Heaving as usual on the Saturday lunchtime with a particularly good-natured and chatty crowd. IMO the entire annual CAMRA subscription is worth paying just to jump the queue and guarantee a seat. The Prof and I walk in smugly. Now down to business; I have come prepared with a hitlist and look very efficient complete with clipboard. This is the first time that PintPicker has advertised in the Beerfest Programme and various complimentary comments are being made about it by the staff.
The Prof at Norwich Beer Festival
We managed to try a dozen or so beers that lunchtime (halves!). Best of the bunch were the feisty Buntingford Pomone 4.0% "Apple on the nose, citrus on the palate. V. bitter with a long bitter finish. Tastes a lot stronger than it is. Commendable" and the spectacular Old Chimneys Red Clover 6.0% "Cloves and cinnamon spice predominate along with plummy fruits. Soak a plum pudding in brandy, ignite and then allow to cool before drinking. You got it!" both meriting 9 out of 10 and the latter going on to take the beer of the festival prize.
Norwich Beer Festival
Runners-up with 8 were Windie Goat Pedens Cove 3.8% "Dry, florally hoppy, refreshing"; Triple fff Bitter End 2.7% "Clean and dry with a grapefruit bitter finish. Highly impressive for a 2.7"; Tryst Raj IPA 5.5% "Fruity and nicely alcoholic. V. long bitter finish"; Thornbridge John Innes 100 5.9% "Extremely fruity and strong tasting IPA - knocks your socks off"; Farmers Golden Boar 5.0% "Deep golden in colour, buttery, biscuity bitter and nicely zesty.