Friday, June 24, 2011

SIBA Beer Festival: Heaven sent?...

My taste buds are involuntarily going wild at the mere thought of this year's SIBA Beer Festival which will take place in a marquee to the rear of Tonbridge Juddians Rugby Club on Friday, Saturday and Sunday July 16th, 17th and 18th. If last year's was anything to go by this is one not to be missed for fans of proper beer. I'm not exaggerating when I say that going to the event last year changed the beer drinking part of my life for ever. Since then I've been far more picky when it comes to what beer I buy in the supermarket, I invested in a copy of the CAMRA Good Bottled Beer Guide, which became a further source of information; okay for a while I did become a bit of a beer bore, it has to be said, but I'm sure you can forgive me for that. Wherever I travel in the UK I now try to find the local small independent breweries' ales. Generally they cost a bit more than the average gassy big brewery alternative but I'd say they are worth every penny and more. Imagine this scene: it's a lovely sunny evening in mid July, you walk in free, you buy a souvenir half pint glass you are then completely spoilt for choice as you are faced with well over a hundred different casks of beer down one side of the marquee, stacked three high along a fifty yard bar with loads of knowledgeable, bar staff (some of them are even pretty girls!)   Ok there's no football, golf or motor racing going on but isn't this pretty close to most men's idea of Heaven! The majority of the beers are produced by micro and medium sized inde breweries, so you get a great smug feeling of doing one's bit for helping further the cause of real beer and boosting the local economy.So get your selves down there on at least one of the three days and give your taste buds a treat. More information to come on times nearer the weekend of the event....

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looking forward to it as well. Sadly one of the few opportunities to drink local ales in Tonbridge! However, on the beer theme Paul Baileys enjoyable beer blog seems to have stopped - any idea why?

Anonymous said...

Bored himself to death?

Greengrass said...

Locally brewed ale is available at The Plough but I don't advise trying it.
Anon (1) I to have missed Paul Baileys blog & have tried to find out if he is OK.
Anon (2) Not very helpful.

Paul Bailey said...

I am still here, but have been unable to drink beer, or any other alcohol for that matter, for the last 3-4 months. I also haven't felt like going out much, hence I've not had much to blog about. Still it's nice to know that at least two people have missed my blog!

I don't wish to expand on the reasons for my enforced abstinence, at this stage, but hope the situation will start to improve in the not too distant future. For someone that enjoys beer as much as I do, this has been a particularly tough time, especially with festivals such as the SIBA one, plus the Great British Beer Festival coming up.

I of course, would like to wish SIBA and Tonbridge Juddians every success with the festival, and hopefully I'll be back there next year!