Rhythm
'n' Brews 2009 - Hitting the high notes (again !).
The Rhythm 'n' Brews 2009 Festival hit the high notes once again. Despite not selling out of beer over the weekend, the excellent choice of beers, some from new breweries along with local and established breweries once again proved popular with punters.
We received some excellent comments from the questionnaires. Comments were "excellent choice and quality", "relaxed atmosphere" along with "beer choice and the brewing group stand" - this referred to the Darlington Traditional Brewing Group Stand, which was run by a group of people who brew in backyards and sheds on a small scale. Most of the members live in and around the Darlington area and produce a pint just as good as the commercial breweries.
The festival was a success. In the "How can we improve the festival ?" Section, we received comments such as "Don't change it !", "Can we have more festivals ?" and "None - great choice and venue !".
In the Beer of the Festival voting the winner was Redscar Beach from Redcar, North Yorkshire. Second was Roosters Hedghog from Knaresborough in North Yorkshire and in third place was Elveden Artic Ale at a whopping 10% from Elveden in Norfolk. In the Cider of the Festival the voting the winner was Broadoak Perry from Clutton in Somerset. Second in the voting was Wilkins Medium Dry Cider from Mudgley in Somerset while Oakwood Organic Cider from Robertsbridge in East Sussex finished third in the voting.
Many thanks to those who donated their unused cash on the beers towards our chosen charity. A total of £226.50 was raised for the Great North Air Ambulance and a presentation was made to this worthwhile charity.
Thanks once again to all for making the Rhythm 'n' Brews event a success once more.
Spring
Thing '09 - It's a sell out !.
Sold out ! - That's the message from
our Spring Thing '09 Festival held at the Arts Centre.
The "small" festival, part of the Art Centre's Spring Thing proved popular with the cask beers along with emergency supplies being drunk dry by 9.45pm on the Saturday evening, but despite an "early" finish on the cask ale bars punters still had the opportunity to drink bottled beers.
"Carnival atmosphere", "Beer choice", "Unfortunately I have to go home !" were some of the excellent comments we received from punters visiting the festival. The first beers to sell out were Monty's Sunshine, 1488 Tullibardine's Blonde followed by Five Town's Lover's Leap.
Beer of the festival was Monty's Sunshine from Hendomen, Powys in Mid Wales. Second in the voting was Swale from Richmond Brewery, based in the old Richmond Railway Station, while in third place was Thornbridge Hall's Halcyon Imperial IPA from Ashford-in-the-water in Derbyshire. Cider of the festival was Double Vision's Impeared Vision from Boughton-Monchelsea in Kent, second was Cornish Cyder Farm's Cider from Penhallow in Cornwall, and in third was Pyder from Gwynt y Ddraig based in Llantwit Fadre, Glamorgan in Wales.
Macmillan
Cancer Support was our chosen charity
for the festival and £225.45 was raised for this cause - many thanks to
those who donated. A presentation was made by Festival Organiser Ian
Jackson, left in picture, to Michelle Muir, Fundraising Manager for
Macmillan Cancer Support at their office in Darlington. A
presentation was also made to Monty's Brewery by Festival
Organiser Ian Jackson. Click here
to read all about it.
Plans will be soon put into place for September's Rhythm 'n' Brews. And as one punter commented, "Roll on Rhythm 'n' Brews !" ....
Hammers
Delight.
Following on from the Pub of the Season for
Award for Teesdale back in November last year, branch members have now
selected a winner for the County Durham part of our branch based on the
area around the outskirts of Darlington.
The Blacksmith’s Arms at Preston-le-Skerne, a secluded country free house between Newton Aycliffe and Great Stainton, was an overwhelming choice for this inaugural award. A presentation to licensees Beverley Hayman and Brenda Whear, pictured left, by Branch Pubs Officer Pete Fenwick was made on Friday January 30th. The Blacksmith's Arms, affectionately known as "The Hammers" usually has up to three ever-changing guest beers on offer with High House Farm's Lily Brewster, Consett Alework's White Hot and Yorkshire Dales' Askrigg Ale available during the night of the presentation.
Runner up in this award were the Locomotion No.1 at Heighington Station and the George and Dragon in nearby Heighington. Coming soon will be the selection for pubs in the North Yorkshire area of our branch. Click here to see the choice of pubs eligible to win this award.