Championship cask ales from across Northern England will line up on the bar of Barnsley’s acclaimed Old No 7 next week.
The beers were all voted the very best across the region at the SIBA (Society of independent Brewers) North Beer Competition in October. And brewery boss Dave Hughes has rounded them up to put on a four day Winter Beer Festival bonanza at the Acorn ‘brewery tap’ from
12 noon Thursday 29 November to Sunday 2 December (doors open 12 noon each day).
Amongst the roll call will be the Wombwell brewer’s own Old Moor Porter (4.4%) which triumphed with a Gold award in the Stouts and Porters class at the fiercely contested annual event – where 265 cask beers competed across eight classes.
The contest’s top three overall ales – Watermill’s Isle of Dogs (Cumbria), Kirkstall’s Dissolution IPA (Leeds) and Abbeydale’s Deception (Sheffield) – will be featured along with five other gold winners: Barngate’s Cat Nap (Cumbria) Revolution’s Manifesto Strong Stout (Castleford), Black Edge Brewery’s Black Port (Horwich), and Bollington Nights, Bollington Brewery (Macclesfield).
Supporting them will be a strong contingent from Cumbrian brewers including Hawkshead, Ulverston and the recently launched Healey’s of the Wellington Inn at Lothersgarth. There will be twenty-one ales available alongside a selection of bottled beers from around the world, ten ciders and several craft keg brews; including beers from controversial Scottish brewer Brewdog, who will hold a ‘Meet the Brewer’ tasting on Thursday from 7pm*. A collaboration brew from Magic Rock and Dark Star – Rockstar – will also be on the menu. There will be a cider tasting on Saturday afternoon. Entry to all sessions is free.
One of Barnsley’s most historic pubs, the Old No7 was rescued from closure by Acorn and in September- only 12 months since launch as a ‘beacon’ of craft ale– it was hailed as the bronze award winner in the CAMRA ‘Best Pub Awards 2012’ for the Yorkshire region.
Acorn proprietor Dave Hughes said: “We were so delighted with the gold win for our Old Moor Porter porter at the SIBA contest that we felt a celebration of all the winners was appropriate. With the Old No 7 we want out to showcase our own brands but also quality craft ales whether cask or keg in general, so this is a perfect fit for us.” Ends/Ref: Acorn PR Beer Festival 2012
*Note to editors: SIBA North is the national organisation’s largest region with more than 170 member brewers. Old moor Porter now goes forward to compete in the national competition in early 2013
Since launch in 2003 the Wombwell brewery has won more than 50 awards for its core beers; Barnsley Bitter, Barnsley Gold, Old Moor Porter, Sovereign, Gorlvoka Imperial Stout, Acorn Blonde and Yorkshire Pride.
Acorn is ending 2012 on a high note as it toasts spiralling demand, top awards and investment for the future. With 13 per cent sales growth over the year Acorn now directly supplies more than 400 pubs in the North and delivers regularly to London, while business grows with leading pub companies. Recently production capacity was expanded by 50 per cent to some 150 brewer’s barrels or more than 40,000 pints a week with investment in new plant and equipment.
PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES
The festival starts at 12noon on Thursday November 29 and photo opportunities will be
available throughout the day with Acorn’s Dave Hughes, Old No 7 manager Fiona Holmes
and staff. Pre-festival photographs can be arranged on request.
*Media representatives are also cordially invited to attend the Brewdog tasting session
from 7-00pm on Thursday. Brewdog of Aberdeenshire is famous for its brewing of extra
strong beers and ‘the world strongest’ beer battle with a German brewer’ which saw it
brew ‘End of History’ at 55%abv. see www.brewdog.com
For further media information: Steve Hobman, Rhino Public Relations: 07751 578605. Email: shobman@rhinopr.freeserve.co.