Cheer for drinkers as beer festival heads to city hall

The three-day Hull Real Ale and Cider Festival will be held in the Mortimer Suite at Hull City Hall, starting on Thursday, September 29.

The event, which coincides with the 40th anniversary of the Campaign for Real Ale, is organised by the campaign’s Hull and East Yorkshire branch and offers a bewildering array of drinks from local, national and European brewers.

Up to 5,400 pints of beer will be served at the event, including 70 real ales, 25 real ciders and perries, and 20 bottled German and Belgian beers.

Organiser Stewart Campbell said he was pleased that the festival was moving back to the city hall after a brief sojourn at Hull College.

“We are delighted to be celebrating the 40th anniversary of CAMRA at what has become our spiritual home, the Mortimer Suite in Hull City Hall,” he said.

The real ale selection aims to provide something for everyone and includes milds, bitters, best bitters, strong ales, stouts, porters, real lagers, golden ales, speciality beers and organic beers. The backbone of the festival will be some of the Champion Beers of Britain 2011, with old favourites and new beers making up the balance.

A total of 39 handpumps will dispense “session-strength” beers (up to 4.2 per cent), with another 46 stronger beers served by gravity direct from the cask.

Tickets are on sale at the Hop & Vine in Albion Street, the Wellington Inn in Russell Street, and at the Lion & Key in High Street.