With the Bournemouth Beer Festival fast approaching I thought I’d do a series of articles on the beers that appear on the provisional beer list for the event.

Hopefully it will give you all some pointers as to which beers you might like try and a bit of history of the breweries and the beers.

1648, East Hoathly, East Sussex www.1648brewing.co.uk

• Triple Champion (ABV 4.0%)

1648 Brewery was set up in 2003 after a chance conversation between two men. It greatly expanded in 2007. Triple Campion was named to mark the third County Championship win for Sussex County Cricket Club and is chestnut coloured, full-bodied English ale.

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Acorn, Wombwell, South Yorkshire acorn-brewery.co.uk

• Sovereign (ABV 4.4%)

All beers brewed in this 100-barrel a week brewery use a strain of yeast called Barnsley Bitter. A well balanced ale with plenty of fruit and malt.

Allgates, Wigan, Lancashire allgatesbrewery.com

• Mild at Heart (ABV 3.8%)

This small brewery situated behind Wigan’s main post office produces a nice range of beers. Mild at Heart is a traditional smooth dark mild, creamy, malty, slightly fruity with a good after taste..

Anglo Dutch, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire line-studio.co.uk

• Spikes on t'way (ABV 4.2%)

Brewed using lager malt producing a pale-coloured beer with a citrus flavours. The brewery names comes from the fact that one of the co-owners is English, the other Dutch.

Spikes on t’way was first brewed when the owners wife was confirmed to be pregnant with their second child. Good job that the baby turned out to be a boy.

Atlas, Kinlochleven, Argyll atlasbrewery.com

• Three Sisters 4.2% .

Set on the banks of the River Leven, at the head of the beautiful Loch Leven, surrounded by the Glencoe Hills. This brewery enjoys one of the best locations of any brewery.

One of the range of mountains in Glencoe is the Three sisters, hence the name of this dark, fruity and refreshing ale. It won a bronze medal in the SIBA Scottish Championships in 2003.

B & T, Shefford, Bedfordshire banksandtaylor.com

• Fruit Bat 4.5% .

Originally called Banks and Taylor when set up in 1982, B & T now produces over a dozen beers plus a special brew each month and other beers produced on an occasional basis.

You may have already guessed that Fruit Bat has a fruity taste (raspberries) in this straw coloured beer.

Barngates, Ambleside, Cumbria barngatesbrewery.co.uk

• Tag Lag 4.4% .

Initially only supplying just one pub, this brewery has expanded greatly over recent years and now supplies pubs across north England. Tag Lag is a sweet pale amber beer. Malty at first, then a bitter finish. Named after a local dog who was famous for stealing meat from delivery vans if the driver wasn’t looking.

Bath Ales, Warmley, Bristol bathales.com

• Golden Hare 4.4%

This 300-barrel a week plant was purpose built on the edge of Bristol. Golden Hare is a golden, fresh and zesty beer.

Beartown, Congleton, Cheshire. beartownbrewery.co.uk

• Bear Ass 4.0%

Ruby coloured malty bitter with a fruity flavour. Congleton was nick-named beartown as unfortunately, the local fairs used to feature bear bating, hence the name of the brewery.

Black Dog, Whitby, North Yorkshire

• Schooner 4.2%

Black Dog brewery closed in 2000 after only 3 years of brewing. The name, recipes and plant were bought in 2006, however the beers are brewed under contract by Hambledon Ales. Unfortunately I know nothing about this beer as they do not have a website.

Black Hole, Burton on Trent, Staffordshire blackholebrewery.co.uk

• Supernova 4.8%

Burton on Trent is regarded as the home of UK brewing and this Black Hole Brewery was set up in the old bottling Stores of the former Ind Coope Brewery. Supernova is a premium pale ale with a floral taste.

Bowland, Sawley, Clitheroe, Lancashire bowlandbrewery.com

• Bowland Gold 3.8%

Brewery set in the Forest of Bowland. Bowland Gold is a grapefruit flavoured golden bitter. Silver medal winner at both Peterborough 2004 and SIBA north 2008.

Bowman Ales, Droxford, Hampshire bowman-ales.com

• Elderado 3.5% & Swift One 3.8%

As the brewery states on their website, “a subtle injection of Elder Flowers defines this beer”. With plenty of character and a lovely bitter finish”.

Elderado was voted third best beer at the 2009 Southampton Beer Festival. The winner being Swift One, also from Bowman. A golden ale with strong hoppiness. Both should get a warm reception at this festival.

Bradfield, Sheffield, South Yorkshire bradfieldbrewery.co.uk

• Farmers Stout 4.5% & Irish Dexter 4.8%

Family run brewery on a working farm produces some rather interesting beers. This dark stout with its roasted malts and flaked oats was a Silver award winner at the 2007 SIBA North Regional Beer Competition.

Breconshire, Brecon, Powys breconshirebrewery.com

• Welsh Pale Ale 3.7%

Breconshire brewery uses British Optic malts and a range of British whole hops to produced this classis old style of Welsh pale ale. Pale and mildly hoppy. Winner of a silver medal at the SIBA regional finals in 2009.

Brysons, Morecombe, Lancaster brysonsbrewery.co.uk

• Hurricane Bitter 4.1%

Small brewery who moved to their current site in 2005 and use pre-milled and cone hops in their brewing process.

Hurricane Bitter was initially brewed to commemorate Battle of Britain day. It uses Kent hops to produce a pale hoppy bitter with malt overtones.

Buffys, Norfolk buffys.co.uk

• Norwegian Blue 4.9%

All the barley for Buffys beers is grown in Norfolk and this produces a changing mix of malt and hops. A long bittersweet finish characterises this beer.

Cairngorm, Aviemore cairngormbrewery.com

• Wild Cat 5.1%

This brewery enjoyed great success in 2004-2006, winning two champion beer of Scotland awards and gold medals at the Great British Beer Festival. The brewery has been expanding ever since. Wild Cat is a full-bodied string bitter.

Castle Rock, Nottingham castlerockbrewery.co.uk

• Elsie Mo 4.7%

Expanded in 2008, Castle Rock quadrupled its weekly production to meet demand. Elsie Mo is a blond, clean finished beer with a lemongrass freshness.

Cathedral Ales, Lincoln

• Magna Carta 5.0%

This brewery is situated in the basement of a 14th-centuary pub. However, its one of our newest breweries, who only started brewing in 2009. Unfortunatly, this brewery doesn’t have a website.

Celt Experience, Caerphilly, Wales. theceltexperience.co.uk

• Bronze 4.5%

Celt experience shares its plant with the Newmans brewery. Bronze in name and colour, is a full bodies beer with a long hoppy finish.

Clarks, Wakefield, West Yorkshire hbclark.co.uk

• Rams Revenge 4.6%

Clarks have been brewing for over 100 years, having celebrated their centenary in 2006. Rams Revenge is a rich, ruby coloured premium ale, well balanced with a fruity taste.

Coastal, Redruth, Cornwall coastalbrewery.co.uk

• Golden Sands 5.8%

Small brewery set up by a former pub landlord. Golden Sand is a full-flavoured, full bodied, strong golden ale. Silver medal winner at SIBA Southwest 2008

Cotleigh, Wiveliscombe, Somerset cotleighbrewery.com

• Barn Owl 4.5%

This breweries connection with the Hawk and Owl trust is evident though all their beers being named after birds of prey. Barn Owl is a premium ale. Slightly pale, dominated by its hoppy taste.

Crouch Vale, Chelmsford, Essex crouchvale.co.uk

• Essex Boys Bitter 3.5%

Founded in 1981 by two Real Ale aficionados. Essex boys bitter is light-bodied, malty, buscuity tasting beer.

Cumbrian, Ambleside, Cumbria cumbrianlegendaryales.com

• Dickie Doodle 3.9%

American cascade hops, together with the Cambrian Fell water this brewery uses to give this golden beer a distinctive flavour. Legend has it that Dickie Doodle, a messenger for King Richard I, was sent with a royal charter to set up a mayoralty in the town of Kendal.

However on reaching Kirkland, he drank so much Brown Ale he became oblivious to his task. Chased away for his drunkenness he awoke the next morning in rural setting which he liked. He promptly declared the area as Doodleshire and himself as mayor, a position which is elected each year at the Gooseholme May Fair. Dickie Doodle is the official beer of Doodleshire.

Daleside, Harrogate, North Yorkshire dalesidebrewery.com

• Special 4.1%

Mild amber beer with malty aroma but with a hoppy aftertaste.

Dark Star, Haywards Heath, Sussex darkstarbrewing.co.uk

• American Pale Ale 4.7% & Sussex Extra Stout 4.5%

Set up in the cellar of the Evening Star Pub in Brighton, with a plant only slightly bigger than a home brewers kit.

They moved to Haywards Heath in 2001 when it became obvious that they couldn’t keep up with the thirst of the Evening Star’s customers, let alone supply anyone else.

American Pale ale uses a yeast strain imported from America. Its paleness is in complete contrast to the dark Sussex Extra Stout that will hopefully also be on offer at this festival. Both of which I look forward to trying.

Dorset Brewing Company, Weymouth, Dorset dbcales.com

• JD 1742 4.2%

Founded in 1996 by a retired lawyer. JD 1742 must be a new beer as I can’t find any details of it.

Dorset Piddle, Piddlehinton, Dorset dorsetpiddlebrewery.co.uk

• Cocky Hop 4.7% & Silent Slasher 5.1%

Dorset Piddle only started brewing in 2007 but are fast growing a reputation for its range of quality beer. Cocky Hop is a bright, light and golden ale with a hobby taste and lasting bitterness. Silent Slasher is deceivingly light with hops chosen for their floral aroma and flavour. But watch the alcohol,

Downton Brewery, Downton, Wiltshire hampshirebrewery.com

• Elderquad 4.0%

Downton Brewery started life in 2003. Initially leasing equipment from the Hop Back Brewery. It has slowly increased capacity so that it is now three times its original. Elderquad has an elderflower aroma and has been described as a real thirstquencher.