Sample The Ales At The Wandsworth Beer Festival

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Halloween event promises some drink surprises

More than 80 beers will be on tap for sampling at the forthcoming Wandsworth Halloween Beer Festival, housed in the historic Le Gothique building.

The event, which takes place from Thursday October 28- Sunday October 31, is the second festival hosted this year by Le Gothique.

It will showcase the entire output of two "featured" breweries -glass sponsor Downton of Wiltshire and Art Brew from Dorset.

There will also be beer from a number of new breweries all from the London area or inner M25, including Redemption, Windsor & Eton, Ha’Penny and Camden Town Brewery. And there's a one-off brew from Shepherd Neame brewed especially for the festival called Royal Victoria Patriotic Bitter (4.2%).  

Among the intriguining-sounding beers will be: Octoberfest (4.8) from Ascot Ales, Camberley, Surrey; Black Bear (5%) from Beartown Brewery, Congleton, Cheshire; Devils Dyke (4.8%) from Brentwood Brewery; Auld Hemp (3.8%) from Highhouse Brewery, Mafton, Northumberland.

There will also be 20 ciders available as well as a full wine list. There will be live entertainment on the Friday and Saturday evenings.

The building itself - the Grade II-listed Royal Victoria Patriotic Building, off Windmill Road - provides a splendid setting and drinkers can reflect on its history, which includes its uses as an orphanage and a hospital. It's most famed for housing 20,000 refugees during the World War II, with Rudolph Hess being held in the cellars for several days.  

Wandsworth Beer Festival costs £2 to enter (£1 for CAMRA members), with beer prices starting from £2.80 for a pint. On Thursday to Saturday it is opens from 12 noon to 11pm, with entries on Sunday (when the beer choice may be running down) from 12 noon to 4pm.

October 26, 2010