Can mainland brewers bounce back at biggest ever Scottish ale festival?
By: JimOldfield
June 26th, 2012
The Scottish Real Ale Festival has reached double figures… and it’s celebrating with the largest ever showcase of the nation’s beer under one roof.
The 10th incarnation of the CAMRA-run festival begins on Thursday (June 28) and runs until Saturday… with 186 ales in 212 casks, from more than 40 breweries, currently settling and awaiting the glass, in the 3,000-capacity Edinburgh Corn Exchange!
Some of them will be vying for three lucrative titles – with judging for the Champion Beer of Scotland, regional heats of the Champion Beer of Britain and the SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) Scottish Cask Championship all taking place at the Corn Exchange.
The big local question is whether an island brewer will once more win the Champion Beer of Scotland crown. Last year’s Scottish champ was Skye Cuillin Beast… and you have to go back six years to find the last mainland brewer to win the title.
Organiser Owen Bell said: “Examples of every style of beer will be on sale – from light, refreshing, golden ales and lagers, through rich exports, stouts and porters, to full-bodied barley wines. With such a variety of choice there is no doubt that CAMRA will be able to offer something to suit everyone’s palate.”
This year’s entertainment will be as lively as ever – with Oompah band Kolonel Schnapps blowing up on Friday night, followed by the full-on whistles and bells of the Caledonian Brewery Pipe Band on Saturday.
The festival runs from noon-11pm on Thursday and Friday and noon-9pm Saturday.
What’s more, a blanket admission – at £5 or £3 for CAMRA members, payable on the door – permits unlimited revisits over the whole of the festival!.
You’ll find the venue on New Market Road – click here for a map and visit the links below to find out more.
Hand-Pumped links:
www.sraf.org.uk/viewpage.php?page_id=4
www.facebook.com/ScottishRealAleFestival?v=wall
http://m.sraf.org.uk/beerlist.php?viewby=brewer
