town for the day. I hope they weren't expecting the Christmas Fayre to be on! Today I had a couple of beers that weren't on the programme (new beers appeared as the originals ran out) - Bishop Nick's Rejoice Amber Ale (very figgy pudding) and Woodforde's Parson's Porter (delicious), I had a couple of old favourites - The Old Cannon Gunner's Daughter and Adnams Broadside.

I left before it got too busy by about 4pm both days.

Here are a couple of photos.

I enjoyed that - both the beers and the entertaining company. I think I'll be back next year.

You can find the full programme for the event here.