This year’s festival theme was in commemoration of the centenary of the Ballito Hosiery Mill which established its factory in nearby Fleetville in 1925; the company specialised in producing hosiery for women. This link is referenced in this year’s festival logo which features a woman wearing a pair of stockings, while brandishing a beer glass, this logo has sparked mass debate and divided opinion, whilst many love the logo, some detest it. Casting the debate aside, the festival itself featured eight brewery bars (featuring the likes of Ossett, Tring, Mad Squirrel, Siren, Oakham, Timothy Taylor’s, Triple fff and Wantsum), the usual Herts and UK beer bars, an international bottle selection, a cider and perry bar, 20 keg beers, its resident cider & perry bar and a regional spotlight bar - on this occasion the focus was on Tyneside. With a bevvy of vouchers and a glass at hand, I proceeded into the main hall which was rammed with people, understandable since it was Friday evening. I first went to the Tring bar, where I chose Squadron Scramble (4%) a session bitter, it is notably the brewery’s autumn seasonal release, produced in commemoration of the Battle of Britain. Hoppy on the nose, there’s a distinct maltiness and bitter quality on the palate, followed by notes of caramel and grassiness in the background, while the mouthfeel was smooth yet dry on the backend; despite its relatively low strength, it was fairly potent in flavour. Hankering after some dark ale, I headed to the Oakham bar to sample some Kingdom (5%), their resident stout, developed in the dry Irish style it was smooth and creamy, with a rounded bitterness coming from the roasted malt followed by hints of berry fruit and a pleasant warmth that commands the tastebuds with every sip.
By this
time the regional spotlight bar was quickly running out beers, so in haste I
ordered up a third of Jakehead (6.3%) from Wylam brewery, a massively
hopped NEIPA brewed with a arsenal of US hops (including Citra, Centennial,
Chinook T90, Simcoe T90 and Citra T90) which helps give its distinct and
complex flavour profile. Understandably the aroma was citrussy and distinctly
hoppy, while the flavours were a torrent of tropical fruits underscored with a
caramelised maltiness that dovetailed with the other flavours. This beer is
usually released only in cans, which made this rare-cask release all the more
special. Sticking to theme of rare ales, since it was Chiltern brewery’s 45th
anniversary I sampled some Original Gravity (6%) a recreation of their
very first brew from 1980, essentially a strong ale, golden chestnut in colour,
it was distinctly sweet with notes of toffee, spices, oak, plums, sherry and a
background of hoppy bitterness acting as a counterpoint. While it had a complex
bed of flavours, it was a bit on the weak side for a beer of this style, though
it has a remarkable similarity to their Bodger’s Barley Wine (8.4%), one
could easily trace the trail of development between these two beers. With time
ticking by, and the vouches running on low, for my last brew of the evening I
headed local to try some Old London Porter (5%) by Bowtie brewery, a
nanobrewery based in Watford. Their annual autumn seasonal release, it is
developed in the style of early Victorian porters, the flavour profile was a
complex roster of coffee, dark chocolate, charcoal and biscuity notes. While
the mouthfeel was a bit on the thin side, this allowed the potent roasted malt
flavours to shine, making it a perfect recreation of the classic porters of
old. This beer was a rousing finale to an enjoyable and memorable evening of
fine brews from different parts of the country; from punchy NEIPA’s to session
bitters and old school porters, there was a wide variety on display. The St
Albans Beer Festival never fails to disappoint with its ingenuity and
assortment of fare, where visitors are always catered for and always guaranteed
to have a memorable trip.
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