4th Hampshire Octoberfest

Yesterday myself and a few of the usual suspects made our way to Basingstoke for the 4th Hampshire Octoberfest.
We met up at Matt's at 9.40am to be picked up by our Taxi for the journey to Crewkerne Station about seven miles away. We obtained a very good group saver deal for the train and were soon on our way.
At Andover one of Andy;s Hampshire pals, Bill joined us. We arrived at Basingstoke just before midday and then caught the shuttle bus to the showground at Milestones Museum.
Having purchased our tickets and programs we made straight for the Beer and Music tent to collect our festival glasses. We managed to secure a table although the tent was already quite busy.

We were then off into the throng to get our first beers. I went first for Warbler from Bowman Ales from Droxford at 4.8%. I chose for the name mainly but also as the Bowman Brewery had been recommended to me by Andy. It was a nice full flavoured ale and a good way to start the fest. It also had a donation given to the Hant's and IOW Wildlife.
Next up was Jabberwocky from the Triple fff brewery at Alton. Andy J and I both went for this as our second beers. It was a black IPA at 5%  and very much to my liking with its hoppy and complex malt taste followed by hints of chocolate and licorice.
It was around now that another of Andy's pals from Hampshire joined us. Pat is a very knowledgeable ale drinker and seems to know everybody and also what is going on at all the brewery's. He gave us quite a few pointers on what beers to try and what to avoid.
Third beer of the day was Hole Hearted at 4.7% from the Oakleaf Brewery in Gosport. They also brew I Can't Believe its not Bitter which was speciality beer of Britain in 2011 and had been at the Tatworth Festival back in the summer. Hole Hearted has been Hampshire Beer of the Year for 5 years but it wasn't really to my taste.
Next was King John from the Andwell Brewery in Hook at 4.2% an amber/pale ale and again wasn't much to my palate.
Number six however was much more to my liking and was Eldorado, again from Bowman Ales and at 3.5% was a very light and hoppy ale with hints of elderflower in the aftertaste.
The seventh beer was recommended by Pat and Andy and I both joined him in trying Vibrant Ale from the Vibrant Forest Brewery in Totton. It was a light amber coloured hoppy bitter at 4.0%.
My eighth beer of the day was from Suthwyk Brewery in Fareham and I was drawn to this as I used to live in Fareham back in the seventies. It was Liberation at 4.2% using American liberty hops and was light with overtones of blackcurrant.
It was back to Bowman again for number nine and Wallop's Wood at 4.0% and was quite a malty beer.
Last beer of the day was Herd from the Havant Brewery in Waterlooville and was an old fashioned milk stout at 4.2%.
It was now time to get back to the station so saying our goodbyes to Pat we all went to get the shuttle bus and catch our train at 7pm. Back at the station and Andy and Tony disappeared and I guessed that they had paid a visit to Sainsburys for provisions for the journey. I guessed right so it was cheese and biscuits and a can of Old Speckled Hen on the way back.
Bill left us at Andover and we arrived back at Crewkerne in time for one more at the Old Stagecoach next to the station.
Andy was hoping that the Stocklinch green beer would be on but was out of luck, They did however have Black Smock which we had tried when we visited the brewery a couple of weeks ago. I went however for a Moor Beer and Merlins Magic.
I got back home at 11pm after a very enjoyable day sampling Hampshire's best.
PS. On the way home Andy received a text from Pat to say that the beer had started to run out with still a day to go !!!!