Biggleswade Beer Festival

I had a day out by train today to visit the Biggleswade Beer and Cider Festival.

I had never been to Biggleswade before so took a train that would get me there an hour before the festival opened so I could have a little look around.

It is not really that far, but I had to change trains at Cambridge and Hitchen to get there so it took about 2 hours each way (or should have done).

The station is only a few minutes walk from the High Street.

St. Andrew's Church, alas, was not open so I couldn't see inside.

I found my way to the River Ivel, a gentle tributary to the River Great Ouse, and the Biggleswade Green Wheel route.

I walked a little way up the river before turning back to get to The Conservative Club for the festival opening.

I got there at 6 minutes to 12 and was pleased to find I was only 7th in the queue to get in, which was a surprise. I guess that, as it is a fairly new beer festival, it hasn't attracted a lot of travelling CAMRA folk yet.

There were plenty of seats along two tables between the club bar and the main stillage.

I got a seat at the end of one of the tables and started sampling the beer. I began with a local beer from Bedford - Brewpoint's Double Star bitter,

There was a balcony outside...

..and a large area of garden. At the bottom was a bowling green. It looked beautifully kept.

There was also a sausage and burger bar.

I enjoyed a great selection of beers and got my 3:25pm train back home via Hitchin... Except, when I got to Cambridge, I saw this... 

Grr. But I was home on the train an hour later, 

As for the beers...

I was surprised to see they had a good selection of beers from Lancashire as well as some local beers. I was told this was a theme resulting from a recent local CAMRA branch trip to the area.

Beers I had (at 1/3 pint each) were

• Bowland Brewery's Deerstalker  Bitter (4.5%) - from Clitheroe where Jilly and Ian live so I had to have that. Very nice!
• Three B's Stoker's Slake Dark Mild (3.6%) - from Blackburn. A classic dark mild.
• Brewpoint's Double Star bitter (3.4%) - from Bedford. My first. A tasty bitter.
• Milton Brewery's Orion (3.4%) - from Waterbeach. Pale and citrusy. My favourite.
• Milton Brewery's Marcus Aurelius (7.5%) - my last one. A luscious and velvety stout.
• Nene Valley Brewery's Business Time (4.3%) - from Oundle. Very hoppy!
• Papworth Brewery's Koura (5.7%) - from Earith. A cloudy wheat beer with a banana aroma. I liked this one.
• Phipps NBC's Nebula (4.2%) - from Northampton. A nice session pale ale.
• Potbelly Brewery's Potbelly Best (3.8%) - from Kettering . A traditional chestnut coloured bitter.

Well that was a great day our and the beers were very quaffable. A great venue with lots of space and a good selection of beers. I think I might be back next year!