Cambridge Beer Festival
Encyclopedia
The summer Cambridge Beer Festival is the longest running CAMRA beer festival
in the United Kingdom
having started in 1974. It is held at the end of May just before the Whitsuntide Bank Holiday
. The Winter Beer Festival, held in January, began in 1997, and the Octoberfest in 2007. All three festivals are run by Cambridge
& District CAMRA.
in 1974 and remained there until 1982. After skipping a year in 1983, it moved between the Guildhall and Midsummer Common before returning to the Corn Exchange in 1988 (the 14th festival). In 1993, it moved to the Cambridge City Football Club ground just off Milton Road where it became an outside festival in huge marquees. During its residency at the football ground time it grew (helped by not being limited by a fixed building) and settled into its now established time of year at the end of May (having previously been held in August).
In 2001 (the 28th festival) it moved to Jesus Green
where it has remained ever since. Since moving to Jesus Green it has grown significantly. The location attracts a lot more passing trade than the football ground. The festival is now the third largest in country in terms of visitors (behind the Great British Beer Festival
and the Peterborough Beer Festival). In 2006 it had over 170 real ales, 50 cider
s and perries
as well as a large range of foreign beers and country wines. 2007 was another record-breaking year, with 30,384 visitors, who drank 494 kilderkin
s (about 70,000 pints) of beer and 194 tubs of cider and perry.
The beer festival is also famous for its cheese stall which, unlike many food stalls at beer festivals, is run by the CAMRA branch themselves. The stall sells a wide range of traditional cheeses and breads as well as olive
s, pickled egg
s, pork pie
s, scotch eggs, etc.
The Licensee for all the events has been David Short, Landlord of The Queens Head in Newton, Cambridgeshire
. The organisers and staff are all unpaid volunteers. As a thank you for their effort they receive lunch and dinner (when working), together with discounted beer.
. The Octoberfest has also been held at the Sports and Social club since 2007.
Lewis Campbell is a famous visitor of the festival in recent years, and can often be seen enjoying various ales and cheeses without any clothes on.
Beer festival
A Beer Festival is an organised event during which a variety of beers are available for tasting and purchase. Beer festivals are held in a number of countries...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
having started in 1974. It is held at the end of May just before the Whitsuntide Bank Holiday
Bank Holiday
A bank holiday is a public holiday in the United Kingdom or a colloquialism for public holiday in Ireland. There is no automatic right to time off on these days, although the majority of the population is granted time off work or extra pay for working on these days, depending on their contract...
. The Winter Beer Festival, held in January, began in 1997, and the Octoberfest in 2007. All three festivals are run by Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
& District CAMRA.
Summer Beer Festival
The summer beer festival has been held at a number of locations in Cambridge. It began at the Cambridge Corn ExchangeCorn exchange
A corn exchange or grain exchange was a building where farmers and merchants traded cereal grains. Such trade was common in towns and cities across Great Britain and Ireland until the 19th century, but as the trade became centralised in the 20th century many such buildings were used for other...
in 1974 and remained there until 1982. After skipping a year in 1983, it moved between the Guildhall and Midsummer Common before returning to the Corn Exchange in 1988 (the 14th festival). In 1993, it moved to the Cambridge City Football Club ground just off Milton Road where it became an outside festival in huge marquees. During its residency at the football ground time it grew (helped by not being limited by a fixed building) and settled into its now established time of year at the end of May (having previously been held in August).
In 2001 (the 28th festival) it moved to Jesus Green
Jesus Green
Jesus Green is a park in the north of central Cambridge, England. It is located north of Jesus College, hence the name. Jesus Ditch runs through Jesus Green. On the northern edge of Jesus Green is the River Cam, with Chesterton Road on the opposite side. To the east is Victoria Avenue and beyond...
where it has remained ever since. Since moving to Jesus Green it has grown significantly. The location attracts a lot more passing trade than the football ground. The festival is now the third largest in country in terms of visitors (behind the Great British Beer Festival
Great British Beer Festival
The Great British Beer Festival is a yearly beer festival organised by the Campaign for Real Ale . It presents a selection of cask ales and other alcoholic drinks from the UK and beyond. The festival is also home to the Champion Beer of Britain awards...
and the Peterborough Beer Festival). In 2006 it had over 170 real ales, 50 cider
Cider
Cider or cyder is a fermented alcoholic beverage made from apple juice. Cider varies in alcohol content from 2% abv to 8.5% abv or more in traditional English ciders. In some regions, such as Germany and America, cider may be termed "apple wine"...
s and perries
Perry
Perry is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears. Perry has been common for centuries in Britain, particularly in the Three Counties of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire, and in parts of south Wales; and France, especially Normandy and Anjou.In more recent years, commercial...
as well as a large range of foreign beers and country wines. 2007 was another record-breaking year, with 30,384 visitors, who drank 494 kilderkin
Kilderkin
The kilderkin is an old English unit of volume equal to half a barrel or two firkins. It was used as standard size for brewery casks. The word kilderkin comes from Dutch for a small cask. The kilderkin has historically been in the general range of 16 to 18 gallons. Based on the current imperial...
s (about 70,000 pints) of beer and 194 tubs of cider and perry.
The beer festival is also famous for its cheese stall which, unlike many food stalls at beer festivals, is run by the CAMRA branch themselves. The stall sells a wide range of traditional cheeses and breads as well as olive
Olive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
s, pickled egg
Pickled egg
Pickled eggs are hard boiled eggs preserved by pickling.After the eggs are hard boiled the shell is removed and they are submerged in a solution of vinegar, salt, spices, and other seasonings. Recipes vary from the traditional brine solution used for pickles to other solutions which can impart a...
s, pork pie
Pork pie
A pork pie is a traditional British meat pie. It consists of roughly chopped pork and pork jelly sealed in a hot water crust pastry . It is normally eaten cold as a snack or as part of a meal.-Types:...
s, scotch eggs, etc.
The Licensee for all the events has been David Short, Landlord of The Queens Head in Newton, Cambridgeshire
Newton, Cambridgeshire
Newton is a civil parish and small village in Cambridgeshire, England. Situated around 7 miles to the south-west of Cambridge, its lies on the old coaching road between London and Cambridge...
. The organisers and staff are all unpaid volunteers. As a thank you for their effort they receive lunch and dinner (when working), together with discounted beer.
Winter Beer Festival
The winter Beer Festival is held at the end of January at the Cambridge University Sports and Social Club, having previously been held at Anglia Ruskin UniversityAnglia Ruskin University
Anglia Ruskin University is one of the largest universities in Eastern England, United Kingdom, with a total student population of around 30,000.-History:...
. The Octoberfest has also been held at the Sports and Social club since 2007.
Lewis Campbell is a famous visitor of the festival in recent years, and can often be seen enjoying various ales and cheeses without any clothes on.