Yapton Beer Festival 2018

Yapton has been and gone again... another year has passed!

The sun shone, the beer flowed, Yapton worked it's usual magic and we all got sun burnt and enjoyed some decent (but not outstanding) ales... it doesn't get any better and we had a better turnout from the jolly boys (the bunch I go drinking with) this year, which is always a joy...

As ever most beers were surprisingly cheap - I think we were paying £1.40/ £1.50 a half (which I think was slightly cheaper than previous years), but excellent value. Last years idea to offer free containers for takeaway - something I took them up on then - was continued this year and I again spent my remaining vouchers on a pint to enjoy at home! 😀👍

Long may this little festival continue!

Picture courtesy http://devoursussex.co.uk

So without further ado here's the ales.....  I have to say, much like last year although I didn't have a poor beer, the choice was very largely from lesser known breweries this year...  having looked at the notes from last year, they did exactly the same this year with Thornbridge (very much a premier league brewery) but the beer was an unknown to me (and isn't even listed on the brewers web page) and very average, on the other hand perhaps my favourite beer of the day was from a brewery I don't normally rate..  so horses for courses, and you pays your money and...

Brewery	Beer (click for more info)	ABV	Notes (from brewery website)	What I can remember...
Southsea	"Low Tide Pale Ale"	3.8%	"Great hoppy flavours refresh your thirst in this tasty golden pale ale"	A good start from a local brewery based in Henry VIII's castle in Portsmouth..  very bitter, also slightly hazy rather than golden..
Big Hand	"Pendragon"	3.9%	"Welsh red ale, malty with a warm citrus hit."	Ok - but not outstanding.
Bowman	"Sarva"	4.5%	"Pale, lower strength IPA with pine and citrus flavours from the American Cascade and Simcoe hops".	My beer of the day - took a pint of this home with me as well - for a beer of this strength a lovely hoppy bitter hit without the all too present grapefruit'y/citra taste.
Thornbridge	"California Sun"	4.5%	"Crisp, hop forward session IPA, full of pine and grapefruit flavours."	Was looking forward to this but it disappointed - a very thin brew with not a lot of taste carry through...
Broken Bridge	"Insane the Grain"	4.2%	"This is a deep and complex pale ale brewed with barley, rye, spelt and oats. Full bodied, spicy, biscuity and crisp malt base and well hopped."	Close run thing for favourite beer of the day - very powerful flavour (or maybe that was just in comparison to the Thornbridge I'd just had??) with a good bitter finish
Hop Studio	"Ascalon"	4.5%	"Brilliantly drinkable strong and complex golden ale. Floral and Citrus aromatics. Bitter, slightly spicy, dark fruit flavours and a malty backbone."	"Very dry and bitter" I wrote..
Emsworth Brewhouse	"SkIPA"	5.4%	"a hoppy, American IPA brewed using malts, oats, wheat and 5 new world hops to create a rounded, ‘fuller mouthfeel’ India Pale Ale without being too much of a hop monster!"	My most local brewery - they have had a distinct up turn in quality since they relocated to proper premises and brought in a qualified brewer - I liked this, it was OK

...and that was it - wended my way home for a snooze on the sofa and the wedding highlights...