Pumpy - if you are still in England, get yourself to this in Cambridge:
ORGANISERS of this year's Cambridge Beer Festival have ordered 68,000 pints of cask ale to ensure the event won't be drunk dry.
The nation's oldest beer festival is now in its 33rd year and 130 breweries will be represented at the event on Jesus Green from Monday, May 22.
Last year's festival attracted 28,183 customers who drank a staggering 64,000 pints of beer on top of a record amount of traditional cider and foreign beers.
This year's cask ale order is up by 4,000 pints, the cider order has been doubled to 5,500 pints and organisers have arranged for extra supplies at short notice, if thirsty drinkers need more.
Steve Jackson, festival publicity officer, said: "We have five bars this year with a few surprises and believe we can cater for the vast majority of our customers' tastes.
"We have some 130 brewers represented at the festival. There are now more than 500 breweries in this country, most of which are microbreweries producing around 10 barrels per week. We have one launching itself at the festival."
Names to tantalise the taste buds include Black Hole Stout, Puck's Folly, Oscar Wilde Mild, Village Bike, Summersault and Pressed Rat & Warthog.
Eight Cambridgeshire breweries will have 30 beers on sale at a special bar to highlight the county's prowess at the six-day event organised by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA).
Shaun Marsh, festival organiser, said: "Within the 30 beers will be a wide range of styles from mild to bitter, stouts, porters, wheat beer and strong beer, and for the first time a cask conditioned lager-style beer - something for most people's tastes."
He said this showed the commitment of the Cambridge branch of CAMRA to local breweries.
Along with more than 170 real ales, there will be the popular foreign beer selection, cider, perry, mead and English wine.
Mr Marsh said: "Just in case we get a bit short, we also have an established system to get extra beers on site. Over the last couple of years those who attend try to drink us dry - but are well behaved and sensible in doing so."
The festival opens on Monday, May 22, from 5pm to 10.30pm. It runs from 11am to 3pm and from 5pm to 10.30pm Tuesday to Friday and is open all day from 11am to 10.30pm on Saturday, May 27.
Admission is 2.50 after 5pm but free to card-carrying CAMRA members.
If you get there Pumpy, send us some digi pics. My sister in law and fiance are going - lucky bastards.
Cheers
Steve
