Home Page

 

Diary

 

Pub News

 

Walking

 

Contacts

 

Map

 

Links

 

23rd Annual Ale & Steam Festival

North Cotswold Branch of the Campaign for Real Ale

 

Once again blessed with fine weather the very popular Ale and Steam Weekend, held this year on 13th to 15th June, was a great success.  Held in collaboration with the Glos.& Warwickshire Steam Railway at Winchcombe & Toddington stations with the heritage steam & diesel trains transporting festival goers in from Cheltenham Racecourse & Broadway stations.

 

         Winchcombe Station had 28 beers plus 2 reserves and 8 ciders. The beer theme this year was ales from  breweries in the Southwest along with a selection of local ales. Most of the beers, including 2 of the 4 reserves, & all of the ciders sold out. The bars at both stations were very busy, particularly on Saturday afternoon.

Rows of barrels on shelves

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

A group of men standing in a tent

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

     The Toddington bar had 18 beers and 2 reserves plus 5 ciders. By Sunday morning only a few beers and ciders remained for customers at the Stations, fortunately it was a much quieter day so there was just about sufficient to keep the customers happy until the last trains. The picture shoes the Toddington bar on Sunday.

 

   The first local beer to run out, so our local ale festival winner was Summer Solstice a particularly refreshing golden ale from North Cotswold brewery. The first SW guest ale to go was Miniature Cymbals a beautifully balanced, light pale ale from the Verdant Brewing Co. down in Cornwall. So, our SW ale of the festival.

 

 Cider

 

     This year we had 4 x 20 litre boxes of cider at Toddington with one additional reserve 20l box, 5 Boxes in total. By 1.30pm in Saturday Toddington were all ready getting very low on cider, as it seems that many more people have decided to start the day at Toddington before moving to Winchcombe. So a quick discussion between Martin Jones and an urgent phone call was made by Martin Jones and an extra box was brought to Toddington by the reliable Pearsons Cider. This was all gone by Saturday evening. That’s 240 pints at Toddington alone.

 

     At Winchcombe we had 8 x 20l boxes with a 9th as a reserve, 360 pints. By 3pm on Saturday Winchcombe too was getting close to running out!. So, after a powwow, the wonderful Sarah Jackson kindly drove me from Winchcombe to Cheltenham, and back, to collect a 10th box of cider I had in my garage for another event, to ensure the festival didn’t run out too early. That’s was a previous winner of Moreton festival, The glorious Discovery medium by Old Stag Cider. By Sunday this box was down to 5 litres and 10 litres of Old Stag Kingston Black dry remained. The Discovery lasted very little time on Sunday. So all in, the two bars drank the best part of 640 pints of cider!! Fab!!

 

  The first to sell at Toddington was Cotswold Ciders She Devil sweet Cider, but as this is a much smaller bar with less choice it was agreed that the two bars would be judged separately. The first to sell out at Winchcombe was the returning champion, Elderflower Infusion by Priors Tipple medium sweet cider. So these two ciders are both worthy winners equally awarded 1st

 

Beer and cider serving underway at Winchcombe >>>

 A group of people in a room

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

A group of people standing in front of a white tent

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

<<  The Toddington Marquee on Sunday

GWR Steam engine no. 3850 at Winchcombe >>>

A train on the tracks

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

A train on the tracks

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

<<  The same engine at Toddington

Thirsty customers at Winchcombe, with the glass & token stand on the right >>>

 

A group of people in a room

AI-generated content may be incorrect.

 

       Most people retained their Festival Glasses, sponsored by the Bell at Moreton. Many thanks to them and North Cotswold Brewery who sponsored the green staff polo shirts.

      Special thanks must go again to Alan Stenton for his help with getting the business plan together, Roger Merrett for his help with the excellent brewery & beer selections and to Cider Coordinator James Fry for his selection of "quality" local ciders. Martyn Jackson, for compiling the festival beer & cider lists, Chris Knight for printing the cask labels, Martin Jones for assistance with the floor protection at Winchcombe, Roger Price for setting up the cooling fans and Dick and Dawn Harrisson for the Token and Glass sales and dealing with the finances. At Toddington the team of Rob James as bar manager and Peter Rowe for the Token and Glass sales and signage & of course our army of volunteer helpers without whom the event could not take place. Many thanks must also go to Rob, Sam & Ali Brady at The Good Beer Co who provided the SW range of beers plus all the racking & Mudway Workmen for providing the Marquees, tables and chairs. These companies continue to support all our festivals which is very much appreciated. We must also say a huge thank you to all the volunteers who support all the activities of the GWSR. Essential.

 

   The Railway were again delighted with the numbers of rail travellers over the weekend. Over 1000 people again attended the festival, exceeding our budgeted 950. More good news as our Membership Secretary Garry Hayward recruited 4 new members for CAMRA. Most of all, many thanks to our customers who turned up to drink us dry, I do hope we will all be able to return next year for the 24th Ale & Steam. Look forward to seeing you at our other Festival the Moreton Beer and Cider Festival on 13th and 14th September 2024 at Moreton Cricket Club Cricket Club.

 

   Beer reports by Alan McLellan Ale and Steam Festival Director.

   Cider reports by James Fry