Another year and another visit too, as Mick from B&T likes to put it, the Hale Beer Festival. There was one innovation this year – the beer list was on the back of the fete programme.
The weather was kind and Mengo settled into their seats outside the beer tent to survey the fete scene passing by and set about the list. KOC, PC, RN and TM (sans hat again) were the early arrivals, shortly followed by PV and ROC (after his visit to the cake stall).
Satan, Jem and friend, having travelled up by bus, pitched themselves on the table next to us and after Wilco called round to see us MG arrived. GM brought along daughter Natasha while Shredder had son Jake in tow. When MV finally sold out of cakes and called by for a beer, the Mengo list was complete.
With the beer list included on the program, Mick had to provide details well in advance. Although he confidently expected to have some Black Dragon Mild at the time of the fete, there was none left when he came to put the beers together. Time for some invention – gravy browning added to Dragonslayer and there you have it.
ROC liked the Elmo’s Fire but PV was just waiting for a Sunburst. And apart from a little faux pas over wily size everything passed off splendidly.
| Brewery | Beer | % |
| Banks and Taylor | Midsummer Ale | 3.5 |
| Rudgate | Gold Elixir | 3.8 |
| Bank Top | Flat Cap | 4.0 |
| Lymestone | Stone Faced | 4.0 |
| Summerskills | Hopscotch | 4.1 |
| Brentwood | Brentwood Gold | 4.2 |
| Banks and Taylor | Black Dragon Mild | 4.3 |
| Moles | Elmo’s Fire | 4.4 |
| Mauldon’s | Silver Adder | 4.2 |
| Banks and Taylor | Fruit Bat | 4.5 |
| Burton Bridge | Burton Porter | 4.5 |
| Dark Star | Sunburst | 4.8 |
Attended by:-
KOC, TM, PC, RN, PV, ROC, MG and GM plus visitors