Beer on the Wye

Some friends gave me a lift to Beer on the Wye on Friday afternoon - it's always nicer to go with friends, to chat over the drinks. The drive through the countryside, via Bredwardine, was glorious.

We found a spot to sit at the end of the cider tasting table (that's what all the containers are in the background), but managed to avoid actually drinking any cider on the grounds that we couldn't give an informed opinion about the taste of the different varieties.
Looking through the programme initially, I didn't see anything that I really wanted to try, so I ambled along the beer bar until I saw a name I recognised. It was Harviestoun, a Scottish brewery, and Schiehallion turned out to be their lager. I don't normally drink lager, but this was full-bodied and fruity, and a very good start to the session.
Mark Haslam of Herefordshire CAMRA announced the winning beers of the Festival. I didn't quite catch the Bronze winner, apart from it being a Manchester brewery. The Silver was also from Manchester, Cloudwater's John Green Bouffant, and the winner was Inspector Remorse, a London Porter from Electric Bear brewery in Bath.
Then I saw a beer I really had to try! Costa del Salford from Irwell Works in Bury - all names of places from the area where I grew up. It was light and hoppy, but not too hoppy, and a perfect summer beer.
Then I decided to try the winning beer of the Festival, Inspector Remorse, which was absolutely a worthy winner, and a delicious porter.
Meanwhile one friend was trying the Oscar Wilde mild from Mighty Oak, which he said was very fine, too. My other friend, as designated driver, found some bottled water to drink, though the programme said that Festival Fruit Punch (alcohol free) was available, as well as some alcohol free beers from the World Beers bar.
Finally I went for a local beer. Swan Brewery have made two beers to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing - Small Step and Giant Leap. I tried the Giant Leap, which was another full-bodied beer, using Apollo, Comet and Flyer hops. The Small Step was made with Apollo and Eagle hops.
There were 130 ciders on offer too, 100 of them from Herefordshire - but I find I can't drink cider in any quantity. There were 135 different beers, a local brewery bar, and a World Beers bar. And by the end of the weekend, I hear they had almost been drunk dry!
We were there before the music started, but they had several bands on over the weekend, covering modern pop to Dixieland jazz and R&B.
The charity of the Festival this year was HOPE Support Services - for the sixth year running! I think it was them who were selling raffle tickets for a wheelbarrow full of cider!