Winter Ale Festivals: Dates for your beer diary Nigel Farmer istoasting yet another success for the Maldon Brewing Company afterPuck's Folly scooped the Champion Golden Beer of East Anglia Award.CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale) announced the winning brew at theColchester Winter Ale Festival last weekend and Nigel is delightedwith the news.
"We're very pleased with ourselves, it's not something to besniffed at," says Nigel.
"Golden beer is a very popular beer style - it's light and easyto drink, and it's popular with men and women. " Puck's Folly is oneof Maldon Brewing Company's five regular beers, alongside a bitter,A Drop Of Nelson's Blood, the Hotel Porter, Captain Ann and Farmer'sGolden Boar. The beers keep winning awards, but Puck's Folly seemsto be a particular favourite.
"It's the most popular beer we do," says Charlie Saville, brewingconsultant. "It's light, golden, aromatic and lightly spiced. It'sbrewed with English hops and it's always been a favourite."
Traditions Nigel started the Maldon Brewing Company (also knownas Farmer's Ales) in 2005, having toyed with the idea for a coupleof years.
His base is the stables at the Blue Boar Hotel, Maldon, a 14thcentury coaching inn which provides a suitably historic backdrop forNigel's business which draws on all the best traditions ofbeermaking.
The idea of brewing came to Nigel in a pub when a friendsuggested he could make better beer than the one he was drinking. Heagreed and when he discovered the right site at the Blue Boar, theStable Brewery was born.
Now Nigel's business is well-established and he sells his beersto pubs, restaurants and shops. He's looking forward to even moresuccess in 2010.
"We had a good Christmas and it looks like the recession iscoming to an end, so we're hopeful about the year ahead."
As well as their regular beers, Farmer's Ales also come up withseasonal brews. Nigel, Charlie and the company's other brewer FezPowell came up with Ploughboys for January, a stout to commemoratePlough Monday in Maldon.
Nigel says stouts have been very popular over the winter monthsand they're currently working on Edward Bright's Stout, named afterthe famous "fat man" of Maldon.
With the Maldon Brewing Company's record, don't be surprised ifit's another award-winner.
Chelmsford Winter Beer Festival, Essex County Council Social Club(Triangle Club) February 4-6 This 11th annual event is sure to pulla big crowd of ale aficionados with dozens of types of the darkstuff from all over the country to choose from, as well as a numberof ciders. The festival is open noon to 11pm every day with membersallowed in free. More details at www.chelmsfordcamra.org.uk/wbfChappel Winter Beer Festival East Anglian Railway Museum, ChappelFebruary 26-27 Famous for its successful summer festival, Chappelholds its first winter festival in the atmospheric surrounds of therailway museum where Blur played their first ever gig. Expect morethan 65 beers and ciders. Open 11am-5pm and 6pm-11pm on both days.More at www.essex-camra.org.uk Farmer's Ales Winter Beer FestivalBlue Boar Hotel, Maldon February 25-28 Another brand new festival,this is unique because it champions only Essex breweries, featuringFarmer's Ales, Mighty Oak, Wibblers, Red Fox, Mersea Island,Brentwood Brewing Company, Crouch Vale, Shalford Brewery. Held inthe sloping Oak Room of the pub so you'll feel tipsy from the start!
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