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White Cliffs Beer Festival 2013 (CAMRA Beer Festival)

Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Windsor & Eton - Conqueror 1075Exceptional2
Oakleaf (now see Fallen Acorn entries) - India Pale AleExcellent2
Elland - 1872 PorterExcellent1
Downton - Chimera IPAExcellent1
Larkins - PorterExcellent1
Acorn - 10th NoelExcellent2
Saltaire - Stateside IPAExcellent2
Goacher's - 1066 Old AleExcellent1
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - JaipurExcellent1
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Tsar TopExcellent4
Blue Anchor - Spingo MiddleExcellent1
Hopdaemon - Green DaemonExcellent1
Kent - PorterExcellent1
Salopian - VertigoExcellent1
Milestone - Game KeeperGood2
Bank Top - Port O'CallGood1
Kissingate - Mary's Ruby MildGood1
Triple fff - I Can't Remember !Good1
Funfair - Cake WalkGood1
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Black Pearl Oyster StoutGood1
Hunter's - Black JackGood2
Ripple Steam - Black IPAGood2
Ilkley - Lotus IPA (was 5.6%)Good1
Kinver - KhyberGood1
Acorn - Strisselspalt IPAGood1
Cambridge Moonshine (see also Moonshine) - Chocolate Orange StoutAcceptable1
Tring - Colley's DogNot Tried0
Wantsum - Ravening WolfNot Tried0
Elgood's - Black Eagle Imperial StoutNot Tried0
Buffy's - AleNot Tried0
Canterbury Brewers - Street Light PorterNot Tried0
Griffin - Ding DongNot Tried0
Box Steam - Derail AleNot Tried0
Loddon - Forbury Lion Strong I.P.A.Not Tried0
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Snow TopNot Tried0
Mauldons - Suffolk ComfortNot Tried0
Mauldons - Black AdderNot Tried0
Abbeydale - AbsolutionNot Tried0
Dark Star - RevelationNot Tried0
Goacher's - Gold StarNot Tried0
Fat Cat - Marmalade CatNot Tried0
Grain - India Pale AleNot Tried0
Hopdaemon - LeviathanNot Tried0
Burton Bridge - Bramble StoutNot Tried0
Moor - Somerland GoldNot Tried0
Burton Bridge - Stairway To HeavenNot Tried0
Swannay (formerly Highland) - Orkney BlastNot Tried0
Swannay (formerly Highland) - St Magnus AleNot Tried0
RCH - Double HeaderNot Tried0
Whitstable - Kentish ReserveNot Tried0
Sunny Republic - St Wite's AleNot Tried0
Tring - Death or GloryNot Tried0
Westerham - Audit AleNot Tried0
Maldon - Farmer's Golden BoarNot Tried0
Goddards - Winter WarmerNot Tried0
Ascot - Winter ReserveNot Tried0
Saltaire - New World RedNot Tried0
Falstaff - Smiling AssassinNot Tried0
Rudgate - VolsungNot Tried0
Rother Valley - Northiam Old BitterNot Tried0
Brunswick - Black SabbathNot Tried0
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Kent Pale AleNot Tried0
Ballards (now a sub-brand of Greyhound) - In the DrinkNot Tried0
Frog Island - Fire Bellied ToadNot Tried0
Wantsum - HengistNot Tried0
Battledown - SpecialNot Tried0
Skinner's - Jingle KnockerNot Tried0
Westerham - Double StoutNot Tried0
Blindmans - PremiumNot Tried0
Triple fff - Comfortably Numb (was 5%)Not Tried0
Elmtree - Nightlight MildNot Tried0
Bullmastiff - Special ReserveNot Tried0
Goffs - Black KnightNot Tried0
Amber Ales - Imperial IPANot Tried0
Piddle (Dorset Piddle) - Little WillieNot Tried0
Picture 1. White Cliffs Beer Festival 2013, Dover, Kent

Visits Details

02 Feb 2013 (oz11)
A rich gathering of p&b scribes apparently!
BeerABVScoreNotes
Kent - Porter5.50Excellent
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Tsar Top8.00Excellent
Hunter's - Black Jack6.00Excellent
Acorn - 10th Noel6.70Excellent
Bank Top - Port O'Call5.00Good
Funfair - Cake Walk6.00Good
Milestone - Game Keeper5.20Good
Ripple Steam - Black IPA5.80Good
Acorn - Strisselspalt IPA5.00Good
Box Steam - Derail Ale5.20Not TriedDidn't match the program description. This was a sweet dark beer, it was described as a wonderfully hoppy traditional IPA, so not rating it.
02 Feb 2013 (Ian)
Saturday early opening and busy already. A few beers sold out and many heavily tipped. Kent University Real Ale Soc had a 30 strong turnout.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Milestone - Game Keeper5.20GoodLemony blond hoppy beer
Kissingate - Mary's Ruby Mild6.50GoodTasty fruity mild
Hunter's - Black Jack6.00AcceptableA tasty dark ale. Malty
01 Feb 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Evening. Superb venue - had never been inside the building in all my hundreds of Dover visits. All beers at £3 per pint.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Goacher's - 1066 Old Ale6.70ExcellentWoody and exceptionally moreish. Went back for seconds later
Blue Anchor - Spingo Middle5.10ExcellentSweeter than I recall from the past but went down a treat
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Tsar Top8.00ExcellentThe killer blow! Each sip gives a message that it'll soon be time to go home
Salopian - Vertigo7.20ExcellentRecommended by a departing CAMRA bigwig and quite rightly too
Oakleaf (now see Fallen Acorn entries) - India Pale Ale5.50ExcellentLast knockings from cask almost tilted upright but still clear as a bell and full flavoured
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Black Pearl Oyster Stout6.20Good
Mauldons - Black Adder5.30Not Tried
Goacher's - Gold Star5.10Not Tried
Larkins - Porter5.20Not Tried
Hopdaemon - Leviathan6.00Not Tried
Burton Bridge - Stairway To Heaven5.00Not Tried
RCH - Double Header5.30Not Tried
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur5.90Not TriedOne of the first to run out
Tring - Death or Glory7.20Not Tried
Bank Top - Port O'Call5.00Not Tried
Goddards - Winter Warmer5.20Not Tried
Falstaff - Smiling Assassin5.20Not Tried
Brunswick - Black Sabbath6.00Not Tried
Frog Island - Fire Bellied Toad5.00Not Tried
Skinner's - Jingle Knocker5.50Not Tried
Triple fff - Comfortably Numb (was 5%)5.40Not Tried
Triple fff - I Can't Remember !6.00Not Tried
Goffs - Black Knight5.30Not Tried
Tring - Colley's Dog5.20Not Tried
Buffy's - Ale5.50Not Tried
Hopdaemon - Green Daemon5.00Not Tried
Funfair - Cake Walk6.00Not Tried
Loddon - Forbury Lion Strong I.P.A.5.50Not Tried
Abbeydale - Absolution5.30Not Tried
Fat Cat - Marmalade Cat5.50Not Tried
Burton Bridge - Bramble Stout5.00Not Tried
Kinver - Khyber5.80Not Tried
Swannay (formerly Highland) - Orkney Blast6.00Not Tried
Whitstable - Kentish Reserve5.00Not Tried
Westerham - Audit Ale6.20Not Tried
Ascot - Winter Reserve5.20Not Tried
Rudgate - Volsung5.00Not Tried
Ramsgate Brewery (Gadds') - Kent Pale Ale6.50Not Tried
Wantsum - Hengist5.00Not Tried
Westerham - Double Stout5.50Not Tried
Elmtree - Nightlight Mild5.70Not Tried
Ilkley - Lotus IPA (was 5.6%)5.50Not Tried
Elland - 1872 Porter6.50Not Tried
Box Steam - Derail Ale5.20Not Tried
Milestone - Game Keeper5.20Not Tried
Kent - Porter5.50Not Tried
Amber Ales - Imperial IPA6.50Not Tried
Wantsum - Ravening Wolf5.90Not Tried
Kissingate - Mary's Ruby Mild6.50Not Tried
Saltaire - Stateside IPA6.00Not Tried
Canterbury Brewers - Street Light Porter5.80Not Tried
Hunter's - Black Jack6.00Not Tried
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Snow Top6.00Not Tried
Windsor & Eton - Conqueror 10757.40Not Tried
Dark Star - Revelation5.70Not Tried
Downton - Chimera IPA6.80Not Tried
Grain - India Pale Ale6.50Not Tried
Moor - Somerland Gold5.00Not Tried
Swannay (formerly Highland) - St Magnus Ale5.20Not Tried
Sunny Republic - St Wite's Ale5.00Not Tried
Maldon - Farmer's Golden Boar5.00Not Tried
Cambridge Moonshine (see also Moonshine) - Chocolate Orange Stout6.70Not Tried
Ripple Steam - Black IPA5.80Not Tried
Saltaire - New World Red5.20Not Tried
Acorn - 10th Noel6.70Not Tried
Rother Valley - Northiam Old Bitter5.50Not Tried
Acorn - Strisselspalt IPA5.00Not Tried
Ballards (now a sub-brand of Greyhound) - In the Drink7.40Not Tried
Battledown - Special5.20Not Tried
Blindmans - Premium5.00Not Tried
Bullmastiff - Special Reserve6.50Not Tried
Piddle (Dorset Piddle) - Little Willie5.00Not Tried
Elgood's - Black Eagle Imperial Stout8.70Not Tried
Griffin - Ding Dong5.20Not Tried
Mauldons - Suffolk Comfort6.60Not Tried
01 Feb 2013 (Mick)
Arrived at 1-30 and was already busy, met with a load of old drinking buddies.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Tsar Top8.00ExceptionalWaited till the end to try this, stunning, complex, sweet sour rich, bitter sweet, stunning, could have drunk more but sanity prevailed.
Larkins - Porter5.20ExcellentComplex, fruit, sweet, sour, milky. It's Larkins!
Thornbridge / Thornbridge Hall - Jaipur5.90ExcellentJaipur on form, enough said, Lovely.
Hopdaemon - Green Daemon5.00ExcellentPale and nice, still not sure about this one but I enjoyed it.
Downton - Chimera IPA6.80ExcellentNice hoppy IPA
Triple fff - I Can't Remember !6.00GoodNice, roast malt, choc and coffee.
Kinver - Khyber5.80GoodNice but a little bland.
Saltaire - Stateside IPA6.00GoodNice enough but lacking the hops I was expecting from the name.
01 Feb 2013 (Brian)
Here early with Pete. Not as busy as it has been in the past, but still a good atmosphere. Stumbled off home about 7.30.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Windsor & Eton - Conqueror 10757.40ExceptionalMy beer of the day. Black yes, IPA yes. Good stuff.
Elland - 1872 Porter6.50ExcellentIf in doubt... excellent as usual.
Saltaire - Stateside IPA6.00ExcellentProper IPA, golden, bubbly head, top bitterness.
Ilkley - Lotus IPA (was 5.6%)5.50GoodMy notes just say "nice" - may have been getting a bit late in the day.
Oakleaf (now see Fallen Acorn entries) - India Pale Ale5.50GoodGood example of a golden IPA, usual stingy hop.
Acorn - 10th Noel6.70GoodThis was the only beer that I can remember having that wasn't based either on an IPA or a porter. Nice, quite fruity, inoffensive which is sometimes what you need!
Old Dairy (being contract brewed after it closed) - Tsar Top8.00AcceptableHad it on my radar all day and saved it until last, which was maybe unfair as I'd had a few more than planned. It was drinkable but incredibly sour. I'd put in a decent shift but this was too much for me.
Cambridge Moonshine (see also Moonshine) - Chocolate Orange Stout6.70AcceptableCrisp, bitter flavour. Don't get any orange though. Bit flat in body, but quite OK. Something strange like stilton or marmite in the aftertaste.
Ripple Steam - Black IPA5.80AcceptableIt's black and not a bad beer, but an IPA it's not.
01 Feb 2013 (Ian)
Met up with the usual reprobates. Good atmosphere until the band started soI left.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Windsor & Eton - Conqueror 10757.40ExcellentSuper hoppy black ipa. Beer of the festival for me

About the White Cliffs Beer Festival 2013

The pub sign. White Cliffs Beer Festival 2013, Dover, Kent

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional2
Excellent16
Good14
Acceptable4
Poor-

The pub is found in Dover, Kent, CT16 1DL.

20th anniversary of this winter festival held in the atmospheric Maison Dieu Town Hall. 75 beers on gravity all 5.0% abv or higher at a flat rate £1.50 per half and £3 per pint. This year's glasses carried a caricature portrait of Roger Marples on the embossed emblem, the local CAMRA beer character who left us last year.

We have visited this pub 6 times, seen 73 different beers and tried 25 of them.

Map location

Postcode: CT16 1DL