Exeter & East Devon Branch

Didn't We Have A Lovely Time the Weekend We Went to The Rougemont

The first (and hopefully not the last) Summer Beer, Cider and Music Festival was held in the grounds of Rougemont Castle over the very hot days of 26-27 June (well predicted Met Office!). There was a wide range of 72 beers from local brewers and further afield including real lagers from Harviestoun in Scotland and Oakleaf in Hampshire, stouts from Beartown in Cheshire and RCH in Weston-super-Mare, porters from North Cotswold in Stretton-on-Foss, IPA's from Copper Dragon in Skipton and Thornbridge in Bakewell and milds from Crouch Vale in Essex and Sarah Hughes in Dudley, to name but a few!! Devon breweries represented at the festival included Bays, Beer Engine, Branscombe Vale, Country Life, Exeter, Exe Valley, Gargoyles, Jollyboat, O'Hanlons, Otter, Red Rock and Teignworthy. There was also a range of approximately 24 dry and sweet ciders and perries which were quaffed enthusiastically.

You want me to walk all the way down there for a Cider!

To complement an excellent range of beers, ciders and perries was some well received music including The Old Porch Band, Isambarde, the Exmouth Shantymen and other local musicians, a big thank you to all who performed. Many people came for the music and discovered the joys of real ale and cider - there were certainly a few converts to the flavours and enjoyment of beers and cider made the traditional way.

Despite the hot weather the cooling system on the beers ensured they were served at the optimum temperature and the marquees provided shade. As well as compliments about the beers, ciders, music and location, there were also some very positive comments about the portaloos (with hand cream, flowers and more music!). The "glasses" in which the beers and ciders were provided were made out of plant fibres and so could be discarded with normal rubbish as they would slowly bio-degrade - but not before the beer had been drunk!

5508 (that is an accurate number - Ed) pints of beer and 1170 pints of cider were drunk over the 2 days by the approximately 1600 attendees. Only about 200 of these were CAMRA members and 28 new members were signed up.

The original aims of the beer festival were to promote local beers and make customers happy! Both were achieved thanks to Peter Betteridge (Festival Organiser) and his gang of volunteers who started planning and organising this event back in the summer of 2008. For more information, part of the event was filmed - see www.youtube.com and type in "Beer at the Castle".

Mags Gaskin

PS: An unofficial survey was carried out to decide the Beer of the Festival. The worthy winner was the Jaipur from Thornbridge brewery in Derbyshire. I say 'worthy' as it had all been sold by Friday evening and before I got around sampling it.

Peter Betteridge (Festival Organiser)