East Anglian Beer and Cider Festival 2026

Today was the last day of the 34th East Anglian Beer and Cider festival, which started last Wednesday. 

I attended every day, although only for 1/2 hour today. Here are a few of my pictures.

Queuing to get in on the Wednesday afternoon session.

Collecting glasses and beer cards.

My first beer.

It was quite quiet in the first session as it was trade and CAMRA members only.

One of the two cider bars.

The keg beer corner.

I found Chris from our U3A Longer Walks Walking Group behind the bar.

I had brought some crosswords along to do.

The nave had stillage along the side and tables down the middle.

On Thursday the only seat I could find was in the cloisters.

It was busy on Thursday and Friday.

No Keith, Mark or Dave this year for our Saturday rendezvous, so it was just me and Tim. Here he is with my suitably themed latest Weekend Quick Cryptic crossword entitled "Cheers!" to be published later this week. Thanks for test solving it Tim!

Here is a photo that featured in the publicity for the festival of them solving one of my crosswords last year.

But back to this year...

It was quieter than expected on Saturday

The Wesley Ukulele Band at 3pm on the Saturday were only one of the set of performers during the festival.

We also got an organ recital.

Yesterday the was also a food and drink festival on. I paused in the Abbey Gardens on the way there to photograph the planting. Are those big plants banana trees? Apparently they are! See here.

The food festival was quite busy.

Back at the Beer Festival, the Bury Male Voice Choir were performing.

I was there today with Will and some of his friends.

It was great to meet them. As you can see behind them the range of beers left was somewhat diminished but there was still plenty to try.

And so, what of the beers? Here is a list of a few that I sampled (I only had 1/3 pint of each) and enjoyed over the 5 days.

• Adnams Double Ghost - IPA (5.2%). (Saturday). A stronger-flavoured version of the popular Ghost Ship. Very tasty!
• Ampersand Bidon - Pale Ale (3.9%) (Wednesday). My first choice after being impressed by the beers at their brewery tap in Diss at the end of this recent walk. A good session pale ale.
• Brentwood Falcon Punch - IPA (5.1%) - Hazy and juicy. A favourite.
• Brewshed Idaho 7 Hopped Pale - American-style Pale Ale (3.6%) (Thursday). Very refreshing.
• Caledonian Deuchars IPA - IPA (3.8%) - IPA (Thursday, Saturday). Very moreish so I had it again on the Saturday.
• Cliff Quay Tolly Roger - Golden Bitter (4.2%) (Wednesday). A nice session beer.
• Colchester Raven - Porter (4.3%) (Sunday). Deep, dark and smooth.
• Drinkstone Farmers Ale - Red Ale (4.4%) (Wednesday). One of my favourites. It ran out early so I couldn't have it again on Saturday.
• Elephant School Mango Unchained - Specialty (7.2%) (Sunday). I remembered this from last summer's Colchester Beer Festival (see here). It only became available on the Sunday. Very tasty.
• Fat Cat Incredible Pale Ale - Pale Ale (5.2%) (Thursday). Full-bodied and quite lemony.
• Green Jack Summer Dream - Specialty (4.1%) (Friday). With added elderflower. Very tasty.
• Hewitts Urbane Gorilla - Best Bitter (4.3%) (Sunday). Spelt Urdane in the programme and on the cask. Lol. A good session bitter.
• Leigh On Sea Legra Pale Ale - Pale Ale (3.8%) (Thursday). Very moreish.
• Moonshine Hazy IPA - Hazy IPA (5.2%) (Wednesday). Nice!
• Nene Valley Release The Chimps - Hazy IPA (4.4%) (Wednesday). Another of my favourites.
• Old Cannon Anne Bonny - American-style Pale Ale (4.5%) (Saturday). Very hoppy.
• Roughacre 1525 Lavenham Ale - Red Ale (4.0%) (Saturday). A traditional recipe. Quite smooth and easy drinking. Interesting.
• Stardust Zester - IPA (4.5%) (Thursday). Juicy and hoppy. Nice!
• Tatton Black - Porter (4.5%) (Wednesday). Recommended by Chris. Full of flavours.
• Three Blind Mice State Of Hyper Animated Confusion - Hazy New England-style IPA (5.3%). Full of tropical fruit flavours. Another of my favourites.
• Woodfordes Lemon Drop - Pale Ale (3.4%) (Saturday). Lemon, banana and lime - as the programme notes say.

A great selection as always and hardly any duff ones. Rather a preponderance of Blonde/Golden Pale Ales and Hazy IPAs, which seems to be the fashion this year.

The cathedral will not be available for next year's festival. I wonder what they are going to do?