The World’s Biggest Real Ale and Cider Festival at JD Wetherspoon 2019
With spring upon us once again, so is Wetherspoon’s Real Ale and Cider festival. The world’s biggest real ale and cider festival, no less, and with Tim Martin adding another eighteen pubs to the Wetherspoon portfolio since last years festival (2018), this one promises to be bigger and better than before.
This year, Wetherspoon’s pubs will be showcasing a variety of handpicked ales from around the country and further afield. Including twenty-five local brewers from the UK, five international brewers and three cider producers from the UK, there’s plenty on offer! Without any further ado, let’s take a look at what’s on this year.
1. Purity Bunny Hop (3.5% ABV), Purity Brewery, Warwickshire, Established in 2005
This pale golden ale is extra hoppy in character, with a full aroma, pronounced bitterness in flavour, grapefruit notes and a long, dry finish. Hops: Chinook, Elderado, Eureka, Pilgrim. Allergens: Barley (Gluten), Oats (Gluten), Wheat (Gluten).
2. Fyne Ales Hideaway (3.8% ABV), Fyne Ales, Argyll, Establish in 2001
This new amber-coloured beer has been brewed especially for this Wetherspoon real ale festival. Bold citrus aromas o gooseberry and grapefruit are underpinned by gentle floral notes and a rounded, malty body, leading to a refreshing bitter finish. Hops: Liberty, Nelson Sauvin. Allergens: Barley (Gluten), Wheat (Gluten).
3. Oakham Heights of Oblivion (3.9 ABV), Oakham Ales, Cambridgeshire, Established in 1993
This golden beer is full of citrus and stone fruit character, resulting in an inviting citrus aroma and a fresh, crisp flavour, leading to a long, refreshing finish. Hops: Cascade, Summit. Allergens: Barley (Gluten), Wheat (Gluten).
4. Adnams Topaz Gold (4.0% ABV), Adnams Brewery, Suffolk, Establish in 1872.
This golden ale has an inviting frruit aroma, leading to a moderate bitterness, with soft apricot and lychee notes, plus a refreshing crisp finish. Hops: Ella, Summer, Topaz. Allergens: Barley (Gluten), Rye (Gluten), Wheat (Gluten).
5. Arundel Brewhouse Best (4.0% ABV), Arundel Brewery, West Sussex, Established in 1992
This new copper-coloured beer is a traditional English best bitter, with its subtle malty aroma leading to a gentle caramel flavour, complemented by moderate hops notes and a long, well-balanced finish. Hops: First Gold, Fuggles, Magnum. Allergens: Barley (Gluten), Wheat (Gluten).
6. Darling Gypsy Mask Red (4.0 5 ABV), Darling Brew Microbrewery, Cape Town, Weston Cape, South Africa, Established in 2010
Réné du Toit has travelled to Shepherd Neame brewery (Kent) to brew this russet coloured beer espechially for this Wetherspoon real ale festival. Aromas of toffee and caramel, with subtle citrus hints, lead to a predominately malty flavour, with toffee, roasted notes and a biscuit undertone, resulting in a creamy finish. Hops: Cascade, Fuggles, Hallertau Mittlefü. Allergens: Barley (Gluten).
7. St Peter’s Bloomin’ Marvellous (4.1% ABV), St Peters Brewery, Suffolk, Established in 1996
This light amber seasonal beer contains a blend of four hop varieties, resulting in floral and herbal aromas and flavours, with hints of lychee and a balancing sweet, malty character. Hops: Cascade, Challenger, Goldings, Hallertau. Allergens: Barley (Gluten), Wheat (Gluten).
8. Big Shed Kol Schisle (4.2% ABV), Big Shed Brewing, Adelaide, Australia, Established 2013
Craig Bashford has travelled to hook Norton Brewery (Oxfordshire), to brew this straw-coloured beer especially for this Wetherspoon real ale festival. This is an Australian style pale ale, with subtle bready malt flavours, balanced by a hoppy spiciness and gentle citrus notes, resulting in a clean, refreshing character. Hops: Challenger, Motueka. Allergens: Barley (Gluten), Wheat (Gluten).
9. Rudgate Brew No31 Blue Nose (4.2% ABV), Rudgate Brewery, North Yorkshire, Established 1992
This blueberry wheat beer, available in cask form for the first time at this Wetherspoon real ale festival, is dark blue-purple in colour, with bittersweet flavours of blueberries, cloves and spice. This beer contains no finings, so is naturally hazey in appearance and is suitable for vegans. Hops: Aurora. Allergens: Barley (Gluten), Oats (Gluten), Wheat (Gluten).
10. Camerons Old Sea Dog (4.3% ABV), Camerons Brewery, County Durham, Established in 1865
This chestnut beer is a classic Northeast brown ale recipe, with the addition of Amarillo hops, resulting in a pleasing peach aroma and flavour, balanced by a malty, bittersweet finish. Amarillo, Fuggles, Goldings, Hercules, Progress. Allergens: Barley (Gluten), Wheat (Gluten).
11. Woodforde’s West Coast Wherry (4.3% ABV), Woodforde’s Brewery, Norfolk, Established in 1980
This amber coloured ale contains a blend of the finest English and US hops, imparting a crisp floral aroma, citrus, spicy and fruity notes and fresh, zesty flavours. Hops: Amarillo, Cascade, Challenger, Citra, Goldings. Allergens: Barley (Gluten).
12. Hook Norton Crafty Fox (4.4% ABV), Hook Norton Brewery, Oxfordshire, Establish in 1849
This black IPA has a hoppy, fruity aroma, leading to a rich flavour with plenty of dark fruit notes and hints of toast, plus a good balance of biterness and sweetness throughout. Hops: Cascade, Chinook, Mosaic, Willamette. Allergens: Barley (Gluten).
13. Bagby Asphalt Jungle (4.5% ABV), Bagby Brewing, California, USA, Established in 2014
Jeff Bagby has travelled to Wadworth Brewery (Wiltshire) to brew this black beer espechially for this Wetherspoon real ale festival. Aromas of roasted barley, coffee and cocoa lead to a smooth, balanced flavour, with a finish which is clean and dry, with subtle roasted notes. Hops: East Kent Goldings. Allergens: Barley (Gluten).
14. Eagle Parallax IPA (4.5% ABV), Eagle Brewery, Bedfordshire, Establish in 1876
This new golden IPA is full of fruity hop notes, combining with hints of white grapes and sweet malt notes to deliver a sweet a refreshing character, leading to a crisp, bitter finish. Hops: Cascade, Citra, Fuggles, Mosaic, Nelson Sauvin. Allergens: Barley (Wheat).
15. Elgood’s Hen in Black (4.5% ABV), Elgood’s Brewery, Cambridgeshire, Established in 1785
This traditional black stout has aromas of espresso, chocolate and liquorice, leading to a silky smooth flavour with a complex malt character. This beer has been brewed espechially for this festival, without the use of fish based finings, making it suitable for vegans. Hops: Challenger, Fuggles. Allergens: Barley (Gluten), Rye (Gluten), Wheat (Gluten).
16. Saltaire Amarillo (4.5% ABV), Saltaire Brewery, West Yorkshire, Established in 2006
This straw-coloured beer has a full hoppy, citrus aroma, leading to fresh orange notes and balancing malt flavours, resulting in a refreshing, bitter, fruity finish. Hops: Amarillo, Magnum. Allergens: Barley (Gluten), Wheat (Gluten).
17. Vale Band Wagon (4.5% ABV), Vale Brewery, Buckinghamshire, Established in 1995
This previous one-off brew has been brought back especially for this Wetherspoon real ale festival. It is pale golden in colour, with citrus, grapefruit and pine aromas, citrus hop and melon flavours and a pleasing bitter finish. Hops: Cascade, Citra, Columbus. Allergens: Barley (Gluten), Wheat (Gluten).
18. Wadworth Elderberry IPA (4.6% ABV), Wadworth Brewery, Wiltshire, Established in 1885
This new red-amber beer has been brewed especially for this Wetherspoon real ale festival. Aromas of elderberries and spice lead to a sweet, tart flavour, with red berry notes, culminating in a balancing crisp, bitter finish. Hops: Amarillo, Bramling Cross, Cascade, Fuggles. Allergens: Barley (Gluten), Rye (Gluten).
19. Shepherd Neame Hop County (4.8% ABV), Shepherd Neame Brewery, Faversham, Kent, Established in 1698
This deep golden beer is full of hop character, with citrus, pine and hedgerow fruit aromas leading to fruity notes in the flavour and a robust bitterness balanced by light caramel notes. Hops: Bodicea, Endeavour, UK Cascade. Allergens: Barley (Gluten).
20. Boxing Cat Contender EPA (4.9% ABV), Boxing Cat Brewery, Shanghai, China, Established in 2008
Michael Jordan has travelled to Bank’s Brewery (West Midlands) to brew this straw-golden beer especially for this Wetherspoon real ale festival. Floral and tropical fruit aromas lead to a pretty character and moderate biterness, with subtle rye spice and nutty notes, resulting in a clean, dry finish. Hops: Hercules, Mosaic. Allergens: Barley (Gluten), Rye (Gluten).
21. Otter OPA (4.9% ABV), Otter Brewery, Devon, Established in 1990
This russet-brown-coloured pale ale has aromas of peach, pear and orange which continue into the flavour, complemented by a hoppiness which is balanced by malty depths and a bitter finish. Hops: Amarillo, Bitter Gold, Elderado, Nugget, Summit. Allergens: Barley (Gluten), Wheat (Gluten).
22. Black Sheep Choc and Orange Stout (5% ABV), Black Sheep Brewery, North Yorkshire, Established in 1992
This delicious black staout has light orange and dark czhocolate aromas, leading to a full bodied, malty and velvet-smooth flavour, with notes of citrus and a touch of chocolate. Hops: Cascade, Challenger, Fuggles. Allergens: Barley (Gluten), Oats (Gluten), Wheat (Gluten).
23. Conwy Kodiak (5% ABV), Conwy Brewery, Conwy, Established in 2003
This occasionally brewed beer is brewed in the style of an American brown ale, with a citrus hop aroma, roast coffee notes and a soft bitterness throughout. Hops: Centennial, Citra. Allergens: Barley (Gluten), Wheat (Gluten).
24. Greene King Heritage Earnest Hop Pale Ale (5% ABV), Greene King Brewery, Suffolk, Established in 1799
This new golden beer is the latest in this brewery’s Heritage series. The rare Earnest Hop variety used imparts characteristics more common to New World varieties, with plenty of distinctive, fresh citrus notes throughout the balanced flavour. Hops: Ernest. Allergens: Barley (Gluten).
25. Harvestoun Bitter and Even More Twisted (5% ABV), Harvestoun Brewery, Clackmannanshire, Established in 1983
This new golden beer has been brewed especially for the Wetherspoon real ale festival. It is a superbly balanced, refreshing beer, with a malty, sweet aroma, floral, fruity hoppiness, and a complex, zesty flavour. Hops: Aurora, Bobek, Celeia, Challenger, Hallertau Hersbrüker. Allergens: Barley (Gluten), Oats (Gluten), Wheat (Gluten).
26. Maxim Raspberry Porter (5% ABV), Double Maxim Brewery, County Durham, Established in 2007
This award winning dark ruby beer has a smooth, full bodied character, with light chocolate bitterness and sweet raspberry flavours, which combine beautifully and linger gently on the palate. Hops: Bramling Cross, Challenger. Allergens: Barley (Gluten), Wheat (Gluten).
27. Lancaster Kansas City American Red Ale (5.1% ABV), Lancaster Brewery, Lancashire, Established in 2005
This new mahogany beer has been brewed especially for this Wetherspoon real ale festival. This is a full flavoured American style ale which challenges and rewards the palate, with full malty and hoppy flavours and a substancial bitterness. Hops: Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe. Allergens: Barley (Gluten), Wheat (Gluten).
28. Titanic Atlantic Red (5.4% ABV), Titanic Brewery, Staffordshire, Established in 1985
This rare red beer has been brewed again especially for this Wetherspoon real ale festival. Darker malts provide intense caramel and toffee flavours, with enough vibrant hops to provide bitterness and a perfectly balanced character. Hops: Cascade, Centennial, Summit. Allergens: Barley (Gluten), Wheat (Gluten).
Ruby Favero has travelled to Adnams Brewery (Suffolk) to brew this deep golden beer especially for this Wetherspoon real ale festival. The hoppy aroma, with herbal, floral and tropical fruit notes, leads to a pleasing level of bitterness in the flavour, balanced by light biscuit and malt in the background. Hops: Cascade, Citra, Galaxy. Allergens: Barley (Gluten).
30. JW Lees Moonraker (6.5% ABV), JW Lees Brewery, Manchester, Established 1828
This classic, ebony coloured award winning string bitter (first brest in 1950) has a potent, fruity aroma and a powerful, rich, sweet flavour, with generous fruit notes. Hops: Celeia. Barley (Gluten).
In addition to the real ales, their are three guest ciders available throughout the festival too, including Barbourne, Cockeyed and Purbeck for cider lovers too. Here’s some tasting notes on each…
1. Barbourne Cherry Bakewell (4.0% ABV), Barbourne Cider, Worcestershire, Established in 2014
This is a distinctive and unusual pink cider, bursting with flavours of cherry and almond, which complement the apple notes and provide a lasting finish. Allergens: Sulphites.
2. Cockeyed Bonobo Banana (4.0% ABV), Cockeyed Cider, Devon, Established in 2015
This unique fruit cider, made especially for this Wetherspoon festival, with aromas and fruity flavours of banana and a sweet flavour with subtle apple notes. Allergens: Sulphites.
3. Purbeck Katy Perry (5.5% ABV), Purbeck Cider Company, Dorset, Established in 2014
This is a blend of this cider maker’s award winning perry and Katy cider, resulting in a smooth, wine-like pear flavour balanced with a crisp apple bite. Allergens: Sulphites.
