Beer Festival Award Presentations

EASTER EDGES IT:
Easter Island, a seasonal special from the Captain Cook Brewery in Stokesley won Beer of the Festival at the 2008 Spring Thing Beer Festival. For the 4 barrel brewery, based behind the rear of the White Swan in Stokesley, North Yorkshire it was a special success especially for new brewer Ian Jackson, as the 4.1% malty flavoured ale was the first beer he brewed there after joining there in early March from Wear Valley Brewery.

As part of a Spring Thing Beer Festival Workers Trip, a presentation was made to Ian by Branch member Pete Fenwick, left in picture. The Beer of the Festival runner up was SS Darlington at 4.0%, brewed especially for the festival by Dark Tribe Brewery in North Lincolnshire while Slipway, also from the Captain Cook Brewery finished third in the voting making it a double success for the new man aboard the ship !.

FEBRUARY 2008

WINDIE WONDERLAND:
Branch members Pete Fenwick, Ian Jackson, John Magson and former Branch Social Secretary Ian McAlpine recently visited the Ayrshire area of south west Scotland to make a presentation at the Failford Inn, Failford near Ayr pictured left.  Situated within the pub is the Windie Goat Brewery and their beer Peden's Cove at 3.5% was the winner of Beer of the Festival at last year's September's Rhythm 'n' Brews Beer Festival. The beer takes its name from the area nearby where the Covenanter Alexander Peden was rumoured to have preached in the 17th century.

The presentation was made by Beer Festival Organiser Ian Jackson, left in picture, in front of a packed pub to brewster Michelle Kesall, right in picture. Michelle, who ironically was born in Darlington thanked the branch for the award and all her regular customers. Also available on the night from Windie Goat Brewery was Fisherman's Pride at 5% but this unfortunately ran out and was replaced by Priest's Wheel, an amber ale flavoured with American hops at 4.3%, named after a fishing pool on the nearby river Ayr. The two Windie Goat beers were also supplemented by a guest beer from Blackwater Brewery's Detox at 4.0% from "south of the border" in Stourbridge, West Midlands.

After an excellent meal and a few more beers, the trip headed back to their base in Ayr checking out the Good Beer Guide listed pubs, including the highly recommended Geordie's Byre. Our thanks go to Michelle and all the staff and regulars at the Failford Inn for their hospitality, not to mention the excellent beer !.

                                                   Click here to visit Michelle's Windie Goat "brewery blog" for news, including our presentation.

FEBRUARY 2007

JAIPUR IS TOPS:
Branch members Pete Fenwick, Ian Jackson and John Magson recently made a visit to Thornbridge Hall near Ashford-in-the-water in the snowy Peak District of Derbyshire to make a presentation to Thornbridge Brewery. Their beer, Jaipur IPA was the winner of Beer of the Festival beating over fifty other beers at last September's Rhythm 'n' Brews Beer Festival.    

The visit also coincided with a trip by Rotherham CAMRA and following a tour around the brewery, a presentation was made by Pete Fenwick, far left in picture, to Thornbridge staff. More samples of the Thornbridge beers, including the Festival winning Jaipur IPA were had before the branch members made the trip back to their base in Buxton. Our thanks go to all the staff at Thornbridge Brewery for their hospitality, not to mention the excellent beer !.

DECEMBER 2005

BLACK GOLD TAKES GOLD:
During a stay in Inverness a visit was made to Cairngorm Brewery in Aviemore to make a presentation. Their beer, Black Gold beat nearly 50 other beers at September's Rhythm 'n' Brews Festival to win Beer of The Festival. Following an excellent welcome in the form of Trade Winds on hand pull, Branch Chairman Ian Jackson presented Cairngorm Head Brewer Sean Tomlinson, pictured left with the Beer of the Festival Certificate. Sean then kindly gave a tour along with samples of the winning Black Gold and their brand new beer, Blessed Thistle.  

Following the presentation Jess took the workers to his new pub, The Maltings in South Shields, pictured left, which is having a larger brew plant installed to cope with demand. The visit also coincided with the Maltings Beer Festival (how do us chaps arrange these things !!) and an excellent lunch of Old Cornelius sausages with mash, followed by a visit to other fine South Shields establishments such as the Alum Ale House, Trimmers Arms and the Riverside.

After South Shields, the next stop was the Grand Hotel in Bishop Auckland, home of the Wear Valley Brewery. Following a few pints of Excalibur and Grand Canny Un, Chairman Ian Jackson once again did the honours in presenting Simon Gillespie and Ian Boyd, left, with the Runner Up Beer of the North certificate for Morning After Stout. Members of Darlington Traditional Brewing Group assisted Simon and Ian in the production of the stout, it having been brewed on a Sunday after the night before, hence its name !!. 

 MAY 2005

   
                                     
Following our visit to Brown Cow Brewery, the trip made a visit to the GBG listed Wheatsheaf in Burn and sample a range of beers and then it was on the Tithe Bar in Northallerton and back on home to Darlington. All in all an excellent day, a shame our Branch Treasurer Alan, left, found it difficult keeping up with the pace at the end !!.

OCTOBER 2004

 
A warm welcome by was given by proprietor Steve Skinner at their riverside brewery in Truro and following the custom brewery tour, a certificate was presented to the Steve and the staff, pictured left,  for the winning brew Figgy's Brew winning at the Rhythm 'n' Brews followed by samples of the Skinners range.

Our trip to Cornwall was short but certainly sweet trip, special thanks to Alan (the Skinners handyman) who went out of the way to make us feel welcome, thanks to him especially for organising the taxi to Doghouse's brewery tap in Zelah, thus allowing the opportunity for a visit by "Darlington Beer Police".    

JULY 2004

JUNE 2004

FEBRUARY 2004

JUNE 2003

FEBRUARY 2003

The Branch made a visit to Roosters in Knaresborough based in a former aircraft hangar where owners Sean and Alison Franklin gave a brewery tour and samples of their beers and Branch Chairman Ian Jackson presented Sean and Alison with the Beer of the Festival award, left. The trip then moved onto Knaresborough visiting the Mitre Hotel and Blind Jack's, the stable mate of the Number Twenty-2 in Darlington.

AUGUST 2002