Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) Hull & East Yorkshire Branch NEWS RELEASE

25% More Beer And Cider To Meet Increasing Demand

Issued 18th June 2005

The 2005 Hull Real Ale & Cider Festival will have 25% more beer and cider than last year. The organisers hope that this will be enough to satisfy an increasing demand that has resulted in the festival running dry prematurely in three of the last four years.

Last year 5200 pints in total were consumed by 1700 visitors. The last pint was sold on the Saturday at around 9.00 p.m. – two hours before the planned finish at 11.00 p.m. This year 6260 pints will be available to satisfy the requirements of an expected 2000 visitors.

The beer and cider selection will once again provide something for everyone, male or female, and all ages with the following beer styles represented: Milds, Bitters, Best Bitters, Strong Ales, Stouts, Porters, Real Lagers, Speciality Beers, Organic Beers, plus Cider and Perry.

The organisers have had the usual difficult job in deciding the 68 real ales that will appear at the festival. The backbone of the festival will again be some of the “Champion Beers Of Britain” and a selection from our local micro-breweries: Goodmanham; Garton; Whalebone (Hull) and Wold Top (Wold Newton). Favourites and new beers will make up the balance.

Last year’s full-length HP bar will be repeated with the number of handpumps increasing from 25 to 30 to dispense the equivalent of 48 firkins (2880 pints) of session strength beer. For the first time the GB bar will be situated directly opposite selling 38 firkins (2280 pints) of beers of a stronger strength, served by gravity direct from the cask.

The separate cider-bar will be repositioned on the end of the HP bar to accommodate an increased order from 20 ciders to 25. The selection will include some of the winners and finalists from the 2005 National Champion Cider and Perry Competition.

The three day festival, organised by CAMRA (Campaign for real Ale) is to be held from Thursday 6th to Saturday 8th October 2005 in the Mortimer Suite of the Hull City Hall. The opening hours will be 12.00 noon - 11.00 p.m. daily. There will be an admission charge of £2 after 6.00 p.m. on the Thursday and £3 on the Friday. However, admission will be free during the day and all day Saturday. Entry is free to card carrying CAMRA members at all times.