The Stocky Beer Fest is my favourite of the festival calendar & this years was another hugely enjoyable one.   Quite an impressive turnout of beer fest veterans from Al, Gillian, Andrew, Aiden, Dan, Graham, Alex, Mark, Asun & myself.   We went to the Saturday afternoon session as its quieter and most of the beer is still available.   It was a very warm day so we were glad of the shade of the stadium roof and the oh-so-refreshing beer.

The beers we tried included (I wasn't the 1st to arrive so missed out on a couple or so);

Abbeydale, Last Rights - this beer seems to be at every Stocky beer fest, but the 11% alcohol strength means we've even turned it down previously when offered for free!   Remember it is the lunchtime session & we intend to enjoy ourselves through to at least midnight!   Bravely Aiden tried this and other than the overpowering taste alcohol, there was a taste of vanilla in this pale beer.

Crown, Wheatie Bits - another beer with a name that doesn't exactly conjure up a nice image.   Like a German wheat beer with the typical banana flavour.

Facers, Dave's Hoppy Beer - conversely from the above beer, this advertises well to certain sections of the audience - people called Dave who like hoppy beers that are in the bitter style - me!   Hoppy with a lingering bitterness.   One of my favourites.

Grainstore, Rutland Black Panther - a black beer with a full-bodied, malty flavour.

High House Farm, Auld Hemp - good regular bitter.

Hornbeam, Lemon Blossom - tasted of sherbet lemon with a light, refreshing taste.

Hornbeam, Mountain Mild - a dark mild with a dry finish.

Inveralmond, Independence - a caramelly - diketone flavour but not too sweet.

Marble, Woolpack Festival - a very yellow beer from this innovative local brewer.   Tasted of green hops.   Excellent!

Marble, Full Cut Mild - strawberries!   Not sweet, but very refreshing.  

O'Hanlon, Dry Stout - a good example of a stout, dry with a roast, burnt flavours.

Pennine, Floral Dance - a light beer with a taste of lemon sherbet.

Pennine Pitch Porter - earthy.   Otherwise an ordinary porter.

Phoenix, Styrian Hop - very hoppy without being very bitter, light & refreshing.

Traditional Scottish Ales, Glencoe Wild Oat Stout - a very black stout, definately a taste of oats, creamy & a little sweet.

Taditional Scottish Ales, Stirling Brig - chestnut cloured beer with a taste of liquorice and a touch of sasperella.

Wold Top, A4 Amber - zesty, earthy hop flavour.

We left a little before the end of the afternoon session to beat the rush to the excellent local pub - The Crown.   We got a seat in the beer garden which must be at the busiest traffic intersection of any pub; under Manchesterⁱ airport's flightpath, directly under the London - Manchester railway line, a few yards from the Machester orbital motorway and next to an A-road intersection.   The Crown sells loads of different ales from all over so there's always something for you, whatever your tastes.   thecrowninn.uk.com/

We caught the bus to Manchester city centre where we walked through UMIST (now Manc Uni) for old times sake, past The Retro Bar (the old Swinging Sporran) and into the Lass O'Gowrie.   The Lass is the very opposite of the city centre drinking barns much beloved of circuit drinkers.   There are several nooks, crannies & off-rooms to drink in so nobody has to hear our awful jokes and plenty of surfaces to rest your pint whilst you sip it during conversation.  

From the Lass to Odder for a bite to eat & a wee drinkie - very nice chicken & chorizo pizza.   Then onto the Sand Bar, which used to have fridge stacked upon fridge of continental bottled lager & a few ales on draught.   Not any more.   A few fridges of bottled beer but no more than the city centre pubs are doing now.   Still: A good few beers and we met up with Asun's Spanish friends and a couple of French blokes (I didn't realise they we're French - good job I was complimentary about them!).

Finally onto The Deaf Institute (no, really - its a bar) was the last bar of the night.   It clearly wasn't our kind of place.   Well I say that but the women dressed like hookers and the beer wasn't that bad so not so terrible, but the music was very loud.

As they say - you haven't been drinking all day unless you started in the morning!