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Nottingham Beer Festival 2005 (CAMRA Beer Festival)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Acorn - Regal |  | 1 |
| Alcazar - Bombay Castle IPA | | 1 |
| Alcazar - Trafalgar Black |  | 1 |
| Battledown - Brigand | | 1 |
| Bells - Dreamcatcher | | 1 |
| Bragdy'r Bryn Cyf - Bitter | | 1 |
| Bragdy'r Bryn Cyf - Herald | | 1 |
| Brandon - Bitter | | 1 |
| Brewster's - Daffy Elixir | | 1 |
| Brewster's - Hophead | | 2 |
| Castle Rock - Harvest Pale | | 1 |
| Castle Rock - Hemlock Bitter | | 1 |
| Castle Rock - Kipper | | 1 |
| Castle Rock - Rook | | 1 |
| Chiltern - Beechwood Bitter | | 1 |
| Church End - Grapefruit |  | 1 |
| Danelaw - Golden Tears | | 1 |
| Dark Star - Porter (aka City) | | 1 |
| Derby - Triple Hop | | 1 |
| Distant Hills (was Howard Town) - Bleaklow | | 1 |
| Distant Hills (was Howard Town) - Wren's Nest |  | 1 |
| Front Street - Phoenix | | 1 |
| Full Mash - Ghoul | | 1 |
| Funfair - Ghost Train | | 1 |
| Hesket Newmarket - Autumn Chestnut | | 1 |
| Holland - Flying Dutchman | | 1 |
| John Thompson - JTS XXX Bitter | | 1 |
| Jolly Brewer - Dark Lager | | 1 |
| JW Lees (see also Lees) - Brooklyn Best | | 1 |
| Mighty Oak - Phantom of the Hopera | | 1 |
| Milestone - Classic Dark Mild | | 1 |
| Milestone - Rich Ruby | | 1 |
| Moles - Molegrip | | 1 |
| Museum - Worthington's White Shield | | 1 |
| Nottingham - Bullion | | 1 |
| Nottingham - Rock Bitter | | 1 |
| Nottingham - Rock Mild |  | 2 |
| Nottingham - Supreme | | 1 |
| Oakham - Five Leaves Left | | 1 |
| Old Spot - Hunter Hill | | 1 |
| Old Spot - Ruby Lou | | 1 |
| Owl - Dark Mild | | 1 |
| Peakstones (formerly Peakstones Rock) - Black Hole Bitter | | 1 |
| Phoenix - Arizona | | 1 |
| Poachers - Trail | | 1 |
| Potbelly - Beijing Black | | 1 |
| Potbelly - Sunny Daze | | 1 |
| Rebellion - IPA (was 3.7%) | | 1 |
| Rooster's - Outlaw Outrider | | 1 |
| Shakespeare's - The Scottish Ale | | 1 |
| Shakespeare's - The Tempest | | 1 |
| Slaughterhouse - Stout Snout | | 1 |
| Spitting Feathers - Thirst Quencher | | 1 |
| Springhead - Puritans' Porter | | 1 |
| Springhead - Roaring Meg | | 1 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Brock | | 1 |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur | | 1 |
| Three Rivers - Black Moon | | 1 |
| Tirril - Thomas Slees Academy Ale | | 1 |
| Vale of Glamorgan (VOG) - No. 1 Best Bitter | | 1 |
| Wear Valley - Old Vinovium | | 1 |
| Wharfedale - Wharfemeister | | 1 |
| Whim - Black Christmas | | 2 |
| Whim - Columbus | | 1 |
| White Horse - Wayland Smithy | | 2 |
Visits Details
22 Oct 2005 (Ian)
Day 3. Early bird start at 10.00, so I was there with a friend from Ratebeer.com by 10.20. A lot of the beers had taken a hammering the previous day. Still, there was plenty of new beers and new breweries left to try. Beer quality may have dipped by this point.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Castle Rock - Harvest Pale | 3.80 | | Pale gold, citrus hoppy and wonderful. Shame they had it on such a tight sparkler as it takes some of the taste away |
| Museum - Worthington's White Shield | 5.60 | | Slightly hazy but I had been waiting 3 days to get my hands on this, so I didn’t mind that it wasn’t quite ready yet. Hazy orange colour, no head. Good hoppy, fruity nose. Good citrus fruits and some sweet strawberry which carry on to a zesty finish. Grapes in the fruit mix as well |
| Bragdy'r Bryn Cyf - Bitter | 4.00 | | Having had this and the Herald, I am convinced that they had the barrels round the wrong way. Copper/orange colour with thin white head. Really nice cascades aroma with some grapefruit and choc. Fine in mouth with more hops. Great hoppy aroma and all over a very good beer |
| Distant Hills (was Howard Town) - Wren's Nest | 4.20 | | Orange/gold with no head. Nice citric hop aroma. Fine in mouth, with good citric hop finish. Just a tad farty. Fruits are grapefruit and lemon |
| Jolly Brewer - Dark Lager | 6.70 | | Very dark brown with some nice rich dark fruit on this blackberry/cherry plus choc. Bit syrupy in mouthfeel with bit of spice, bit more choc. Nose is better than the finish |
| Mighty Oak - Phantom of the Hopera | 4.30 | | The phantom of the hopera is here, inside my glass. About the only time AL Webber has made me smile. Chestnut colour with thin beige head. Strong citrus hop and red fruit aroma. Quite wet in mouthg. Would expect a bit more malt. Nice tangy,sherberty hop finish |
| Owl - Dark Mild | 4.20 | | Very dark brown mild with no head. Quite treacly, golden syrup, really nice aroma and unusual too. Burnt malt flavours. Finish has more treacle. Very good dark mild |
| Whim - Columbus | 4.80 | | Hazy chestnut colour with beige head which lasts. Nice columbus hop aroma. Some malt. Cut grass aroma. Finish is a bit grainy with more hop. Bit muddy |
| Rooster's - Outlaw Outrider | 3.90 | | Gold beer with thin white head. Some hay on aroma. Some light fruit flavour. Hops on end are typical Roosters US style. Maybe a bit tired |
| Full Mash - Ghoul | 4.80 | | Black beer, thin bubbly beige head. Bit bready on aroma, some liquorice and choc. Some acids and powdery choc in mouth. OK stout, not fantastic, not awful |
| Shakespeare's - The Scottish Ale | 4.60 | | Dark brown ale in fact the same colour as Coke. No head. Nice malty flavours in mouth and touch of spice. |
| Old Spot - Ruby Lou | 3.20 | | Dark reddish brown, choc/coffee nose, dark roasted malts. Very watery in mouth, more choc on end but a bit thin |
| Brandon - Bitter | 4.00 | | Orange bitter, no head. Some orange fruit on nose, some caramel. More tangerine/orange in mouth. Finish is zesty with orange peel |
| Bragdy'r Bryn Cyf - Herald | 6.20 | | Copper colour, no head. Vaguely citric, vaguely acidic with lemon and lime. Quite nice in mouth. Finish has good citrus fruits. Good balanced beer. |
| Battledown - Brigand | 4.70 | | Russet colour, bit hazy, no head. Some good red fruit on nose, but then acidic in mouth. Fruits on end, red apple, strawberry and a touch of caramel |
| Milestone - Rich Ruby | 4.50 | | Chestnut colour with thick beige head from a tight sparkler. Just a bit dead. Some caramel, not a lot of flavour, Bit creamy in mouth |
| Potbelly - Sunny Daze | 5.50 | | Golden beer with no head. Bit cider appley on both nose and in flavour. Alcohol gives it a bit of heat and there is a bit of spice on the end |
| Church End - Grapefruit | 5.00 | | Hazy gold, no head. Some very faint grapefruit aroma. Fine in mouth. Some citric finish. Not the world’s best and a bit acidic |
| John Thompson - JTS XXX Bitter | 4.10 | | Chestnut coloour, no head. Earthy hops, some citrus, muddy earthy malts in mouth. Dull bitter |
| Derby - Triple Hop | 4.10 | | Gold colour slightly hazy. Dull malt. Not a lot of anything really. Very dull beer |
| Nottingham - Supreme | 5.20 | | Golden beer with no head. Diacetyl destroys it. Buttery everywhere. Finish has some hop but the diacetyl dominates |
21 Oct 2005 (Ian)
Day 2. Got here at opening time at 11 and stayed until 10 in the evening. Met up with a friend from Ratebeer.com and then with Andrew, Jane, Catherine and Cam in the evening. Some of the beers had started to sell out and by Friday evening both halls were heaving. Good atmosphere though.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Whim - Black Christmas | 6.50 | | Ties as my beer of the festival. Black beer with lasting beige head. Intense hop, dark malts, some tar and bitter choc. Like a really good imperial style stout. Beautifully balanced, hops on end plus more bitter choc. Not too strong not too intense, not too alcholic, perfect balance |
| Nottingham - Rock Mild | 3.80 | | Black beer with no head. Quite a hoppy nose for a mild. Good in mouth with choc/coffee kicking in. Good enough mild. |
| Dark Star - Porter (aka City) | 5.50 | | Dark chestnut with dark malt flavours and choc/coffee. Intense flavours in mouth. Nice richness with some acid to balance. Finish is good too with more choc and some liquorice. Hops on nose and finish. Yet another good beer from Dark Star |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Brock | 4.10 | | Black beer, beige head. Bit smkey, bit of bacon, dark malts choc/coffee. Slightly oily in mouth. Good flavours throughout |
| Acorn - Regal | 4.00 | | Pale gold with white foamy head. Very citrus hoppy aroma. Aggressive hop. Grapefruit and lemon flavours. Touch soapy but good citrus notes |
| Funfair - Ghost Train | 5.00 | | Very dark brown colour, no head. Liquorice and roasted malts. OK in mouth, some oiliness. Liquorice, choc finish with some espresso coffee. Fine beer |
| Castle Rock - Hemlock Bitter | 4.00 | | Chestnut colour with lasting off white head. Good malt/hop mix. Smooth in mouth, nice nutty malt finish. Touch of spice. Good beer |
| Castle Rock - Kipper | 5.60 | | Very dark chestnut with lasting beige head. Roasted malts on nose, slightly sweet in mouth. Finish is very good with sweet coffee, some bitter choc. Good dark beer |
| Slaughterhouse - Stout Snout | 4.40 | | Black beer with lasting beige head. Dark malts and liquorice aromas. Bit creamy in mouth. Good finish with rich roasted malts. Better than average stout |
| JW Lees (see also Lees) - Brooklyn Best | 5.00 | | Hazy copper/brown beer. Strong aroma of US hops. Quite toffeeish with good hop finish. Citrus is grapefruit and a bit muddy |
| Springhead - Roaring Meg | 5.50 | | Golden beer with creamy head. Slightly herby/hoppy aroma with some spice and some honey. Slightly creamy in mouth. Very pleasant strong ale |
| Front Street - Phoenix | 3.40 | | Copper colour, no head. Nice caramel malt. Some dry tangy malt on end. Tasty session bitter. Quite happily sit at bar and drink this all night |
| Distant Hills (was Howard Town) - Bleaklow | 3.80 | | Orange beer, no head, citrus hop aroma, plenty of tangerine. Fruit is quite sweet in mouth, quite juicy fruit. Hoppy fruity finish |
| Danelaw - Golden Tears | 4.30 | | Hazy orange copper beer with thin off white head. Slightly malty and earthy aroma. Not much in mouth. Some acids and hop on end. Bit disappointing with some toffee |
| Old Spot - Hunter Hill | 4.80 | | Orange beer with floral hop, some citrus. Bit of orange/grapefruit. Not a great finish. Some orange. Nice enough |
| Wear Valley - Old Vinovium | 4.80 | | Deep ruby/brown with thin beige head. Nice choc and fullish in mouth. Good choc on end. In fact really quite chocolatey overall |
| Peakstones (formerly Peakstones Rock) - Black Hole Bitter | 4.80 | | Dark chestnut. Disappearing biege head. Good dark malts on nose. Some acids in mouth with more rich malt. Some choc/coffee. Lacks body in the mouthfeel. Malty finish, slightly dry |
| Spitting Feathers - Thirst Quencher | 3.90 | | Orange copper colour with aroma of hay. Some caramel, some red berry. Bit acidic. Again, just a bit samey as other beers and doesn’t stand out |
| Vale of Glamorgan (VOG) - No. 1 Best Bitter | 4.20 | | Brown/copper beer with fine malts and some hops. OK best bitter. Goodish drying hop finish that has some good zest |
| Alcazar - Trafalgar Black | 4.80 | | Black beer with disappearing beige head. Nutty, liquorice, tar and some sourness in mouth. Sour choc finish with some liquorice. Flavours are quite intense could do with more body. Quite good finish. |
| Nottingham - Bullion | 4.70 | | Gold beer, thin white head. Nice sweetish citrus hop aroma. Nice finish, some straw/hay aroma. Bit sweet and strong overall |
| Brewster's - Daffy Elixir | 4.20 | | Golden beer with thin white head. Some citrus acidic hop. OK in mouth, bit sherberty. good finish which has good mix of fruit |
| Castle Rock - Rook | 4.20 | | Dark chestnut, beige head. Odd mix of dark malts. Good dry finish. Don’t know what to make of it. Some good acids. Strange beer |
| Tirril - Thomas Slees Academy Ale | 4.20 | | Chestnut beer. Bubbly beige head. Acidic appley nose, more apple and some dark malt in mouth with some choc. Finish has more apple/choc finish. Bit odd and lacks direction. Bit of toffee/caramel |
| Wharfedale - Wharfemeister | 4.10 | | Golden colourwith white bubbly head. Slightly yeasty, some lemon. Not overly carbonated. Finishis slightly yeasty and some citrus. Malts are a bit dull and a bit bland |
| Holland - Flying Dutchman | 5.00 | | Slightly hazy orange beer. Bit syrupy, some citrus fruit, maybe not fully brewed. Got very strong grapefruit sharpness on the end. Not my favourite of the fest |
| Phoenix - Arizona | 4.10 | | Think that this may have been getting a bit tired like me at the end of an 11 hour session on the Friday. Golden, no head. Hay and stale malt on nose. Some hop, some acid in mouth. End has dusty hop. Disappointing and not how I remembered it in the Head of Steam |
21 Oct 2005 (Andrew)
Early evening and it was busy but not so busy that I couldn't walk about or get served quickly. Sat on the covered over swimming pool and soaked up the atmosphere. Great
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nottingham - Rock Mild | 3.80 | | Rounded, smooth, milky beer with roasted malt. |
| Whim - Black Christmas | 6.50 | | Remined me of Noe Sherry. Black beer with initial sweet cherry taste. Lots of burnt malt and alcohol with a lasting burnt malt finish. |
| Brewster's - Hophead | 3.60 | | Very drinkable pale coloured bitter that tasted very similar to JHB |
| Poachers - Trail | 4.20 | | Okay I admit I had this because it sounded like Goacher's. It was a pale yellow beer with a tart bitterness and a slight taste of marzipan |
| Springhead - Puritans' Porter | 4.00 | | Smooth sweet rich malty drinkable porter |
| Moles - Molegrip | 4.30 | | Brown beer with sweet malt and no real hops |
| White Horse - Wayland Smithy | 4.40 | | Copper coloured bitter. Nice syrupy malt on finish but you have to wait for it. |
20 Oct 2005 (Ian)
Thursday night. First day of the beer festival and all of the beers I had were in excellent condition. Fairly busy but I found a table just off the main hall and sat chatting with a couple from Rochester in Kent who had also come up for the festival. Beers were split into a number of categories over 2 halls. Regular beers numbered from 1-256, SIBA beers, a series of brewery bars, a fruit beer bar and 2 cider and perry stands. Excellent festival
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Horse - Wayland Smithy | 4.40 | | Copper colour with thin off white head. Lovely hop/malt aroma. Very intense flavours. Finish is rich with hops and candy sugar. Very good bitter. Not as good on day 2 when Andrew had it |
| Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur | 5.90 | | Just about my beer of the festival. Intense hop aroma. Pale gold with lasting white head. Citric hop is lovely. Grapefruit. Terrific in mouth and finish is excellent. Some sweetish malt in mouth to balance. Then gorgeous hop finish. Alcohol makes it a tad too sweet. Not that good on day 2 |
| Nottingham - Rock Bitter | 3.80 | | Golden with thin white head. Nice citrus hop nose, grapefruit and nettle. OK in mouth, not too much body. Then aggressively hop citrus finish, almost peppery |
| Brewster's - Hophead | 3.60 | | Golden beer with white lasting head. Along the lines of Darkstar Hophead and JHB. Grapefruit and tangerine citrus, acidic in mouth with drying hoppy citric finish. Mmmmm |
| Oakham - Five Leaves Left | 4.50 | | Bubbly beige head. Distinctive Oakham nose, bit soapy, some choc malts. Nice hop/malt finish. Some citrus and some choc. Quite smooth, still nice |
| Potbelly - Beijing Black | 4.40 | | Black beer with thin beige head. Dark malts, choc/coffee. Lovely deep flavours. Bit of liquorice on nose and finish. Bit of sweetness on finish. |
| Alcazar - Bombay Castle IPA | 6.50 | | Golden ale, thin white head. Really intense, some strawberry and you can taste the strength. Fruit and hop finish. Nice strong beer. |
| Milestone - Classic Dark Mild | 4.00 | | Black beer, lasting beige head, Dark malts on the aroma, bit creamy in mouth, dark malts on end. Finish is drying . Flavours could be a bit more intense |
| Rebellion - IPA (was 3.7%) | 3.40 | | This beat both the Brewsters Hophead and Nottingham Rock Bitter in the SIBA bitter category, although I thought the other 2 were better. Deep copper colour. Nice hop/caramel. Not a lot of fruit. Caramel in mouth, with hoppy finish. Quite dry, bit tangy, bit of choc. Nice understated hop |
| Hesket Newmarket - Autumn Chestnut | 4.60 | | Russet colourwith disappearing beige head. Choc malts, slightly watery in mouth with powdery choc. Finish again is choc and just a little thin |
| Bells - Dreamcatcher | 4.60 | | Copper colour, disappearing off white head. Hoppy beer, some earthiness, bit muddy. Bit watery in mouth, some nettley citrus. Bit of tea |
| Chiltern - Beechwood Bitter | 4.30 | | Deep copper/brown colour with off white thin head. Nice hop/malt mix, touch of spice on end. Nice brown bitter |
| Three Rivers - Black Moon | 4.80 | | Black beer with thin beige head. Blackberry nose not obvious choc, smooth and full in mouth and then bitter choc. However not dry and grainy like some stouts. Choc finish is nice |
| Shakespeare's - The Tempest | 5.50 | | Black beer, disappearing beige head. Slightly eggy but with nice roasted malts. Touch of liquorice on end. Fine, but not enough depth |
About the Nottingham Beer Festival 2005
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
| 5 |
| 16 |
| 13 |
| 27 |
| 8 |
The pub is found in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG1 1DB.
The 4th largest beer festival in Britain. Run by CAMRA and held in the Victoria Leisure Centre across 2 rooms. There were about 350 beers on.
We have visited this pub 4 times, seen 64 different beers and tried them all.
Postcode: NG1 1DB