GBBF 2012

                                              As I was going to St.Ives,
                                          I passed a man with seven wives


Well change St.Ives for Olympia and seven wives for seven Somerset CAMRA members and you end up with our trip to the Great British Beer Festival 2012.
We arrived at Crewkerne Station in two groups at around 8.00am on Thursday 9th August for the three hour journey to Kensington Olympia station.As usual we met up with some of our Hampshire CAMRA friends at Basingstoke and our group now numbered eleven.
The station is opposite the venue so we didn't have to go far once we arrived but as we were around 50 mins early we decided to forgo the queue and have a 'whistle wetter' instead. We walked a short way up the road to the Hand and Flower, a large open plan free house with large picture windows. There were 10 hand pumps serving real ales, mostly Fuller's but with a few ales from further afield. I went for a Caledonian 'Top Banana' at 4.1% a golden fruit beer with a sharp caramel taste that also has the distinct banana aftertaste that gives it its name.

A few of the guys in the Hand and Flower

Around 11.45am a few of us walked over the road to start queueing and as it got near to mid-day the queue suddenly moved forward at pace and we soon inside picking up our glasses and programs.
Andy and I made a beeline for the seating area and had soon secured a table and chairs that would accommodate all eleven of us. As soon as enough of the group had joined us I went off in search of my first beer of the festival. As in previous years I had searched website in the days before and chosen some beers that I wanted to try. This sometimes works out but more often than not I will either find that the choices are gone or haven't even made it to the racks.
I headed over to the Matthews bar and was pleased to find my first choice was there. It was the Marble Brewery's Lagonda IPA at 5%. It had very fruity aroma and was sharp and crisp with a nice bitter aftertaste. A good start and a 9/10 for me.
Next up was the overall silver winner at this years festival and was Green Jacks 'Trawlerboys'. This was also the Gold winner in the Best Bitters section. It was a full-bodied copper coloured beer at 4.6%. It rated a 7/10 from me.
There was much excitement at the table when the Hampshire guys discovered that Bathams 'Best' was at the festival. I'd heard a lot about this beer and it always gets a mention whenever we're at a beer festival so I just had to try it. Its a pale yellow and hoppy 4.3% ale with a refreshing finish and was very drinkable so it got a score of 8/10.
Number four was Woodfordes 'Once Bittern' a copper coloured ale at 4.0%. The guide said that it had a distinctive aroma of spice and citrus but I really couldn't get it and found it an unremarkable beer so I scored it with a 4/10.
I now decided to try one of the bars upstairs and when I went up was surprised at how large the area was, it felt like another festival was going on up there.

View from the Balcony

I had gone looking for Bird's 'Black Widow Stout' but It was between casks so I took the barman's suggestion and tried a Bridestones 'Dark Mild' instead. This was a dark brown strong mild at 4.5% with complex flavours of roasted nuts and rated a 6/10 from me.

Full House (for once)

My sixth beer of the festival was from the Fat Cat Brewery and was 'Marmalade Cat' at 5.5%, this was a well balanced complex beer with malt overtones and a hoppy aftertaste. I quite enjoyed this and gave it 8/10.
On to number seven and one of my favourite Brewery's and Adnams from Suffolk. This was 'Explorer'  at 4.3% and was a golden bitter with grapefruit aromas and a fruity bitterness in the aftertaste. I gave it 7/10.
My eighth beer was from the Millstone brewery and was 'Tiger Rut' at 4.0%. This was a pale and hoppy beer with a distinctive citrus aroma. I gave it 6/10.
My ninth beer was another winner at this years festival and took joint bronze in the Bitters section. It was Flowerpot's 'Flowerpot's Bitter' at 3.8%  It had dry and earthy flavours with a crisp finish. I scored it 6/10.
The afternoon was drawing on now and we were due to catch our train home at 6.50pm,there was still time for a couple more beers though but before that Ken arrived at the table with a tray of Toffee Vodka's which we all downed in one.
Back to the beers and my tenth was from the Bristol Beer Factory and 'Sunrise' at 4.4% a golden ale using traditional malts and hops. It had a biscuit flavour followed by a lemony aftertaste.I gave it 7/10.
Last beer of the day and I went for Crouch Vale's 'Yakima Gold' at 4.3%  a very pale but drinkable ale. It scored 6/10 from me.

It was now time to make our way back to Somerset and we headed over the road to the station. The trains were quite busy with Olympic Games goers and we had to stand as far as Andover. We said our goodbyes to the Hampshire crowd at Basingstoke and arrived back at Crewkerne and our lifts home at around 10.30pm.
I had enjoyed the day and the company immensely and reflecting on the way home had decided that my beer of the day was the first I had tried and the Marble 'Lagonda IPA'
Roll on the next Festival and Minehead  on the 8th September.