'Absolutely terrific' Bridgnorth Beer Festival goes down a treat
A beer festival's 25th anniversary event was such a success that ale lovers were predicted to have drunk the casks dry – four hours before closing time.
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The 25th Bridgnorth Beer Festival was taking place at the Severn Valley Railway in the town – running from Thursday through to Saturday.
The event has been organised by Paul Jones and Graham Sarbutt, with around 40 ales on offer.
Paul said they had been thrilled with the way the festival had gone.
He said: "It has been absolutely terrific, starting Thursday we just started with a bang and it has never become a whimper at any point – it has been flat-out all the time."
Speaking on Saturday afternoon Paul said: "At the moment we are about three quarters of the beer sold.
"I am estimating that we will run dry by about 7pm."
Paul said that the first beer to run out had been the Dark Ruby Mild from the Sarah Hughes Brewery in Sedgefield – a six per cent award-winning beer.
The second to go was the 'Snowflake' from the same brewery, the eight per cent champion beer from the last Camra beer festival proving a huge hit with drinkers.
Paul, from Shifnal, said his own favourite was the All Nations Bitter from the All Nations pub in Madeley, Telford.
He added that the festival looked to provide a good range of beer – with plenty from breweries that drinkers may not be familiar with.
He said: "The choice of real ales is overwhelming at a beer festival. If you go to your local pub some will have ten on, but we have 40 - and we are quite small compared to some festivals.
"We try and have a great range from as far away as we can. People around here who are real ale drinkers know all the local beers so they want to try something different."
Paul also thanked all those who had stepped up to help with the event.
He said: "It has been an absolute success. We have had so many volunteers this year. Last year we were struggling to find them but this year we have been overwhelmed."
