Bumper beer list announced for Eastbourne October Beer Festival

One of the festival’s biggest offerings yet will see 40 local real ales, 40 national beers, 38 craft beers and 28 ciders and perries all specially selected by the CAMRA team and ready to sample at the Grade II listed Winter Garden.

Tasting notes are now available to download online and can also be picked up at the event. A selection of bottled beers and cider, gins, prosecco, wine and soft drinks complete the menu.

Real ale fans can look forward to some tasty offerings which include a rich Chocolate & Hazelnut Pendulum Porter, an Earl Grey IPA made with real tea, the Pachamama – an imperial brown ale made with Spanish honey and aged in native barrels, and many award winners including the SIBA Gold Medal winner Hopspur by Redemption.

With craft beer now accounting for almost a third of all real ales at the festival, fans can sample some unique blends from Beak Brewery’s frosted travel sweet inspired Hands beer and Overtone’s peanut butter flavoured Maple Nutter to Vault City’s Cloudy Lemonade or their strong and decadent White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake.

In some festival firsts, brand new pale ale Disko Disko from Abyss will see its first ever pour taking place at the festival and Brighton Bier’s Brighton Stout, normally exclusive only to their own bars, will have a rare festival outing. Harvey’s will also be bringing back their Star of Eastbourne which originated at the festival – this time in its first ever Green Hop version.

Beer drinkers can dance the night away on Friday and Saturday to a variety of funk, blues, rock and pop from local bands on the Winter Garden stage, starting on Friday night with Brotherhood and Hot Detroit, followed by Stray Dogs and The Watson Brothers on Saturday afternoon and The Criminal Records and EG Riley’s Funky Soul close the festival on Saturday evening.

Thursday’s quiet session will feature mellow pre-recorded music only, for those real ale fans looking to chat and sample the widest range of beers available at the opening of the festival.

Councillor Margaret Bannister, Eastbourne Borough Council’s Lead Member for Tourism, Leisure, Accessibility & Community Safety said: “This year’s beer and cider line-up is one of our best, and really celebrates the amazing quality of our local producers, as well as national award winners and the increasing popularity of craft beer. Our thanks go to CAMRA for their support in curating such a varied selection, and for bringing a few festival firsts to the event too.”

Session times are 5.30pm to 10pm on Thursday, October 5, 6pm to 11pm on Friday, October 6 with two sessions on Saturday, October 7 from 11.30am to 4.30pm and 6pm to 11pm. Prices range from £6 to £14 per person (CAMRA members receive £1 discount) plus booking fee, and include a free festival glass and a set of tasting notes.

For further information, to download this year’s tasting notes in advance and to buy tickets visit www.EastbourneBeerFestival.co.uk