Rotherham Camra

Fancy a pint at the Rovers Return ?

The Rotherham Oakwood Real Ale and Music Festival will take place at Oakwood School, Moorgate Road, Rotherham from Wednesday, 21st to Saturday 24th February, 2001. Admission will be free to CAMRA members and Sponsors on Wednesday and Thursday evenings (6.00 p.m. - 11.00 p.m.).

Visitors who have been to previous Festivals will notice a few changes to the layout this year. Due to an arson attack in the early hours of New Years Day, the Main Hall cannot be used and will be replaced by a marquee.

The theme of this year’s Festival is Bars of Soaps. Each Bar area is to be named after a Pub which appears in a T.V. or Radio soap opera and beers from that region will be on sale. For instance the Rovers Return (Coronation Street) will sell beers from Lancashire and the Aidensfield Arms (Heartbeat) will have beers from North Yorkshire. Other bars are to be named The Black Swan (Peak Practice), The Woolpack (Emmerdale), The Bull (The Archers) and The Queen Vic (EastEnders).

Barring any last minute withdrawals there should be 140 beers from over 50 different brewers, large and small. The brewers range from the massive Scottish Courage to the large regional brewer Hardys and Hansons to many smaller brewers such as our own Wentworth Brewery. There will also be several new breweries such as:-

The Anglo-Dutch Brewery (Dewsbury) Set up in November by Mike Field of the West Riding Refreshment Room at Dewsbury Station and Paul Kloss, a brewer from Holland. Kletswater 3.9% and Ghost on the Rim 4.5% will be the beers from the Anglo Dutch brewery.

The Salamander Brewery (Bradford) Set up by Chris (ex Freedom Brewery) and Dan (ex Yorkshire Grey and Orange Breweries) First brewed in December. Old Amos 3.8% and Mud Puppy 4.2% are the beers from the Salamander brewery.

The Turkey Inn (Keighley) Work started 3 years ago to build the new brew house behind the Turkey Inn. Brewing started some 5 Months ago. Turkey Bitter 3.8% and Black Shiver, a 4.2% stout will be the beers from the Turkey Inn.

The Holland Brewery (Nottingham) Brewing started in April 2000 on a small 9-10 gallon set up. Brews twice a week. Double Dutch 4.5% and Dutch Courage 5.0% will be the beers from Holland Brewery

The Old Cottage Brewery (Burton on Trent) Kevin Slater worked for Bass for 24 years before buying the plant from the closed Old Cottage Brewery in Cumbria. Brewing started in January 2000, at the old Bevied Bull premises in Burton on Trent, before re-locating to the new Hawkins Lane site. Barleycorn 4.5%, Old Comrades 5.0%, Windrift 4.3% and a 4.6% Festival Special will be the beers from the Old Cottage Brewery.

Some old favourites will be at Oakwood again. You will find the Clark’s bar in its usual spot with 8 beers from their range including Old Amos, a Festival Special, and the powerful Dreadnought at 8.6%. Fernandes of Wakefield will have three Stouts for you to try - Black Cherry Stout at 4%, Double Stout at 7% and Triple Stout at 8.3% - and a 5% special porter.

Many breweries have agreed to produce Festival Specials. These are:- Black Dog, Roosters, Rudgate, York - The Aidensfield Arms. Lichfield, Lloyds, Townes - The Black Swan. Leadmill, Old Cottage - The Bull. Three B’s, Pictish - The Rovers Return.

Boat, Clark’s, Fernandes, Goose Eye, Salamander, Tiger Tops (2) and last but not least West Yorkshire Brewery (who are brewing this year’s strongest beer at around 12%) - The Woolpack.

Members of Rotherham CAMRA will be brewing two of the Festival Specials. One will be brewed at the Boat Brewery, Allerton Bywater, West Yorkshire and the other will be brewed at Lloyds Country Beers, Ingleby, Derbyshire. Both breweries have been asked to brew a beer to the same specification, a Brown Ale at 4.7%. Don’t miss them!!

First Mainline will again provide free transport to the Festival from anywhere in South Yorkshire. Production of a Sponsors Ticket (Wednesday and Thursday only) or a pre-paid Festival Ticket will entitle you to this free transport. Further free journeys can be made if you keep the Souvenir Festival Glass and show it to the Bus Driver when boarding the bus.

Journeys from Rotherham Interchange to the Festival can be made on any of the regular services which depart from stand A6.

Passengers travelling from Meadowhall or Sheffield Interchanges can catch the 287 bus to Whiston cross-roads where there are frequent connections which pass Oakwood School. After 19.00, the 287 is extended to Rotherham Hospital, which is less than 5 minutes walk from the Festival.

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