Wicksteed Park is Northamptonshire's premier amusement park. You could say it's our county's answer to Alton Towers, but that would be lying.
Unlike Alton Towers though Wickies as us locals know it hosted a beer festival last weekend. This was the second such event and follows a successful fest in the Summer. I went on the Friday night together with a group of others from the local CAMRA branch, and had a great time.
The beer list which numbered 35 was well chosen with a reasonable selection of local beers and some from further afield. The beer ordering was done in part by Nip from Kettering's premier free house The Alexandra Arms. Beers I had were from the following breweries; Thornbridge, Silverstone, Atomic, Abbeydale, Downton, Twickenham, Julian Church, Elland and Blue Bear. All were in good condition but particular good ones were Thornbridge Ashford and Abbeydale Vespers.
The next festival is planned for 30 July to 2 August, and I did hear discussions that there may be 52 beers for that one. I'm looking forward to it.
2 comments:
Isn't it great to find good beer festivals in less-expected places? Last year I happened across great beer tents at a county show and a 1940's steam railway weekend. And I've just realised that I sound like an old fart. Shit, I'll be joining CAMRA and growing a beard next ;-)
Who would have thought all those years ago, when attending Kettering Boys School (very close to Wicksteed Park)that you would be imbibing in a pint or two of real ale at a beer festival.
A 1940's steam railway weekend - now that sounds much more fun than beer festivals!
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