Back at the ever-busy Cambridge BeerFest on Tuesday 19 and Wednesday 20 May. Lots of new breweries (27 at the last count) and far too many ales to taste, but we had a good go nevertheless, racking up 21 over the two sessions. My absolute favourite was the very pale Bowman Elderado (with elderflowers, geddit?) and truly great for a 3.5% with its tangly, nettley hops and lovely floral and citric aromas. I really couldn't fault it and had to award it a coveted 10. Highland Scapa Special (4.2%) merited 9, with citric hops and tannic astringency combining to give a really refreshing and exceptional pale ale. Also worthy of mention were the ones that scored 8: Norfolk Cottage's Festival Special (4.3%) was very special indeed with tobacco and pepper plus a great vegetal straw bale flavour (fancy a roll in the hay? - here it is, in a glass) and let's hope they continue to produce it; Jarrow Rivet Catcher (4.0%) with good bitterness, buttery mouthfeel and tangy hops (what's not to like?); Wagtail English Ale (4.2%) zingy with spicy hops and a good burnt butterscotch flavour; Bays Gold (4.3%) with hedgerow hops and a slightly fizzy citrus zing plus good body too; Green Tye Union Jack (3.6%) caramelly on the nose, burnt toffee on the palate and hoppy too, a great session bitter; Buntingford Golden Plover (3.8%) biscuity, hoppy and refreshingly dry; Devil's Dyke No 7 Pale Ale (4.1%) deep golden and nicely bitter, biscuity with citrus zest; and finally, Mill Green Mawkin Mild (2.9%) very dark with chocolatey aromas and burnt toast on the palate, dry and amazing for a 2.9.
The Festival Programme was a bit light on detail this year; "sorry no tasting notes available" was a bit of a recurrent theme. They should have used PintPicker!