Sunday 6 September 2015

Norwich Beer Festival music line-up announced

The Norwich & Norfolk Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) are delighted to announce the line-up of the music entertainment for the 2015 Norwich Beer Festival with some exciting new performers to the annual festival.

Local Invidia Voices Rock & Soul Choir will make their first appearance during the Wednesday early evening session which will be the first choir to perform at the beer festival.

Also two new bands will be at the festival, local modern English folk band Addison's Uncle will perform in the Friday early evening slot and the Norfolk band Sophie G and the Good Times will play early on Thursday evening in their first performance at the Beer Festival.

Sophie G and the Good Times guitarist Adam Darricott said “We were delighted to receive the request to play and also I have dreamed of playing at the Norwich Beer Festival for years as I am a regular customer”. 

As usual, brass bands play the late evening slots due to restrictions on amplified music but Norfolk is home to so many brass bands which certainly helps keep the lively atmosphere going in St Andrew's Hall until late in to the evening sessions.

We are also delighted to welcome back the Sheringham Shantymen on Saturday lunch session who always entertain the crowd.

The full schedule is listed below:
Monday late evening: Hellesdon & Sprowston Brass Band
Tuesday lunch: Minstrels Gallery
Tuesday early evening: Hayley Moyses Britgrass 3
Tuesday late evening: Music Free
Wednesday lunch: Music Free
Wednesday early evening: Invidia Voices, The Rock & Soul Choir
Wednesday late evening: Cawston Brass Band
Thursday lunch: Dave Thomas Band
Thursday early evening: Sophie G & the Good Times
Thursday late evening: Norfolk Wherry Brass Band
Friday lunch: Vivace String Quartet
Friday early evening: Addison's Uncle
Friday late evening: Norwich Brass Band
Saturday lunch: Sheringham Shantymen
Saturday early evening: The Harvs
Saturday late evening: Cawston Brass Band

Rob Derbridge, the 2015 Norwich Beer Festival Organiser, said “the wide variety of entertainment is always appreciated by many of the thousands of visitors to the Norwich Beer Festival, however music-free sessions are scheduled into the programme and also Blackfriars' Hall is always music free”.

Friday 4 September 2015

Norwich Beer Festival tutored tastings announced

The popular tutored tastings sessions will run over lunchtimes again and this year are being arranged by two regular beer festival volunteers who are also qualified beer sommeliers, Cheryl and Mark Cade, from Norwich.
 
They both passed their exams earlier this year and who have started their own business, The Thirst Consultants, and have volunteered their services for free, along with all the other leaders of the tutored tasting sessions.
 
On Wednesday we are delighted that Keith Loney, the Beer Festival's Foreign Bar manager, will be taking you on a tour of some fantastic Foreign Beers available, exploring the flavours and culture of this diverse range.
 
Over Thursday lunchtime we are extremely pleased that Belinda Jennings, Master Brewer in East Anglia, will be leading a ‘Blind Beer Tasting’. She will take the tasters on a journey through the brewing process and look at a range of different beer styles.
 
The Saturday lunch tasting will see Mark Cade lead a Tasting of Lagers. During this session Mark will help compare and contrast traditional continental lagers with a mass produced product. The tasters will explore the extensive styles, history and brewing process of this much maligned traditional beer.
 
The remaining slots on Tuesday and Friday lunchtimes which will be scheduled shortly:-
 
One will be session on Beer blending, led by Cheryl Cade, who will explain the principles and history of beer blending to find the perfect pint. Alongside this she will assist the tasters to understand the joys of beer and food matching.
 
And the other will cover the beers of Great Heck Brewery, who are this year's featured brewery, and during this tasting event, the tasters will experience the range of flavours the North Yorkshire brewery produce and also discuss their influences and learn about the brewing process.
 
At least eight beers will be sampled at each session within small groups, which will last up to 2 hours, so we believe they will be great value, as all beer sampled is included in the price.
 
All tastings will start at 12 noon and the meeting point will be at the left hand side of the Merchandising stand.
 
Prices and tickets:
 
We are pleased that we have been able to keep to last year’s ticket costs. These sessions are only £10 each including beer festival entry or £8 for CAMRA members.
 
We will shortly be able to sell you tickets for these tastings – until then please email Cheryl Cade at cheryl@thirstconsultants.com to reserve your spaces.