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TRANSCRIPT
18 FEMALE BREWERS FROM THE UK AND AROUND THE WORLD
FEATURING 25 UK BREWERS AND 5 INTERNATI NAL BREWERS
REAL-ALEFESTIVALWED 25 MAR – SUN 5 APR
TH
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WO R L D ’ S B I G
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CANADA USA NEW ZEALAND
AUSTRALIAITALY
ALES AVAILABLE ON THE WETHERSPOON APP
FOR
PUBS
WHICH SERVE THE PERFECT PINT AT THE PERFECT TEMPERATURE
CASK MARQUE-ACCREDITED J D WETHERSPOON FREE H
OUSES
FESTIVAL NEWS
C O N T E N T S
3 WELCOME4–13 MEET THE BREWERS14 OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH CAMRA15 INTRODUCTION TO THE FESTIVAL BEERS16–19 TASTING NOTES
BREW MOON BREWING COMPANY 4 FABBRICA DELLA BIRRA PERUGIA 6TERRAPIN BEER CO 5
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
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Welcome to Wetherspoon’s spring 2020 real-ale festival. This year, we are celebrating female brewers. Of the 30 cask ales included nationally, we are showcasing 18 beers brewed by women – and, of those, five are international collaborations with female brewers from Australia, Canada, Italy, New Zealand and the USA, brewed at some of Britain’s best-known breweries.
The overall selection demonstrates the diversity of today’s beer styles. What are you in the mood for: amber ale, American pale ale, bitter, black IPA, blackberry porter, brown ale, chocolate porter, golden ale, India pale ale, oatmeal stout, pale ale, red ale or ruby ale? Twelve of the beers were brewed exclusively for this real-ale festival, so be among the first to try them. With our third-of-a-pint tasting glasses, you could sample them all!
If you have never before tasted a beer brewed by a woman, this is your chance. Women were the original brewers of beer; for millennia, they were the primary brewers worldwide – they still are in parts of Africa and the Amazon. In Britain, until the medieval era, most beer (or ale, as it was known here at the time) was brewed in the home by women as a nutritious beverage for the whole family. Beer is made from food (cereal) and so brewing beer was a household chore performed by women. Nowadays, most brewers are men, but women worldwide are increasingly re-entering this profession which they had dominated for so long… and the beers in our festival reflect that internationalism.
These are five female-brewed festival beers which we recommend you try.
PERSEPHONE BY BREWSTER’S BREWERY A 5.0% ABV pale ale with citrus fruit, zesty marmalade and biscuit malt flavours, this was brewed by the multiaward-winning Sara Barton, who, among other accolades, has been the Society of Independent Brewers ‘brewer of the year’.
OFF THE HOOK BY HOOK NORTON BREWERY This hoppy golden ale, at 4.3% ABV, is dominated by citrus flavours.
BOURNE AND BOOTH BY JW LEES BREWERY This is a 4.5% ABV flavoursome bitter, with a well-balanced, full-bodied flavour and emerging bitterness, resulting in a clean and crisp character.
HEAVEN CENT BY HARVIESTOUN BREWERY This is an IPA at 4.6% ABV, with pine, floral and citrus hop flavours balanced by biscuit maltiness.
SILKIE STOUT BY LOCH LOMOND BREWERY This is an oatmeal stout at 5.0% ABV, with robust chocolate and coffee flavours and a creamy finish.
If you are ordering food, no matter what you choose from the menu, there is a festival beer to match.
Cheers!
Jane Peyton Beer Sommelier, Broadcaster, Educator, Writer, Public Speaker and Founder of the School of Booze
FESTIVAL NEWS WED 25 MAR – SUN 5 APR
W E L C O M E
WOMEN WERE THE ORIGINAL BREWERS OF BEER; FOR MILLENNIA, THEY WERE THE PRIMARY BREWERS WORLDWIDE – THEY STILL ARE IN PARTS OF AFRICA AND THE AMAZON
HOGS BACK BREWERY 11 HARVIESTOUN BREWERY 13BREWSTER’S BREWERY 12
WHEATY BREWING CORPS 7
LAND & SEA BREWING COMPANY 8
BATH ALES 9
HOOK NORTON BREWERY 10
JANE PEYTON
THE BADGES:“The brewery is very conscious of its environmental impact. This year, we were selected as one of the Georgia Water Coalition’s ‘Clean 13’ honourees for our efforts towards more sustainably minded waste management and water consumption.”
THE BREW:“I’ll be brewing an American brown ale with an English yeast strain, featuring prominent notes of caramel, a smooth mouthfeel and a solid hop presence.
“I’ve never brewed for Wetherspoon before and am really looking forward to working with the team at Banks’s, on this visit.
“I’m also looking forward to getting out and exploring the UK, especially the chance to visit some historic locations and a local pub or two.”
THE BREWER:“My first exposure to brewing came through my dad, who homebrewed when I was growing up – he likes to say that I was brewing as soon as I was heavy enough to sit on the bottle capper.
“What motivated me to enter the industry was a love of beer and a desire to have a hand in making a product which people would really enjoy.
“Shortly after I moved to Athens (Georgia, USA) and started working at Terrapin, I went to a local bar and asked the bartender for a recommendation and she recommended our Watermelon Gose.
“Her recommendation, as well as others I’ve received since, really made me feel like I was making a product of which I could be proud.
“Before I became a brewer, I thought that I wanted to become a history teacher. I still love history, and that experience gave me some very valuable critical thinking and research skills, but, during my final year of university, I realised that teaching wasn’t for me.”
THE BREWERY:Terrapin Beer Co began as a daydream between founders John Cochran and Spike Buckowski, who met while working for a microbrewery in Atlanta.
The two recognised that they had something to contribute to the brewery industry, in the southeast, and began crafting recipes.
In April 2002, Rye Pale Ale made its first appearance in Athens, GA; in 2007, Terrapin Beer Co moved to its current location.
Terrapin’s production team (affectionately known as the Terrapin tribe) works in two facilities in Athens – one building used to house a jeans manufacturer, while the other, across the street, was previously home to a clock manufacturer.
TERRAPIN BEER CO, USA
JESS HURDB R E W E R
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that, so far, it is yet to be named – and goes by Hort 4337) and the Australian super hops Galaxy.
“The beer has a pretty light malt base, so that the hops really shine.
“In 2014, I was lucky enough to brew at Hook Norton; this time, I’m going to be at Shepherd Neame.
“It is really exciting (I love the Spitfire beer ads), but, on a more serious note, it’s really special for a new-world brewer to visit breweries with so much history, to try lots of real ales and to see how they’re made.”
THE BREWER:“I used to be a winemaker who drank beer; now, I seem to be a brewer who occasionally drinks wine.
“For most of my working life, I was a winemaker and was lucky enough to be in California when the craft beer revolution was starting.
“Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was my go-to, back in those days, and it still is, if I’m lucky enough to be in California.
“When I started brewing, I was inspired by hoppy American pale ales – and American craft beer continues to be my inspiration.”
THE BREWERY:“Our little brewery is based in a small rural town on New Zealand’s South Island, on the edge of a wine region, so many of our regular customers are winemakers who, like me, drink beer.
“There’s a saying in the wine industry that it takes a lot of (good) beer to make good wine – and that appears to be true.
“Ours is very much a family business, started by my husband, Kieran, and me in 2002. We own the business with our two sons Toby and Oscar.
“Everyone has worked here from time to time, although Toby is having a break at present, mining gold in West Africa, leaving his younger brother, Oscar, and his parents to ‘man the ship’.”
THE BADGES:“We get the odd medal, including a gold at the Australian International Beer Awards 2019, but I never think that they are that important.”
THE BREW:“I first brewed a beer called Antipodean for the Wetherspoon international festival in 2014.
“This year, we have brought back the name for a pale ale, which we have brewed using our favourite new hops bred in New Zealand (so new
BREW MOON BREWING COMPANY, NEW ZEALAND
FESTIVAL NEWS WED 25 MAR – SUN 5 APR FESTIVAL NEWS WED 25 MAR – SUN 5 APR
BELINDA GOULD
B R E W E R
FESTIVAL BEER:Hey Pal 4.2% ABV
HOST BREWERY (UK): Banks’s Brewery, Wolverhampton,West Midlands
Beer No. 9
FESTIVAL BEER:Antipodean 5.5% ABV
HOST BREWERY (UK): Shepherd Neame, Faversham, Kent
Beer No. 28
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THE BREWER:“I started home brewing in high school and stuck with it throughout university and the start of an economics career. I was fermenting wort beneath my office desk around the same time as I stumbled across The Wheatsheaf Hotel.
“Known as ‘The Wheaty’, it was ahead of its time, with craft beer offerings, and I promptly realised that I was due for a career change, so moved to Perth (Western Australia) to study brewing science.
“After working at Gage Roads for a few years, my partner and I decided to take a year-long road trip around the US. We bought a 1999 Dodge Ram van which we named Jean Claude Damn Van, visiting over 300 breweries and working at a few.
“It was such an exciting, optimistic time in the US, at that stage, that we agreed to an opportunity to stay and open a brewery called CraftHaus, in Las Vegas.
“After five years, it was time for us to return to Australia. Luckily for me, head brewer Jade Flavell was also making plans to triple The Wheaty’s production capacity and needed a brewer to do so.
“My brewing journey has come full circle – and I’m acutely aware that I have the best brewing job in the industry.
“Brewing inspiration is very easy to come by – we’re lucky to be in an industry which, despite being around for centuries, is still evolving, with lots of scope still for innovation and improvement.”
THE BREWERY:“The Wheatsheaf Hotel (aka The Wheaty) has been a (purpose-built) pub since 1923, live music venue since 1970, beer specialist bar since 2003 and brewer of its own Wheaty Brewing Corps beers since 2014.
W H E AT Y B R E W I N G C O R P S , A U S T R A L I A
STEPH COPEB R E W E R
THE BADGES:“The craft beers produced have enjoyed immediate success, not only in the local area, but also outside the region and abroad.
“The critics quickly recognised our young brewery – and we were literally overcome by awards: from the European Beer Star to the Brussels Beer Challenge, from the main sector guides to the prestigious Birra dell’Anno competition.
“That success culminated in February 2016, when Fabbrica della Birra Perugia was named Italian brewery of the year.”
THE BREW:“Our chocolate porter is a dark-coloured beer with an enticing fragrance, delicious hints of cocoa and a full-bodied taste.
“It is produced by the top-cropping method, interpreting a classic British style, bound to tradition and history.
“We have never produced before for Wetherspoon and believe it to be a great opportunity, allowing us, in a country with such an important brewing culture, to both appreciate and learn.”
THE BREWER:“At the beginning of the third millennium, a group of friends, in love with beer and their own roots, started to plan the ‘rebirth’ of a brewery.
“Their aim was to give the city back its beer and bring a prestigious part of its history up to date.
“After years of study and research in food and beer technology, after trials and sacrifices, the Fabbrica della Birra Perugia once again became a working reality – with our beers being authentic and rich in personality.
“These are craft beers, obviously: unpasteurised, unfiltered, without additives, conditioned in the bottle. These tell us about the relationship between the most natural of raw materials, pure water from Umbrian springs (in the green earth of Italy) and the skill and know-how of the protagonists.”
THE BREWERY:“The history of beer in Perugia has ancient roots and can boast a prestigious past.
“One of the milestones in this noble tradition was 1875, the year when the brewery was founded.
“In those early days, the company’s headquarters were located in the centre of the historical city, near the snow deposits in the underground passages of the Rocca Paolina. At that time, these were used as rudimentary fridges for ageing and conserving beer – which was refined in special oak kegs.
“At the beginning of the 20th century, the factory reached a significant level of production – and the beer was distributed throughout Italy. The production continued until the brewery ceased its activities in 1927.
“We like to focus on our year-round beers, but also to create seasonal beers and experiment. We are also one of the few breweries producing cider in Italy.”
FA B B R I C A D E L L A B I R R A P E R U G I A , I TA LY
LUANA MEOLA B R E W E R
“In 2014, after pouring everyone else’s excellent beers for 11 years, we figured that it was time to start brewing our own – time to install our own stainless and start walking the walk.
“To date, we’ve brewed over 100 beers in around 300 batches.”
THE BADGES:“Wheaty Brewing Corps was named Champion Small Brewery (National) at the 2017 Craft Beer Awards. In 2016, The Wheatsheaf Hotel was inducted into the Adelaide Music Collective Hall of Fame (in recognition of supporting live original music).”
THE BREW:“Thebby Bitter is an Australian interpretation of an English bitter. We keep the ABV low (3.9% ABV) and use a biscuity, gentle malt character to balance the tropical fruit character of the Australian hops.
“It can get quite warm in Adelaide, especially in the brewery, so Thebby Bitter is my regular choice after my shift. It’s infinitely drinkable and exceptionally satisfying.
“This will be my first time brewing in the UK. I am looking forward to sampling traditional cask ales and also to learning from over 150 years’ brewing tradition at Wadworth.
“Generally speaking, beer people are good people, so it will be nice to share a few pints with fellow brewers.”
FESTIVAL BEER:Chocolate Porter 5.0% ABV
HOST BREWERY (UK): Adnams Brewery, Southwold, Suffolk
Beer No. 21
FESTIVAL BEER:Thebby Bitter 3.9% ABV
HOST BREWERY (UK): Wadworth, Devizes, Wiltshire
Beer No. 3
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THE BREWER:“Having finished college, where I studied robotics and automation, I was hired as a brewing assistant 10 years ago.
“I was trained by the Nelson Brewing Company, in Canada, to become a professional brewer and continued my education with Siebel Institute and the IBD.
“From there, I was hired twice as a consultant brewer to aid in opening two separately owned microbreweries across the province of British Columbia.
“I then worked full time at a production brewery, before being asked to be the head (and only) brewer for Land & Sea Brewing Company.
“This is my fifth brewery in 10 years and the third which I have helped, as a professional brewer, to start from the ground up.
“With a mechanical aptitude and generally curious by nature, I found myself drawn to the beer-making craft.”
THE BREWERY:“Land & Sea Brewing Company is located in Comox, British Columbia, on an island off the west coast of Canada: Vancouver Island is 31,285 km² – the largest island on the west coast of North America.
“Our brewery has a likeness to British public houses, with a brewhouse system which is only 15 hectolitres.
“We opened in December 2018 – and I have brewed under 100 batches on the system so far.
“We distribute to local communities, pubs and restaurants.”
THE BADGES:“In our 10th month of operation, our brewery was voted by the people of British Columbia & the BC Ale Trail as ‘Best Brewery Experience’.
“We were invited to collaborate and brew a beer with Vancouver Island Brewing to raise funds and awareness for the Pacific Salmon Foundation. The beer was a hazy session IPA, called Deadhead, winning silver in an international competition.
L A N D & S E A B R E W I N G C O M PA N Y, C A N A D A
TESSA GABINIEWICZ
B R E W E R
FESTIVAL BEER:Estuary Session Ale 4.5% ABV
HOST BREWERY (UK): Hook Norton Brewery, Banbury, Oxfordshire
Beer No. 16
THE BREW:“The beer which I am honoured to brew with Hook Norton is my Estuary Session Ale. Its appearance is golden, with a fluffy, contrasting white head. It has a subtle aroma on the nose of grapefruit, candied ginger and spruce trees.
“Unique to this brew is the addition of real hand- harvested Sitka and Blue Spruce conifer tree ‘tips’. As an outdoor and foraging enthusiast, I pick wild edibles and often incorporate them in my brews.
“Living on the west coast of Canada, our iconic spruce trees boast flavourful budding tips in the spring which complement the pacific northwest hops we’ve all come to love in North American IPAs.
“I have never travelled overseas before – and there is nothing more exciting to me than to be travelling to a place with such a rich history, culture and brewing tradition.
“My admiration for Wetherspoon’s pubs runs deep, as I have heard only remarkable things about what a staple the pubs are in every community. Many of my peers, friends and mentors call Wetherspoon pubs ‘an institution’ – and I could not be more honoured to become a part of this celebration of ale.
“Secondly, the idea of brewing in a Victorian Tower Brewery which is 170 years old – older than my home country – blows my mind. I am eager to see the 25hp steam engine in operation and to talk shop with the Hook Norton brewers.
THE BREWER:“While I was a student studying biotechnology at King’s College London, I found myself enjoying the beers which I was trying in the local west London pubs. After graduating, I decided to pursue my passion for beer and went on to attend Heriot-Watt in Edinburgh, where I studied an MSc in brewing and distilling.
“The brewing industry and the process of creating beer recipes are collaborative. I’m inspired by working together, as one team, to create something in which people take genuine enjoyment.”
THE BREWERY:“Bath Ales celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. From our West Country base in Warmley (between Bath and Bristol), we brew a distinctive range of premium, authentic, inventive beers.
“Fronted by our flagship ale, Gem, our new four-vessel brew house (Hare Brewery) opened its doors in 2018, doubling our previous brewing capacity. We can now produce over 50,000 brewer’s barrels of beer per year – over 14.5 million pints.
“Our beers are available in pubs across the country. An exciting schedule of new beers launched alongside the brewery’s opening, including Lansdown West Coast IPA, Prophecy New World Pale Ale and Sulis – our first lager.
“Our new seasonal programme is about offering customers something different from their firm favourites and encouraging pub-goers to explore the wonderful world of beer styles. It also allows our brewing team to experiment with different ingredients and flavour profiles. Keep an eye out for the rest of our 2020 seasonals in pubs across the southwest, including Mad Hatter Golden Beer (3.9% ABV) and King of Hearts Extra Special Bitter (5.0% ABV).”
B AT H A L E S , E N G L A N D
GEORGINA YOUNG
B R E W E R
THE BADGES:“Queen of Hearts is one of our new seasonal beers for 2020. Those attending the Wetherspoon spring real-ale festival will be the first to try it.
“In terms of our other award-winning beers, Lansdown (our West Coast IPA) was awarded a silver at the International Brewing Awards last year. It was great for one of our newest beer brands to recognised on the world stage.”
THE BREW:“Queen of Hearts is part of Bath Ales’ new programme of seasonal cask beers, all of which are inspired by Alice in Wonderland. It’s a red ale, laced with dark hedgerow fruits, including blackberries and redcurrants. It is packed with crystal malts to add toffee and raisin notes, along with sweetness. British hops, including Challenger and Bramling Cross, result in pine and spicy notes – and a sprinkle of brown sugar adds some sparkle.
“In terms of my own brewing career, I was previously head brewer at Fuller, Smith & Turner before moving back home to the West Country and taking on the role of Bath Ales’ head brewer in May 2019.”
FESTIVAL BEER:Queen of Hearts 4.3% ABV
BREWERY: Bath Ales, Somerset
Beer No. 10
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THE BREWER:“I have always been interested in food and drinks, how they are made/manufactured and the effect on the human body – taste, aroma and consumption. I have been very fortunate, having worked for three family breweries and, over the decades, seen many changes, in both production and attitudes towards eating, drinking and socialising – with both positive and negative effects on the industry. Now is a very exciting time to be producing beer, with customers having an appetite for a wide range of flavours. So, at Hook Norton Brewery, we are making very good use of our pilot plant, with some experimental beers moving up into the main brewery and winning awards.”
THE BREWERY:“We have a brewery, a visitors’ centre, a museum, a café and brewery tours available.”
“We were awarded the southeast’s ‘Hidden Gem Award’ in Visit England’s Attraction Accolades; it recognises the quality of visitors’ experiences across England.”
“We were also named in the Lonely Planet’s 500 United Kingdom unmissable experiences travel list.”
Hook Norton Brewery’s managing director, James Clarke, said: “We have been brewing here continuously for 170 years, something of which we are very proud. From the humble beginnings, when my great-great-grandfather set up as a maltster in Hook Norton, to now, we are the largest independent brewer in Oxfordshire and the finest Victorian brewery still in daily use. From brewing just two beers to a range well into double figures, from original recipes to cutting-edge brews, we are proud to fly the flag for independent family brewing in the UK.”
THE BADGES:Our beers have picked up the following awards:Old Hooky World Beer Awards 2019 United Kingdom – gold medal
H O O K N O R T O N B R E W E R Y, E N G L A N D
JANET TAILBY B R E W E R
FESTIVAL BEER:Off The Hook 4.3% ABV
BREWERY: Hook Norton Brewery, Banbury, Oxfordshire
Beer No. 11
Red Rye International Beer Challenge – gold medalWorld Beer Awards 2019 – United Kingdom’s Best Rye BeerWorld Beer Awards 2018 – United Kingdom’s Best Rye BeerWorld Beer Awards 2017 – World’s Best Speciality BeerWorld Beer Awards 2017 – World’s Best Rye BeerWorld Beer Awards 2017 – United Kingdom’s Best Rye Beer
THE BREW:This new, golden-coloured beer has been brewed exclusively for this Wetherspoon real-ale festival, with an impressive range of hop varieties delivering a strong combination of orange and citrus notes, along with a full-flavoured, refreshing character.
THE BREWER:“I’ve been brewing with Hogs Back Brewery for the last 27 years, since it first opened in Tongham, starting from the bottom and working my way up. Many people don’t know that, in the old days, because the water, itself, wasn’t fit to drink, women used to brew beer. I am proud to be the only brewster at Hogs Back Brewery.
“When I first joined the brewery, the boss said: ‘I’ll teach you to brew.’ Although I was thrown in at the deep end, I really enjoyed it and became more and more interested in the traditional brewing process and the different ingredients – and how these affect the end beer. I have been brewing TEA, our Traditional English Ale, to almost the same recipe for all these years, yet just love the chance to try something new.”
THE BREWERY:“Here at the brewery, we grow our own hops. We have eight acres, growing three varieties: Fuggles, a traditional bittering hop used in TEA; English Cascade, with its wonderful citrus characteristics; Farnham White Bine, the heritage hop which was traditionally grown around the Farnham area – which no one else in the world grows!
“Hogs Back has always been a bit quirky: to celebrate the birth of my daughter, Charley, we brewed a beer called Brewster’s Bundle.
“Oh… and… our brew house has a ghost!”
THE BADGES:“Our Hogstar Lager won the SIBA regional gold medal, in 2017, as well as a World Beer UK gold, but winning runner-up in 2000 at the Great British Beer Festival Champion Beer of Britain, with TEA, was amazing.”
H O G S B A C K B R E W E R Y, E N G L A N D
MO ZEIHER B R E W E R
THE BREW:“I am brewing Citrus Pale Ale – crisp, refreshing, full of hops and with a characteristic bitter finish. By adding the aroma hops Cascade and Mosaic late in the brew, then dry-hopping, the citrusy, grapefruit aroma and flavour really come through. The Cascade hops have been grown by our brew team here at the brewery.”
FESTIVAL BEER:Citrus Pale Ale 4.5% ABV
BREWERY: Hogs Back Brewery, Surrey
Beer No. 14
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THE BREWER:“I studied biochemistry at university and became interested in the practical applications of my degree. I saw a brewing masters course at Heriot-Watt, in Edinburgh, and decided to continue my studies. This was the only place doing a brewing degree at the time, so the big brewers came recruiting from there and I ended up working for Courage, making Directors, Foster’s, Kronenbourg and a strong beer called Bulldog (which used a lot of the dry-hopping techniques used by micros today). I started Brewster’s in 1998, so we are now running for 22 years.
“I was awarded Brewer of the Year in 2012 by the Beer Writers’ Guild and the All Parliamentary Beer Group in 2018.”
THE BREWERY:“Before the 13th century, women carried out all household brewing. The word ‘brewster’ is the medieval term for female brewers.
“When hops were introduced, the beer was then brewed in breweries on a larger scale, the men took over and formed guilds… which then banned women from joining them!
“We are located in Grantham, the ancestral home of Isaac Newton, Margaret Thatcher and Nicholas Parsons! I started Project Venus in 2011 to act as a networking group for female brewers in the UK, where we meet up to brew collaborative beers.
“International Women’s Collaborative Brew Day grew out of this (https://unitebrew.org/). At breweries all around the world, we brew a celebratory beer on International Women’s Day. It is the seventh year this year – and the theme is ‘tribute’; so, to quote from the website:
“This year, we would like to ‘Tribute’ your beers. As always, you can interpret the theme in any which way; maybe you would like to tribute a brew to an individual who has inspired you, a region or country you are in or tribute to a beer that made you fall in love with what we do.”
B R E W S T E R ’ S B R E W E R Y, E N G L A N D
SARA BARTON
B R E W E R
THE BADGES:“The brewery has won many awards for its beers and for the brewery. Hophead (of which Persephone is a stronger version) won International Brewing Awards gold, in 2015, and has been shortlisted three times for Champion Beer of Britain.”
THE BREW:“Persephone is a 5.0% ABV, stronger version of our best-selling Hophead. Hophead is a pale golden session ale, at 3.6% ABV, with bags of hop character from a mix of English and American aromatic varieties. We first brewed Hophead in 1998 because we saw demand arise for a low-ABV golden session beer. It has become increasingly popular since then – and we brew it every week. It has been shortlisted three times for Champion Beer of Britain and, in 1995, won a gold medal at the International Brewing Awards.
“Persephone is the Greek goddess of the spring which we considered an appropriate name for an ale for this spring beer festival. A stronger 5.0% ABV light gold beer, with 100% extra pale ale malt, this has a fresh, zesty hop character, with highlights of orange, lemon and blackcurrant hop notes. It is a deceptively drinkable flavoursome brew which we hope will go down well with Wetherspoon’s customers.”
THE BREWER:“I grew up on the Isle of Islay, also known as the Whisky Isle, so brewing and distilling have always been a big part of my life. My papa owned the land which supplied the peat for Laphroaig Distillery. My dad worked at Bruichladdich Distillery in the bottling hall, while I worked there too, conducting tours during the summers of 2011–13. My younger brother still works there as a brand academy and training ambassador, so it is an integral part of my family.
“I always wanted to do something scientific, so I moved from Islay to Dundee, in 2014, to do my HNC in applied science and got a job in a brewery just outside St Andrews. This is when I had my ‘craft beer awakening’ and realised that I loved the process and the beers!
“In 2016, I enrolled on the BSc brewing & distilling course at Heriot-Watt, in Edinburgh, to turn my passion into a career… and the rest is history!”
THE BREWERY:“Harviestoun is a pioneering producer of high-quality craft beer. We have been brewing in the shadow of the Ochil Hills (Clackmannanshire) since 1983. Our beers are made with the local soft water, with half of our barley grown within eight miles of the brewery.
“Now Scotland’s most-awarded brewery, we consider ourselves a modern classic.”
H A R V I E S T O U N B R E W E R Y, S C O T L A N D
LISA MATTHEWS
B R E W E R
FESTIVAL BEER:Persephone 5.0% ABV
BREWERY: Brewster’s Brewery, Lincolnshire.
Beer No. 22
FESTIVAL BEER:Heaven Cent 4.6% ABV
BREWERY: Harviestoun Brewery, Clackmannanshire.
Beer No. 18
THE BADGES:“We’ve won some great accolades in our 36 years of brewing. We’ve won big at the World Beer Awards through the years, including:World’s Best Ale 2007 for Bitter & TwistedWorld’s Best Pilsner 2008 with SchiehallionBest Stout & Porter World Beer Awards Europe 2010 with Old Engine OilBest Speciality Dark Ale World Beer Awards Europe 2010 with Ola Dubh.Recent awards include: Our barrel-aged ale Ola Dubh won Brewing Product of the Year at Scotland Food and Drink Awards, in 2018. Old Engine Oil (6.0% Black Ale) won Champion Beer of Scotland, Porter Category, in 2018.Old Engine Oil Engineers Reserve (9.0% black ale) won gold at the World Beer awards UK, in 2019.”
THE BREW:“The Centennial hop owes its existence to a mix of Brewer’s Gold, Fuggles, East Kent Goldings and Bavarian hops. Developed in 1974 and released in 1990, Centennial was pioneered by Charles Zimmerman and ST Kenny, at Washington State University. At times, it is referred to as Super Cascade because of its similar citric characteristic. We considered it the perfect hop to showcase our new cask IPA Heaven Cent.”
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IN ITS GOOD BEER GUIDE
248WETHERSPOON PUBS
All CAMRA members receive £30 worth of 50p vouchers towards the price of one pint of real ale or real cider; visit the camra website for further details: camra.org.ukCheck out our international craft brewers’ showcase ales, featuring some of the best brewers from around the world, available in pubs throughout the year.Wetherspoon also supports local brewers, over 450 of which are set up to deliver to their local pubs.We run regular guest ale lists and have over 200 beers available for pubs to order throughout the year; ask at the bar for your favourite.
OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH CAMRAWETHERSPOON
CAMRA ALSO FEATURES
FESTIVAL NEWS WED 25 MAR – SUN 5 APR 15FESTIVAL NEWS WED 25 MAR – SUN 5 APR
In our 12-day spring 2020 world’s biggest real-ale festival, we are celebrating female brewers from the UK and around the world.Five female festival brewers from overseas have produced their ale recipes right here in the UK, to line up alongside 25 beers, some from Britain’s best female brewers, with both award-winning and several exclusive festival ales.As well as the fabulous five overseas brews, we have sourced a further 25 festival beers from breweries across the UK to complete our real-ale line-up.Among them, making an exclusive début at the festival, is Otter 30 Years (4.0% ABV), brewer Mary Ann McCaig’s new golden beer, celebrating this popular Devon brewery’s 30th anniversary.A trio of brewers from Marston’s Brewery, Aneta Izdbeska, Naomi Pallister and Victoria Hearnden, has also brewed the new ruby-coloured Russet (4.2% ABV) exclusively for us.Other exclusive brews to watch out for are Georgina Young’s Queen of Hearts (4.3% ABV), a new, warming amber-red ale from Somerset-based Bath Ales, together with Janet Tailby’s Off The Hook (4.3% ABV), a new, golden-coloured beer from Hook Norton Brewery, in Oxfordshire.Among the festival selection are two beers which are both gluten free and vegan friendly. Purity APA (3.9% ABV), from Purity Brewery in Warwickshire, is a hazy, pale golden new ale, with zesty aromas of berries, peach and passion fruit, leading to a fruity, balanced flavour – and brewed exclusively for our festival.A dark ruby-coloured speciality beer, Cambridgeshire’s Elgood’s Blackberry Porter (4.5% ABV) has a predominantly blackberry aroma, with hints of malt and clean berry fruit flavours in the finish.Also from Cambridgeshire, courtesy of Oakham Ales, is a new amber-coloured IPA, also brewed exclusively for this event. Our strongest festival ale, Oakham Rogue Hop (5.6% ABV) delivers an aroma and flavour which are bursting with tropical fruit character, culminating in a smooth, dry finish.The festival features new, seasonal and speciality beers, many of them available in our pubs for the very first time and all available to order via the Wetherspoon app.Our special third-of-a-pint glasses will be available once again too, helping you to sample many of the festival ales – with three for the price of a festival pint.
I N T R O D U C TI O N TO T H E FE S T I VA L B E E R S
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INTERNATIONAL BREWERIB
FESTIVAL BREW: Brewed for the first time, exclusively for this festival
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1/ GREENE KING SUNRISER 3.8% ABV Greene King Brewery, Suffolk. Est. 1799This new golden seasonal ale has an inviting, fruity, hoppy aroma, leading to bold fruity flavours, balanced by subtle malt notes and culminating in a refreshing character and hoppy finish. Brewed by Georgia Grouchman.Hops: Mosaic Allergens: barley (GLUTEN)
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5/ OTTER 30 YEARS 4.0% ABVOtter Brewery, Devon. Est. 1990This new golden beer, celebrating this popular brewery’s 30th anniversary, makes its exclusive début at this Wetherspoon real-ale festival. Aromas of tangerine and peach lead to a crisp and fruity flavour, with a smooth, rounded finish. Brewed by Mary Ann McCaig.Hops: Huell Melon, MagnumAllergens: barley (GLUTEN), wheat (GLUTEN)
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8/ ST PETER’S HOP IT 4.2% ABV St Peter’s Brewery, Suffolk. Est. 1996This copper-coloured ale has an inviting, hoppy aroma, leading to a well-rounded malty flavour and moderate bitterness, with malty, sweet and hoppy notes combining to deliver a balanced character throughout. Brewed by Hayley Oakes.Hops: Admiral, Motueka, PilgrimAllergens: barley (GLUTEN)
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6/ BLACK SHEEP MONTY PYTHON’S DEAD PARROT 4.1% ABV Black Sheep Brewery, North Yorkshire. Est. 1992This new amber-coloured beer makes its exclusive début at this Wetherspoon real-ale festival. The fresh hop aromas of citrus fruit and pine squawk against sweet malt and rye notes, while the malt and hop flavours blend to create a perfect balance with a fruity kick and a refreshing finish.
Hops: Chinook, GalenaAllergens: barley (GLUTEN), rye (GLUTEN), wheat (GLUTEN)
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7/ MARSTON’S RUSSET 4.2% ABV Marston’s Brewery, Staffordshire. Est. 1834This new ruby-coloured beer, brewed exclusively for this Wetherspoon real-ale festival, has a balance of malt and hop notes in the flavour, with undertones of caramel and toffee complemented by a subtle dry hop finish. Brewed by Aneta Izdbeska, Naomi Pallister and Victoria Hearnden.Hops: GoldingsAllergens: barley (GLUTEN)
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2/ PURITY APA 3.9% ABV Purity Brewery, Warwickshire. Est. 2005This new gluten-free and vegan-friendly beer has been brewed exclusively for this Wetherspoon real-ale festival. It is a hazy pale golden in colour, with zesty aromas of berries, peach and passion fruit, leading to a fruity, balanced flavour.
Hops: Columbus, Galaxy, Nelson Sauvin Allergens: none
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3/ WHEATY BREWING CORPS THEBBY BITTER 3.9% ABVWheaty Brewing Corps, South Australia. Est. 2014This light amber-coloured beer, packed full of hops, is a little beer with a big flavour. Its hops provide plenty of tropical fruit notes and hoppy flavours, with a biscuit-malt backbone providing balance to its refreshing character. Brewed by Steph Cope at Wadworth Brewery, Wiltshire.Hops: Cascade, Ella, Enigma, Warrior Allergens: barley (GLUTEN), wheat (GLUTEN)
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4/ CONWY EL CAMINO 4.0% ABVConwy Brewery, Conwy. Est. 2003This golden beer has distinctive aromas of fresh green pepper and tropical fruit, leading to a hoppy, refreshing flavour with a well-balanced bitterness and lasting finish.
Hops: Cascade, Citra, Columbus, EkuanotAllergens: barley (GLUTEN), wheat (GLUTEN)
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FESTIVAL NEWS WED 25 MAR – SUN 5 APR
TASTING NOTES
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SPECIAL BREW: Rare beer brewed again especially for this festival
SBSPECIALITY BEER: Unusual ingredients or style (ie cask lager)
SP GLUTEN FREE GFSEASONAL
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11/ HOOK NORTON OFF THE HOOK 4.3% ABV Hook Norton Brewery, Oxfordshire. Est. 1849This new, golden-coloured beer has been brewed exclusively for this Wetherspoon real-ale festival, with an impressive range of hop varieties delivering a strong combination of orange and citrus notes, along with a full-flavoured, refreshing character.Brewed by Janet Tailby.
Hops: Admiral, Challenger, Mandarina Bavaria, UK Amarillo, UK ChinookAllergens: barley (GLUTEN)
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12/ ADNAMS FISHERMAN 4.5% ABV Adnams Brewery, Suffolk. Est. 1872This rare beer has been brewed again, after a few years’ break, especially for this Wetherspoon real-ale festival. It is deep red in colour, with a flavour which, although clean and refreshing, conjures up roasted nuts and dark chocolate, along with a lingering taste of liquorice and dark fruits. Brewed by Dawn Baldry.
Hops: GoldingsAllergens: barley (GLUTEN), oats (GLUTEN)
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13/ ELGOOD’S BLACKBERRY PORTER 4.5% ABV Elgood’s Brewery, Cambridgeshire. Est. 1795This dark ruby-coloured speciality beer is both gluten free and suitable for vegans. The predominant blackberry aroma, with hints of malt, leads to a rich, roasted malt palate, complemented by a pleasing hop bitterness and clean berry fruit flavours in the finish.
Hops: FugglesAllergens: none
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14/ HOGS BACK CITRUS PALE ALE 4.5% ABV Hogs Back Brewery, Surrey. Est. 1992This new golden-coloured seasonal ale delivers a blend of floral and citrus notes in both the aroma and flavour, with subtle malt notes giving a fine balance to the light, hoppy character – culminating in a long, dry finish. Brewed by Mo Zeiher.
Hops: Fuggles, Mosaic, UK Cascade Allergens: barley (GLUTEN), wheat (GLUTEN)
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15/ JW LEES BOURNE AND BOOTH 4.5% ABV JW Lees Brewery, Manchester. Est. 1828This new beer has been brewed exclusively for this Wetherspoon real-ale festival. It is light mahogany in colour, with a well-balanced, full-bodied flavour and emerging bitterness, resulting in a clean and crisp character. Brewed by Abby Bourne and Amy Booth.
Hops: Celeia, PilgrimAllergens: barley (GLUTEN)
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16/ LAND & SEA ESTUARY SESSION ALE 4.5% ABV Land & Sea Brewing, British Columbia, CanadaThis golden beer has aromas of grapefruit, candied ginger and pine, with floral undertones, leading to a toffee malt sweetness, complemented by grapefruit and a hop resin bitterness, resulting in a clean, crisp finish. Brewed by Tessa Gabiniewicz at Hook Norton Brewery, Oxfordshire.
Hops: Cascade, Citra, Pilgrim, Spruce CentennialAllergens: barley (GLUTEN)
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9/ TERRAPIN HEY PAL 4.2% ABV Terrapin Beer Co, Georgia, USA. Est. 2002This russet-coloured American brown ale delivers a smooth, easy-drinking mouthfeel, with distinctive toasty, roasted and chocolate notes, balanced and enhanced by a prominent hop bite in the flavour. Brewed by Jess Hurd at Banks’s Brewery, West Midlands.
Hops: Fuggles, Magnum, ProgressAllergens: barley (GLUTEN), oats (GLUTEN)
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10/ BATH QUEEN OF HEARTS 4.3% ABV Bath Ales, Somerset. Est. 1995This new, warming amber-red ale has been brewed exclusively for this Wetherspoon real-ale festival. The toffee and raisin notes, imparted by generous quantities of crystal malt, combine with pine and spicy hop notes, while the addition of dark fruits gives a distinctive twist to this ale’s character. Brewed by Georgina Young.
Hops: Bramling Cross, ChallengerAllergens: barley (GLUTEN), oats (GLUTEN), rye (GLUTEN), wheat (GLUTEN)
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FESTIVAL NEWS WED 25 MAR – SUN 5 APR
18 FESTIVAL NEWS WED 25 MAR – SUN 5 APR
17/ SAMBROOK’S CANDLEMAKER 4.5% ABV Sambrook’s Brewery, Battersea. Est. 2008This rare black IPA, brewed again especially for this Wetherspoon real-ale festival, has aromas of pine, citrus and treacle, leading to flavours of liquorice, spiced malt loaf and citrus hops, with notes of cocoa, figs and coffee in the finish.
Hops: Chinook, Citra, MosaicAllergens: barley (GLUTEN), wheat (GLUTEN)
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18/ HARVIESTOUN HEAVEN CENT 4.6% ABV Harviestoun Brewery, Clackmannanshire. Est. 1983This new blond IPA has pleasing hoppy, floral notes and a perfect balance of malt and bitterness. It has generous quantities of citrus, pine and resinous flavours, delivering a crisp and refreshing character. Brewed by Lisa Matthews.
Hops: Centennial, Eureka, Magnum, WaimeaAllergens: barley (GLUTEN), oats (GLUTEN), wheat (GLUTEN)
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19/ SALOPIAN THE MURMURINGS OF A LOST LEVIATHAN 4.8% ABV Salopian Brewery, Shropshire. Est. 1995This golden IPA sparkles with mesmerising tangerine and papaya sorbet notes, delivering a hoppy and full (yet not overpowering) flavour which melds beautifully across a brazen sea of passion fruit and lemon zest.
Hops: Centennial, Challenger, Mosaic, Nelson SauvinAllergens: barley (GLUTEN)
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20/ SHEPHERD NEAME IN THE NIC OF TIME 4.8% ABV Shepherd Neame Brewery, Kent. Est. 1698This new deep golden beer has been brewed exclusively for this Wetherspoon real-ale festival, with a fresh, floral aroma leading to a balance of citrus notes, a refreshing bitterness and a background of malt flavours. Brewed by Nic Allen.
Hops: Cascade, Fuggles, TargetAllergens: barley (GLUTEN)
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21/ BIRRA PERUGIA CHOCOLATE PORTER 5.0% ABV Fabbrica della Birra Perugia, Torgiano, Italy. Est. 1875This black beer is based on a classic porter recipe, with the addition of roasted cocoa beans delivering chocolate flavours, complemented by roasted, malty and coffee notes, resulting in a smooth and complex character. Brewed by Luana Meola at Adnams Brewery, Suffolk.
Hops: GoldingsAllergens: barley (GLUTEN), oats (GLUTEN)
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22/ BREWSTER’S PERSEPHONE 5.0% ABV Brewster’s Brewery, Lincolnshire. Est. 1998This light golden beer, brewed exclusively for this Wetherspoon real-ale festival, is a stronger version of this brewery’s multiaward-winning Hophead. The intense hop aromas of citrus fruits lead to refreshing flavours of zesty marmalade and a lasting, hoppy finish. Brewed by Sara Barton.
Hops: Bramling Cross, Cascade, First GoldAllergens: barley (GLUTEN)
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23/ LOCH LOMOND SILKIE STOUT 5.0% ABV Loch Lomond Brewery, West Dunbartonshire. Est. 2011This award-winning black oatmeal stout has an inviting roast coffee aroma, leading to a robust and rich chocolate flavour, balanced by subtle hop notes and rounded off with a smooth, creamy finish. Brewed by Fiona MacEachern.
Hops: First Gold, PacificaAllergens: barley (GLUTEN), oats (GLUTEN), wheat (GLUTEN)
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INTERNATIONAL BREWERIB
FESTIVAL BREW: Brewed for the first time, exclusively for this festival
FBNEW BEER FOR 202020TASTING NOTES
19FESTIVAL NEWS WED 25 MAR – SUN 5 APR
25/ LANCASTER IPA 5.1% ABVLancaster Brewery, Lancashire. Est. 2005This new, light golden beer has been brewed exclusively for this Wetherspoon real-ale festival. The blend of three British hop varieties delivers citrus and orange notes, with a fruity, balanced and full-bodied flavour developing into a full, lasting finish.
Hops: Admiral, Godiva, PilotAllergens: barley (GLUTEN), wheat (GLUTEN)
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26/ MAXIM AMERICAN PRIDE IPA 5.2% ABVMaxim Brewery, County Durham. Est. 2007This pale golden beer, last seen in July 2017, has been brewed again exclusively for this Wetherspoon real-ale festival. Created in the style of an American IPA, the tropical fruit aromas lead to an abundance of dry blackcurrant notes in the complex, well-balanced flavour.
Hops: Cascade, Citra, WillametteAllergens: barley (GLUTEN), wheat (GLUTEN)
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27/ VALE JEKYLL AND HYDE 5.2% ABVVale Brewery, Buckinghamshire. Est. 1995This deep red beer, last seen in May 2013, has been brewed again exclusively for this Wetherspoon real-ale festival. The subtle aromas of passion fruit and grapefruit lead to rich roast malt flavours, balanced by fresh berry fruit hop notes and a dry, lasting finish.
Hops: StyrianAllergens: barley (GLUTEN), wheat (GLUTEN)
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28/ BREW MOON ANTIPODEAN 5.5% ABVBrew Moon Brewery, New Zealand. Est. 2002This golden-coloured pale ale has generous quantities of tropical fruit, citrus and fruity notes in both the aroma and flavour, balanced by a crisp, light, malty base. This delivers a full, refreshing character and a lasting finish. Brewed by Belinda Gould at Shepherd Neame Brewery, Kent.
Hops: Galaxy, KohatuAllergens: barley (GLUTEN)
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29/ WADWORTH SWEET MOLLY 5.5% ABVWadworth Brewery, Wiltshire. Est. 1875This new ruby-coloured beer has been brewed exclusively for this Wetherspoon real-ale festival. The subtle smoky aroma leads to a soft toffee and caramel sweetness, balanced by a light roasted dryness and a moderate hoppiness, with spicy and dark fruit notes.
Hops: Chinook, TargetAllergens: barley (GLUTEN)
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30/ OAKHAM ROGUE HOP 5.6% ABVOakham Ales, Cambridgeshire. Est. 1993This new amber-coloured IPA has been brewed exclusively for this Wetherspoon real-ale festival. Its generous blend of hops delivers an aroma and flavour which are bursting with tropical fruit character, culminating in a smooth, dry finish.
Hops: Cascade, Centennial, Columbus, SummitAllergens: barley (GLUTEN), wheat (GLUTEN)
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24/ TITANIC NEW SCHOOL 5.0% ABV Titanic Brewery, Staffordshire. Est. 1985Andrea Reed from Charnwood Brewery, a new-school brewery established in 2014, has brewed this new, exclusive beer for us at Titanic Brewery, considered an old-school brewery. This red-brown beer uses traditional quantities of darker malts to combine with modern hopping rates, resulting in a hoppy aroma, a full and balanced flavour and a smooth, dry finish.Brewed by Andrea Reed and Will Bott.
Hops: First Gold, Fuggles, TargetAllergens: barley (GLUTEN),
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SPECIAL BREW: Rare beer brewed again especially for this festival
SBSPECIALITY BEER: Unusual ingredients or style (ie cask lager)
SP GLUTEN FREE GFSEASONAL
BREWS VEGANV
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Subject to local licensing restrictions and availability at participating free houses. Photography/illustration is for guidance only. J D Wetherspoon plc reserves the right to withdraw/change offers (without notice), at any time. See main menus for allergen information, symbol explanations and additional details of our terms and conditions. **Ale festival price may vary by pub and applies to the festival ales only, the full list of which can be seen in these tasting notes.
18 FEMALE BREWERS FROM THE UK AND AROUND THE WORLD
ALES AVAILABLE ON THE WETHERSPOON APP
ENJOY 3 1/3 - PINT TASTERS FOR THE PRICE** OF A FESTIVAL PINTFESTIVAL ALES ARE PART OF THE ‘INCLUDES A DRINK’ MEAL-DEAL RANGE