Ale lovers almost drink the place dry!
More than 1,500 real ale lovers were in paradise at the weekend when they downed 5,300 pints at Oldham Beer Festival.
A total of 68 beers totally sold out from the 75 on offer, and the three best-sellers were gone within hours of the bar opening.
The 21st Oldham Beer Festival ran over two days at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, when 1,569 real ale enthusiasts converged to taste and talk about about a range of cask ales, continental bottled beers and traditional ciders, perries and fruit wines.
Mike Robinson, festival organiser for CAMRA’s Rochdale, Oldham and Bury branch, said the weekend was a huge success.
Beer of the Festival — decided by vote — and the fastest seller was Thornbridge Jaipur IPA. At 5.9 per cent, Mr Robinson explained it was brewed by a craft brewery in Bakewell, Derbyshire, and was once shipped to India from Britain.
“It had to be strong and hoppy to survive the journey by sea, and it is now very popular at festivals throughout the North-West,” he said.
Drinkers voted Thornbridge St Petersburg as runner up Beer of the Festival, a strong 7.7 per cent classic Russian Imperial stout which is very black and rich. Third went to Greenfield's Black Five.
There was just one 72-pint cask of each beer at the festival, and the three fastest sellers were empty by Friday evening. Second behind Thornbridge Jaipur IPA was Millstone True Grit, brewed in Mossley, and third was George Wright Drunken Duck.
Proceeds are still being counted, but will go to the Mayor’s Charity Appeal which is supporting the Soldiers’, Sailors’ and Airmen’s Families Association, Oldham Cancer Research Network, mental health charity Making Space, the Archer and Marjorie Tate Bequest Fund for Music and Dr Kershaw’s Hospice.
The detail on this page has been sourced from the Oldham Evening Chronicle.