PubsandBeer
East Malling Beer & Cider Festivals 2012 and 2013 (CAMRA Beer Festival)
| Beer (sort) | Average Score (sort) | No. Samples (sort) |
|---|---|---|
| Kingstone - Premium Stout |  | 1 |
| Salopian - Lemon Dream | | 1 |
| Wylam - Rocket | | 1 |
| Royal Tunbridge Wells - Helles | | 1 |
| Canterbury Brewers - Hoppin Belgian | | 2 |
| Exmoor - Beast |  | 1 |
| Kent - Cobnut | | 1 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | | 1 |
| Pin-Up - The Red Head | | 1 |
| Lymestone - Stone the Crows | | 1 |
| Canterbury Brewers - 2012 | | 2 |
| Concrete Cow - Cloven Hoof Vanilla Stout | | 1 |
| Westerham - Helles Belles | | 2 |
| Goddards - Fuggle (or Fuggle Dee-Dum) | | 1 |
| Kent - Beyond the Pale | | 1 |
| Vale - Black Beauty Porter (superseded by 4.4% version) | | 1 |
| Abigale - Hoyman's Porter | | 2 |
| Swan on the Green - American Pale Ale | | 1 |
| Stewart - Edinburgh Gold | | 1 |
| Rockin Robin - Reliant Robin (superseded by 3.7% version) | | 3 |
| Saltaire - Blackberry Cascade | | 1 |
| Rockin Robin - Mildly Rockin |  | 2 |
| Downton - Flaming Games | | 3 |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Friar's Ale | | 3 |
| Abigale - Nailbourne | | 2 |
| Shepherd Neame - Queen Court | | 2 |
| Hop Back - Heracles | | 2 |
| Stonehenge - Danish Dynamite | | 1 |
| Royal Tunbridge Wells - Dipper | | 1 |
| Hopdaemon - Skrimshander IPA | Not Tried | 0 |
| Westerham - Spirit of Kent XXX Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wantsum - One Hop Willamette | Not Tried | 0 |
| Hopdaemon - Golden Braid | Not Tried | 0 |
| Shepherd Neame - Spitfire (or Spitfire Amber Ale) | Not Tried | 0 |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | Not Tried | 0 |
| Larkins - Best Bitter | Not Tried | 0 |
| Swan on the Green - Cygnet | Not Tried | 0 |
| Swan on the Green - Fuggles Pale Ale | Not Tried | 0 |
| Goacher's - Silver Star | Not Tried | 0 |
| Wantsum - Turbulent Priest | Not Tried | 0 |
| Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Red Top | Not Tried | 0 |
| Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper Top | Not Tried | 0 |
| Larkins - Platinum Blonde | Not Tried | 0 |
Visits Details
08 Sep 2013 (Dosser)
2013 Festival and possibly the most successful so far. Great pity the beer ran out so early. But rain was forcast and the crowd was far greater than in previous years. Beer of festival was Kent Black Gold and the fastest seller was Goachers Silver star. Only put down beers I sampled.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salopian - Lemon Dream | 4.50 | | My beer of the festival |
| Kingstone - Premium Stout | 4.40 | | |
| Exmoor - Beast | 6.60 | | |
| Lymestone - Stone the Crows | 5.40 | | |
| Swan on the Green - American Pale Ale | 5.00 | | |
| Stonehenge - Danish Dynamite | 5.00 | |
01 Sep 2012 (oz11)
Arrived just after 11am on the free bus from Aylesford. Cracking fest and well attended, just a shame we didn't see much of the sun.
Have filled in the Kent beers that were available.
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rockin Robin - Reliant Robin (superseded by 3.7% version) | 4.20 | | Pick of the day for me. |
| Stewart - Edinburgh Gold | 4.80 | | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Miller's Ale (originally 4.5%) | 4.20 | | |
| Concrete Cow - Cloven Hoof Vanilla Stout | 4.50 | | |
| Kent - Beyond the Pale | 5.40 | | |
| Canterbury Brewers - 2012 | 4.20 | | |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Friar's Ale | 4.30 | | |
| Canterbury Brewers - Hoppin Belgian | 6.50 | | |
| Royal Tunbridge Wells - Dipper | 3.70 | | |
| Hop Back - Heracles | 2.80 | | |
| Abigale - Hoyman's Porter | 4.70 | | |
| Downton - Flaming Games | 4.10 | | Listed as 4.1% |
| Hopdaemon - Golden Braid | 3.70 | Not Tried | |
| Shepherd Neame - Spitfire (or Spitfire Amber Ale) | 4.20 | Not Tried | 4.2%? |
| Goacher's - Gold Star | 5.10 | Not Tried | |
| Larkins - Best Bitter | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Swan on the Green - Cygnet | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Swan on the Green - Fuggles Pale Ale | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| Goacher's - Silver Star | 4.20 | Not Tried | |
| Wantsum - Turbulent Priest | 4.40 | Not Tried | |
| Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Red Top | 3.80 | Not Tried | |
| Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Copper Top | 4.10 | Not Tried | |
| Abigale - Nailbourne | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Larkins - Platinum Blonde | 3.60 | Not Tried | |
| Hopdaemon - Skrimshander IPA | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Westerham - Spirit of Kent XXX Pale Ale | 4.00 | Not Tried | |
| Wantsum - One Hop Willamette | 4.50 | Not Tried | |
| Pin-Up - The Red Head | 4.20 | Not Tried | Was offered a taster, but didn't seem to have settled so moved swiftly on. |
01 Sep 2012 (Martin the Mildman)
Met up with a select band of beer samplers here including P&B's "Kentish Ale".
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abigale - Hoyman's Porter | 4.70 | | Black porter with a good bitter, malty flavour with some hoppiness. Full bodied with a dryish finish. My score 16/20 and therefore beer of the festival for me. |
| Westerham - Helles Belles | 4.00 | | Very pale lager style beer with a sweetish fruity hop character and some biscuity malt in the background. Fruity finish. My score 15/20. |
| Rockin Robin - Mildly Rockin | 3.70 | | Quite a dry mild, dark brown in colour, with an earthy initial flavour before toasted malt takes over to the finish. Rather thin mouthfeel. My score 15/20. |
| Abigale - Nailbourne | 4.50 |  | Amber in colour with quite a strong bitter flavour not entirely from hops. Dry, bitter finish. My score 13/20. |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Friar's Ale | 4.30 | | Amber bitter with a strong hop bitterness. Little malt or citrus flavour. Dry, hoppy finish. My score 13/20. |
| Shepherd Neame - Queen Court | 4.50 | | Amber bitter with a sharp piney hop character, rather unusual for this brewer. Little maltiness and a rather sharp, dry finish. My score 14/20. |
| Rockin Robin - Reliant Robin (superseded by 3.7% version) | 4.20 | | Amber bitter with a dryish bitter flavour, moderate hopping and a dryish finish. My score 14/20. |
| Downton - Flaming Games | 4.10 | | Very pale bitter with strong hop character with some citrus flavour. Dry, hoppy finish. My score 14/20. |
01 Sep 2012 (Alenomore)
Kick-off was 11am. The b/f was opened by the local mayor and another special guest was local Radio Kent DJ and well known supporter of Real Ale, Roger "Twiggy" Day, who also signed up for CAMRA membership today too! Well done that man. Another resounding success. Big crowd and great atmosphere. Lots of familiar faces visiting and working. I stayed until 19:30, by which time, virtually all of the Beer and Cider had been consumed! Well done CAMRA. These were the 17 ales I sampled, and all were in perfect condition and the third measures were handy too!
| Beer | ABV | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wylam - Rocket | 5.00 | | A top ale. 19:15 and my last 1/3 sample of the day and one of the few ales left at this time. |
| Royal Tunbridge Wells - Helles | 5.00 | | Another top class lager type. |
| Canterbury Brewers - Hoppin Belgian | 6.50 | | New and top class too. Several of our group liked this one. |
| Goddards - Fuggle (or Fuggle Dee-Dum) | 4.80 | | The 2012 Beer Of The Festival, as judged by an independant panel that included special guest, Roger "Twiggy" Day and top local landlord from the Flower Pot, David Davenport. A top class ale too. A worthy winner from this Isle of Wight brewery. |
| Vale - Black Beauty Porter (superseded by 4.4% version) | 4.30 | | Very nice, quite pronounced notes. |
| Saltaire - Blackberry Cascade | 4.80 | | Thought this was excellant. Very pronounced berry notes. |
| Kent - Cobnut | 4.10 | | |
| Westerham - Helles Belles | 4.00 | | Top class lager type. |
| Abigale - Nailbourne | 4.50 | | Top condition. |
| Canterbury Brewers - 2012 | 4.20 | | Another new ale. Very good. |
| Canterbury Ales (sometimes badged as Canterbrew) - The Friar's Ale | 4.30 | | A1. |
| Shepherd Neame - Queen Court | 4.50 | | Zoomed in on this straight away. Actually, it was very good. Possibly from the micro plant, one of Shep's better efforts. |
| Rockin Robin - Reliant Robin (superseded by 3.7% version) | 4.20 | | Very smooth. |
| Pin-Up - The Red Head | 4.20 | | Another new ale and brewery for me. |
| Downton - Flaming Games | 4.10 | | Another new ale. Very good too. |
| Hop Back - Heracles | 2.80 | | Actually, very good at this low abv. |
| Rockin Robin - Mildly Rockin | 3.70 | | Quite an earthy type. Not bad at all from this local amateur brewer. |
About the East Malling Beer & Cider Festivals 2012 and 2013
Summary of Beer Scores
| Total | |
|---|---|
| 6 |
| 23 |
| 9 |
| 5 |
 | - |
The pub is found in East Malling, Kent, ME19 6BJ.
The original Maidstone Beer & Cider Festival. The East Malling Research Centre has again provided an excellent venue for the third and fourth festivals. A large marquee in one of the Centre's fields, well laid out bar area, easy to find, only 15 minutes walk from East Malling railway station. A live music stage and food vendors kept the large crowd happy and a plentiful band of CAMRA volunteers kept the ale flowing. Recommended.
We have visited this pub 4 times, seen 43 different beers and tried 29 of them.
Postcode: ME19 6BJ