The Lemon Fool

The Chelmsford Winter Beer & Cider Festival this year is from Wednesday 15th February to Saturday 18th (next week), 12 noon to 11pm every day (probably a bit earlier on the Saturday as they usually run out of beer).

There are over 170 Real Ales and over 50 Real Ciders, Perries, & Pyders. Hop Leaf will be there with the usual real burgers and dogs (from a real butcher), plus curries, etc.

Get there before 6pm or be a CAMRA member to get in free, otherwise it's £3.

It's at King Edward's Grammar School (same as last year), a short walk from Chelmsford train and bus stations. There is a map here, https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Kin ... 32!6m1!1e1 .

Their website is here, http://www.chelmsfordbeerandciderfestiv ... p?id=39721

See you there!

Julian F. G. W.

Real burgers, and from a real butcher no less. What are the non-real burgers like? Cat mince full of gristle and cats' [expletive deleted]? Or is it a marketing term to go together with real ale? I would bring my own packed supper and snacks.

The names, "Real burgers and dogs" is my invention. The sausages are proper ones, not rubber. The burgers are hand-made and from the same local butcher as the sausages and bacon. At the summer festival, these are cooked on a barbecue. Add onions if you like a good fart.

The mustard is also real.

If those are not to your liking, you could try one of their spicier offerings from one of their hot pots.

Or you could have just chips and a spoonful of their home-made chilli sauce.

Last year, "Olives and Things" were there but I don't see them listed this year.

You could stuff yourself with chocolate from the Oddfellows chocolate stall. Their products range from a white lemongrass chocolate to "Scorpion Death" chilli chocolate. Alternatively, there is a Piper's Crisps stall.

If none of that whets your appetite, just come and wet your whistle with some of the excellent beers on offer.

Julian F. G. W.

So the word real tells them apart from some sub-standard kebab van cheapo ones which were more common before the gourmet burger fad. I usually go for the hog roast but better quality burgers, hog roast, and bangers, also are often a disappointment when it comes to the bread. That is the weakest link.Cold tasteless soft bun straight from the plastic bag, not even shown the grill.

JMN2 wrote:I usually go for the hog roast but better quality burgers, hog roast, and bangers, also are often a disappointment when it comes to the bread. That is the weakest link.Cold tasteless soft bun straight from the plastic bag, not even shown the grill.

I agree with that. Just concentrate on the insides! They do use a bit of French stick (if they have any) for the dogs although that isn't grilled. Other than that, the butcher's meat is certainly not complemented by baker's rolls.

Julian F. G. W.

jfgw wrote:The Chelmsford Winter Beer & Cider Festival this year is from Wednesday 15th February to Saturday 18th (next week), 12 noon to 11pm every day (probably a bit earlier on the Saturday as they usually run out of beer).

Tragically I missed it this year, I usually go though as I'm friends with one of the main organisers (Frankie, in case you know her ).

I would say, although it is too late for this year now, that if you are looking for a good variety then it's no good waiting until Friday. The more, er, exotic beers from far away are pretty much gone by then, or at least going. The more local beers that can be replenished with a phone call end up dominating as the weekend approaches.

The cider/perry section has been getting progressively bigger each year, although I'm not (yet) into it. I'd be interested to know whether that trend has continued this year.

I have occasionally encounted our very own violinista there (I've just looked but it seems she never made to make the Motley-Lemon leap unfortunately).

See you next year!
Chris

Devizes winter ales festival been and gone now.

belting - as ever.

see you all next year?!

didds