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SPBW Woodfest 2025 - Woodfest Five (Beer Festival)

Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Okell's - Smoked PorterExcellent1
Harrogate - Kursaal Imperial Stout, Special EditionGood1
Bushy's - Old Bushy TailGood1
Harvey's - Georgian DragonGood1
Cullercoats - Jack The DevilGood1
XT Brewing - Animal Brewing HummingbirdGood1
Bushy's - 40th Anniversary Ruby AleGood1

Visits Details

31 May 2025 (Hogan Sampling)
Busy for my early afternoon arrival at the Society for the Preservation of Beer from the Wood's beer festival and on the 3rd and final day. As part of the entrance fee (£3.00 for non-SPBW members) to the festival, you were given the opportunity to visit The Musical Museum's exhibits, but providing you did not take your beer glass with you on your visit around the exhibition areas. Thirds were also served as well as pints and halves from the range of 40 real ales on and all from wooden casks racked up. By my visit on its third day, I was told about a third of the beer had gone and so still plenty to choose from. The serving area was close to the tables and seating in the theatre area of the museum and the organist was very entertaining. Quite a few faces I knew from CAMRA there, both as volunteers helping out and as festival goers. Visiting the museum at the end was also a treat and where there was a violin and a piano that self-played through being mechanically-driven.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Okell's - Smoked Porter5.00Excellent4th beer: This Island of Man porter, south-west of Douglas, came with reasonable head and lacing. A smokey first hit. A peated malty bitterness rising up and a touch of coffee and chocolatey flavouring, combined with stone fruit-infusions on the palate. A moreishly dry bitterness lingering.
Bushy's - Old Bushy Tail4.50Good6th beer: This reddish-brown beer is the first ever produced by this Isle of Man brewery, south-west of Douglas. Not much head and lacing from the start. A very moreishly dry first hit. A treacle-like maltiness rising up on the mouthfeel with a hint of orange peel flavouring. A toffee-infused maltiness joined by a zesty hoppiness lingering.
Harvey's - Georgian Dragon4.70Good2nd beer: This Lewes-based strong bitter had a fruity-infused first hit. A hoppy bitterness rising up and lingering. Very moreish despite no head or lacing from the start. Many a beer from the wood I have had on previous occasions has not had much or any head and lacing, and so have come to accept this. So, again here this did not detract from enjoying it.
Cullercoats - Jack The Devil4.50Good7th beer: Came with good head and lacing on this premium bitter from Wallsend, south of Whitley Bay and north of Tynemouth, in the county of Tyne and Wear. A very dry bitter first hit. A fruity and hoppy bitterness rising up and lasting as aided by a mix of Maris Otter barley and English aromatic hops.
XT Brewing - Animal Brewing Hummingbird4.60Good3rd beer: Some head and lacing on this pale ale from Long Crendon, north-east of Oxford. Saw a fellow-festival goer on this and so was recommended it. A fruity first hit. A bitterness rising up and a dry fruitiness joining in. A bitter dryness lingering and so aiding the lips to smack open and shut with the odd hoppy note bouncing up and down.
Bushy's - 40th Anniversary Ruby Ale4.00Good1st beer: Brewed on the Isle of Man, this was a dark ruby red ale and produced using Manx grown barley and traditional Fuggles and Harlequin hops. A dry bitter first hit. A fruitiness from berries no doubt. A bitterness rising up and a maltiness lingering. Not much head or lacing from the outset but tasted fine.
Harrogate - Kursaal Imperial Stout, Special Edition8.40Good5th beer: Lucky to have got this stout from north of Leeds as not even quite a third was possible! What I was given was on the house from the festival volunteer involved. Some head and lacing right to the end of its wooden barrel. A sherry-tasting first hit. A berry-infused fruitiness rising up alongside a sweetness from demerara and muscovado sugar. A sweet bitterness lingering.

About the SPBW Woodfest 2025 - Woodfest Five

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional-
Excellent1
Good6
Acceptable-
Poor-

Website.

The Beer Festival is found in Brentford, Greater London, TW8 0DU.

SPBW Woodfest 2025 - Woodfest Five (so-named for marking their 5th national beer festival) held on Thursday 29th, Friday 30th & Saturday 31st May 2025. Staged by: The Society for the Preservation of Beers from the Wood (SPBW), founded in 1963, is the oldest consumer-based group interested in stimulating the brewing of, increasing the awareness of, and encouraging the drinking of cask conditioned real ale. At this time, wooden casks were still regarded as being synonymous with traditional draught beer in contrast to the sealed metal containers which hold the processed and artificially carbonated product known as keg beer. By 1968, SPBW’s main concern was the beer in the cask and that it is served as a quality product. By the 1970s, the use of metal casks had become prevalent for real ale but the original name (referring to being “from the Wood”) was kept for the sake of tradition. In recent years there has been something of a revival in the use of wood for maturing and dispensing beer which can affect the taste of the beer and SPBW supports this trend and the traditional craft of the cooper. This festival was hosted by The Musical Museum in Brentford which has a large theatre with a stage and seating on its first floor and where the SPBW’s 3-day festival was entertained by volunteers playing the Museum’s “Mighty Wurlitzer” organ. 40 real ales, all in wooden casks, were served at the SPBW’s festival marking its 62nd year and their 5th national beer festival. Venue: The Musical Museum, 399 High Street, Brentford, London TW8 0DU. https://www.musicalmuseum.co.uk

We have visited this Beer Festival once, seen 7 different beers and tried them all.

Map location

Postcode: TW8 0DU