Tucker's Maltings 2012

Yesterday myself and most of the usual ale crowd made our way to Newton Abbot for the 20th Tucker's Maltings Beer Festival. We caught the 9:03 train from Axminster and after a change at Exeter St Davids we arrived in the east Devon town of Newton Abbot around 10:20am.
As usual we made straight for The Richard Hopkins, a Wetherspoons pub in the town for our breakfast.
I've been a vegetarian of over thirty years so I had the veggie option washed down with a pint of Great Newsome Brewery 'Sleck Dust' at 3.8%. This was a straw coloured session beer and was quite refreshing.
I followed this up with a pint of the Lincolnshire brewery, Tom Woods 'Bomber County' at 4.8%. This is a dark ale with a mix of hops,caramel,coffee and apple and was really good !.
We then made our way to the Festival, arriving around 11:30am. I had already made a list of the beers I was hoping to try so I walked along the 'bar' to see what was still available. I was quite disappointed that many of the beers I was particularly hoping to find were already sold out.
I started with South Hams from Kingsbridge 'Knickerdroppa Glory' at 5.2%. an autumn and winter seasonal ale.This was a strong ale with floral aromas but I wasn't overly fond of it.

Next up was the Hopback Brewery from Wiltshire and their 'Entire Stout' at 4.5%. This was much more to my liking and was a rich dark stout with strong malty flavours.
I next tried what was to be my favourite of the festival and a new brewery as well. Devilfish was set up in 2011 at Hemmington in Somerset.The ale I chose was Stingray at 5.5% a strong beer with malty,fruity flavours.
Next it was back to the stout's with Cheddar Ale's  Tolly Pot Porter at 4.5% a dark malty porter. For my fifth choice I stayed in Somerset and Tried Blindman's from Frome's 'Icarus' at 4.5% a fruity, rich, dark ruby ale.
Now I made what were to be a couple of 'visits' to Cornish breweries, starting with the Castle Brewery at Lostwithiel and their Moat Mild at 4.0% , this is a tasty dark mild and quite enjoyable. Next up was Launceston's Penport Brewery and St Nonna's , another mild beer at 3.7% with flavours of malt and apple fruitiness.
Last up was the Red Rock Brewery from Bishopsteignton and 'Capstan' at 5.8% a strong malty bitter.

It was now nearing 4.30pm and we decided that as we had tried most of the beers we wanted to we would head back to the town and get a meal in Wetherspoons before catching the train home at 6.30pm.
It was just as busy as it had been in the morning but we managed to get a table for seven and ordered our food. There were three different ales on offer from this morning and I plumped for Bays from Paignton and their 'Springtime at 4.5% , a seasonal beer that I've not tried before.
It was now time to make our way home. It had been a good but not a great day and I left with the feeling that we should maybe come on the Friday session next year so as not to miss out on the winning beers.
I was quite disappointed that the organisers, not just here but at most festivals, never keep back any of the winning beers for each day and just let them sell out as soon as possible. Rant over and roll on next year.