Its my opinion & I'm sticking to it!   I say this every year - Stockport Beer Festival is the tippety top because due to it being held at Edgley Park footy ground;

• Its undercover in case it rains
• Its open air & shaded in case its swelteringly hot
• Everyone gets a seat
• Plenty of toilets (no queuing)

Other things in its favour;

• Easy to get to by public transport
• Loads of different beers (>150)
• Loads of cider & perry if that's your thing (used to be where the National Cider & Perryⁱ Championship was held)
• Very few hoorays with it not being held in a stylish city centre (sorry Stockport, but you know it!) or in Surrey

Its great & its next weekend!   DMonbeer hopes to be there for the Saturday lunchtime-afternoon session.

Interesting beers to try are;

Hobson's Mild - a previous Champion Beer of Britain with bags of flavour for a 3.2% beer. Bagged Thursday night.

Darkstar Hophead & Esspresso - the brewery that can brew no wrong in my book & Hophead is a most refreshing session beer & Esspresso just the best coffee stout.   Bagged Saturday.

Durham White Amarillo - anything with Amarillo in its name must be tried.   Cask not open of Thursday & sold out on Saturday lunchtime.

Hornbeam Lemon Blossom - what the heck? Sounds intreging. Bagged on Saturday.

Saltaire Blonde - another brewery that can brew no wrong. Bagged on Saturday.

Ulverston Brahms & Liszt - this brewery can make some excellent beers in a bottle, so I hope to try them from the cask. Bagged Thursday night.

Blue Monkey Evolution - a lovely lemony beer with Amarillo hops tried at the GBBF in 2009. Bagged on Saturday.

BrewDog Physic - they may be the Katie Price of brewers (tactless, tacky, shameless self-promoters) but they do make some great unusual beers. Bagged Thursday night.

Durham Choc Cherry Mild - c'mon, your not interested to see what this tastes like?   Sold out by Saturday when I got round to it.

Nethergate Umbel Aleⁱ - a corianderⁱ beer. Weird & wonderful. Bagged Thursday night.

Saltaire Triple Chocoholic - great brewery, like the sound of the beer. Bagged Thursday night.

Marble Stouter Stout - a great local brewery. Stouter Stout? Pass it me!   Bagged on Saturday.

Salopian Ironbridge Stout - once upon a time the previous incarnation of this brewery made the best stout ever (ever!), won 1st place at the Stocky Beer Fest & promptly went bust. I wonder if they've found the recipe... Bagged Thursday night.