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01st Amber Valley Beer & Cider Festival (The Ripley Rail Ale Festival) (CAMRA Beer Festival)

Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Cropton (see also Great Yorkshire) - BlackoutExceptional1
Amber Ales - Chocolate Orange StoutExceptional1
Bottle Brook - Slum DogExceptional1
Dunham Massey - Chocolate Cherry MildExceptional1
Amber Ales - Black Cherry StoutExcellent1
Buxton - BlondeExcellent1
Marlpool - Scratty RattyExcellent1
Amber Ales - Scary DarkExcellent1
Sarah Hughes - Dark RubyNot Tried0
Oakham - Bishops FarewellNot Tried0
Whim - Hartington BitterNot Tried0
Castle Rock - Elsie MoNot Tried0
Ossett - Silver KingNot Tried0
Castle Rock - Black GoldNot Tried0
Castle Rock - Harvest PaleNot Tried0
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - JaipurNot Tried0
Oldershaw - Regal BlondeNot Tried0
Wentworth - Bumble BeerNot Tried0
Orkney (Sinclair) - Dark IslandNot Tried0
Iceni - Fine Soft DayNot Tried0
Mallard - Duck And DisorderlyNot Tried0
Mallard - FeatherlightNot Tried0
Enville - Saaz (aka Czechmate, Wheat, White)Not Tried0
Whim - Arbor LightNot Tried0
Whim - Snow White (aka Schnee Weiss)Not Tried0
Abbeydale - Black MassNot Tried0
Abbeydale - Last RitesNot Tried0
Leatherbritches - Hairy HelmetNot Tried0
Abbeydale - AbsolutionNot Tried0
Enville - WhiteNot Tried0
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - KiplingNot Tried0
Marble - Summer MarbleNot Tried0
Purity - Pure GoldNot Tried0
BrewDog - Punk IPANot Tried0
Whim - Flower PowerNot Tried0
Amber Ales - IPANot Tried0
Oakham - AttilaNot Tried0
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Saint Petersburg Imperial Russian Stout (now superseded by 7.4% version)Not Tried0
Marble - Pint (was 3.9%)Not Tried0
BrewDog - Trashy BlondeNot Tried0
Abbeydale - DeceptionNot Tried0
Castle Rock - Screech OwlNot Tried0
Marble - DobberNot Tried0
Oakham - AkenhatanNot Tried0
Oakham - CitraNot Tried0
Rossendale (formerly called Pennine) - SunshineNot Tried0
Nutbrook - Banter BitterNot Tried0
Rowton - MeteoriteNot Tried0
Buxton - Kinder DownfallNot Tried0
Funfair - TeacupsNot Tried0
Funfair - Tunnel of LoveNot Tried0
Blue Monkey - 100 Red BaboonsNot Tried0
Blue Monkey - RevolutionNot Tried0
Brampton - Best BitterNot Tried0
Brass Monkey - Golden MonkeyNot Tried0
Dunham Massey - PorterNot Tried0
Full Mash - SeanceNot Tried0
Holland - Chocolate Clog MildNot Tried0
Holland - Mad Jack StoutNot Tried0
Kinver - CavegirlNot Tried0
Marlpool - Straw's GoldNot Tried0
Spire - Sergeant Pepper StoutNot Tried0

Visits Details

02 Oct 2010 (Alenomore)
Another new beer festival and an early start from Maidstone (0630), arriving in Ripley, via a bus from Derby, at 11am. A 15 minute walk soon found the Midland Railway Centres' Butterley Station. Well worth a look on it's own with plenty of Diesel & Steam locos in action. The beer tent here, a large marquee, housed a well laid out bar area with over 60 ales on offer plus 10 ciders, CAMRA products and tombola. A good crowd turned out and a few familiar faces were also here. I only stayed for 8 samples as there were just too many new ales on offer, and then visited some pubs. FYI, all festival ales are listed . Recommended.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Dunham Massey - Chocolate Cherry Mild3.80Exceptional"Smooth dark mild with a dry hint of cherry". This was more like a Belgium Kriek. Superb.
Cropton (see also Great Yorkshire) - Blackout5.00Exceptional"Smooth rich porter to a 1930's recipe". Another dark and delicious type.
Amber Ales - Chocolate Orange Stout4.00ExceptionalFirst ale of the day. Award winning stout, taking Gold, in the speciality section of the beer of the year awards at the recent GBBF. As expected, a 5* stout.
Bottle Brook - Slum Dog5.90ExceptionalMy last ale here, and again, a top ale. If you like Jaipur (silly question!), you'll love this one too. Superb.
Amber Ales - Black Cherry Stout4.80ExcellentVery good, but the cherries were not overpowering.
Buxton - Blonde4.60ExcellentMy first lae from this brewery, and a very continental taste too.
Marlpool - Scratty Ratty4.40ExcellentAnother new brewery, from nearby Heanor. This ale from a handpump, and very good too.
Amber Ales - Scary Dark3.60ExcellentA very refreshing mild.
Sarah Hughes - Dark Ruby6.00Not Tried
Oakham - Bishops Farewell4.60Not Tried
Whim - Hartington Bitter4.00Not Tried
Castle Rock - Elsie Mo4.70Not Tried
Ossett - Silver King4.30Not Tried
Castle Rock - Black Gold3.50Not Tried
Castle Rock - Harvest Pale3.80Not Tried
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur5.90Not Tried
Oldershaw - Regal Blonde4.40Not Tried
Wentworth - Bumble Beer4.30Not Tried
Orkney (Sinclair) - Dark Island4.60Not Tried
Iceni - Fine Soft Day4.00Not Tried
Mallard - Duck And Disorderly5.10Not Tried
Mallard - Featherlight4.10Not Tried
Enville - Saaz (aka Czechmate, Wheat, White)4.20Not Tried
Whim - Arbor Light3.60Not Tried
Whim - Snow White (aka Schnee Weiss)4.50Not Tried
Abbeydale - Black Mass6.70Not Tried
Abbeydale - Last Rites11.00Not Tried
Leatherbritches - Hairy Helmet4.70Not Tried
Abbeydale - Absolution5.30Not Tried
Enville - White4.20Not Tried
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Kipling5.20Not Tried
Marble - Summer Marble4.50Not Tried
Purity - Pure Gold3.80Not Tried
BrewDog - Punk IPA6.00Not Tried
Whim - Flower Power5.30Not Tried
Amber Ales - IPA6.50Not Tried
Oakham - Attila7.50Not Tried
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Saint Petersburg Imperial Russian Stout (now superseded by 7.4% version)7.70Not Tried
Marble - Pint (was 3.9%)3.40Not Tried
BrewDog - Trashy Blonde4.10Not Tried
Abbeydale - Deception4.10Not Tried
Castle Rock - Screech Owl5.50Not Tried
Marble - Dobber5.90Not Tried
Oakham - Akenhatan4.90Not Tried
Oakham - Citra4.20Not Tried
Rossendale (formerly called Pennine) - Sunshine5.30Not Tried
Nutbrook - Banter Bitter4.50Not Tried
Rowton - Meteorite4.70Not Tried
Buxton - Kinder Downfall4.30Not Tried
Funfair - Teacups4.00Not Tried
Funfair - Tunnel of Love5.00Not Tried
Blue Monkey - 100 Red Baboons4.90Not Tried
Blue Monkey - Revolution5.20Not Tried
Brampton - Best Bitter4.20Not Tried
Brass Monkey - Golden Monkey4.10Not Tried
Dunham Massey - Porter5.20Not Tried
Full Mash - Seance4.00Not Tried
Holland - Chocolate Clog Mild3.80Not Tried
Holland - Mad Jack Stout4.50Not Tried
Kinver - Cavegirl4.00Not Tried
Marlpool - Straw's Gold4.20Not Tried
Spire - Sergeant Pepper Stout5.50Not Tried

About the 01st Amber Valley Beer & Cider Festival (The Ripley Rail Ale Festival)

The pub sign. 01st Amber Valley Beer & Cider Festival (The Ripley Rail Ale Festival), Ripley, Derbyshire

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional4
Excellent4
Good-
Acceptable-
Poor-

Website.

The pub is found in Ripley, Derbyshire, DE5 3QZ.

This beer festival is held at the Midland Railway Centre, Butterley. A preserved Steam & Diesel railway, Butterley Station, a short walk or bus from Ripley, contains a museum, gift shop, cafe, model railway society and a working loco shed. This first beer festival, with help from Amber Valley CAMRA, was held in a marquee, with over 60 Real Ales and 10 Real Ciders on offer. In addition to the good beer, there was Indian Food, traditional snacks and Morris dancers. Plenty to see and do at the Railway Centre too. Nearby Ripley is also worthy of a visit.

We have visited this pub once, seen 62 different beers and tried 8 of them.

Map location

Postcode: DE5 3QZ