East Anglian Beer & Cider Festival 2024

Today was the last day of this year's East Anglian Beer & Cider Festival at the cathedral. I attended the Thursday, Saturday and Sunday afternoon sessions. This is the introduction to it from the website.

Here are a few of my photos.

Thursday:

There was quite a queue to get in.

There were two entrances.

I was in the queue for ticketholders, which was about 10 times as long as the queue for walk-ins, so I eventually went in that way.

This was the sight looking through the door as I entered.

I headed straight for the bar for East Anglian beers in the marquee and found a seat at a table there.

It was still quite quiet as a lot of people hadn't got through the doors yet.

Later, in the nave, I came across fellow U3A Longer Walks group members Peter and Wendy.

My pie was quite tasty.

Looking along the stillage in the nave.

This is one of the two cider bars - the other was in the marquee.

The pie stall.

You could also get burritos...

...and sausages.

You can see the barrels in the marquee here. They are stacked 4 high.

There was a good selection of gins at the gin and prosecco bar, but there weren't many takers on the Thursday afternoon.

This was about as busy as it got before I left to walk home.

A pleasant afternoon.

Saturday:

On Saturday afternoon they had Morris dancers in the nave.

I was there to meet up with Tim, Mark, Dave and Keith - a regular get together that I missed last year as I went to a wedding instead. With them, on his first visit to Bury St Edmunds was Steve, who used to work for Tim.

Before they arrived I found Sheila, another member of our U3A Longer Walks group behind the bar, but I somehow failed to take her photo. 

Everyone arrived and got settled into the session. But what are they all doing apart from drinking the beer?

It has become traditional for me to take along one of my crosswords for them to try and solve.

They got there in the end with a couple of hints. It was fun for me to watch.

Sunday:

Sister-in-law Jane and her husband David arrived Saturday afternoon to stay for a week (q.v.) and I had got David a ticket for the Sunday afternoon. William was home for the Bank Holiday weekend so he came too.

His friend Ralph met us.

It was busier than the previous two days I'd come.

I got served by Ruth who I'd met behind the bar before and had been served by at the Cambridge Beer Festival in May.

It was much sunnier today and many sat outside in the sunshine.

This is the Yorkshire beers bar.

The lads got themselves something to eat from the food and drink festival that was also happening.

William chatting up the bar staff.

We liked this T-shirt with the chemical symbols.

We bumped into walking friend Sheila again, this time among the crowd rather than behind the bar. And then, just before we left, we encountered yet another member of the U3A Longer Walks group. Chris used to be William's cello teacher, so they were pleased to catch up.

A great time with lots of great beers.

Then today Tim posted this phot of WhatsApp

He and his wife Fran were serving behind the bar in the nave!

But what of the beers? Over the three session I tasted quite a few and tried to sample a range of different beer types but choosing beers primarily from East Anglia. Here are a few that were memorable:

• Barsham Oaks (3.6%) - An easy-drinking session bitter. We passed signs to the brewery on our recent Holkham Day Out.
• Brass Castle Bad Kitty (5.5%) - A dessert stout, tasting of orange and dark chocolate. A bit like finding a Terry's chocolate orange in your beer.
• Brewshed American Blonde (5.5%) - An American style IPA. I have had this at their pubs (e.g. The Crown in Hartest) a few times in the past. Very refreshing.
• Cabin Sarah Sunrise (3.8%) - A new beer from the brewery I am a CAMRA BLO for. Light and easy drinking. Nice one Chris!
• Fat Cat Wild Cat (6.0%) - Strong on flavour and quite hoppy. Tasty.
• George's Cockleboats (4.0%) - A copper-coloured ale using 5 different malts. A good depth of flavour.
• Grain Slate (6.0%) - I didn't actually buy this - I was given a free sample. Very smooth rich and creamy.
• Panther Beast of the East (5.5%) - A fruity IPA. This was probably my favourite of the Festival.
• Roughacre Zestival (3.6%) - A zesty pale ale. I missed this last year as it was never on when I went, but was glad to taste it this year.
• Wolf Edith Cavell (3.7%) - A light hoppy thirst-quenching pale ale. My first one on the Thursday and as tasty as any others to come.
• Woodforde's Volt (4.5%) - An IPA with American hops. Aromatic and quit moreish.

I think I'll be back next year, but maybe suggest to Tim to go on the Sunday when it is free to enter.