Tuesday 27 October 2009

Halloween Beer Festivals

This week sees a clash of events in my part of London - though luckily both are held over a number of days affording a visit to both.

The first beer festival held at Le Gothique in Wandsworth earlier in the year was such a success that a second one is planned for this week - More details can be found not on Le Gothique web-site which still shows the spring fest but on The Beer Viking blogsite - who are one of the sponsors. The list of 75 mainly dark beers for your enjoyment here.

If anyone is hunting the Adnams seasonal, Belgian Abbey Ale, it should be available here together with some other highlights such as Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby, Robinson's Old Tom and the legendary Downton Chocolate Orange Delight.

Free pre-booked tickets are available here but selling out fast.

If I am not spotted at Le Gothique, I will be in Kingston at The Willoughby Arms Halloween Festival where the highlight is undoubtedly a rare appearance of Fullers Gales Prize Old Ale in cask.

This is the first version of this famous beer that has been brewed by Fullers in Chiswick - all previous versions being brewed at Gales Brewery in Horndene, Hampshire. It will be very interesting to see if the Fullers team have matched the famous tartness which came along as an infection from the old wooden fermenters in the ancient brewery but will be difficult to reproduce in the stainless steel conical fermenters used at Chiswick. There was once talk of blending a small amount of the infected beer with a new beer to impart a little of that tartness. I am very keen to taste it.

2 comments:

John Paul Adams said...

Made the Gothique on Friday night and a good time had by all. Weather was warm and mild unlike the cold, wet and rain at their March event. With it being dark, the lights were on in the building, and along with an almost full moon, it was a good start to Halloween. Friendly and attentive staff for a change, and an interesting selection of beers.

John Paul Adams said...

Made the Gothique on Friday night and a good time had by all. Weather was warm and mild unlike the cold, wet and rain at their March event. With it being dark, the lights were on in the building, and along with an almost full moon, it was a good start to Halloween. Friendly and attentive staff for a change, and an interesting selection of beers.