Hi all, just to finalise the situation. I believe we have about 8 or 9 of the local micro brewers who have produced a brand new beer for this mini festival, or should I say feast to showcase their collective skills in this fine old craft.

Details are out and about, papers, posters etc etc.

The venues on the May Holiday weekend 3rd, 4th, and 5th are;
The Boathouse Wylam
The John Bull Alnwick
The Newcastle Arms in the Toon
The Victoria Durham.

The beers are all brand new, ABV between 4.0 and 4.5%, any style, but only a single variety of hop has been used. This hop is the brewers individual choice, but will be declared. This will show the abilities of the craft, and prove a great reward to the Real Ale fan.

Judging is at the Boathouse on the Saturday, at 4pm. Hope to see many of you there.

Cheers, Northern Brewer.

Well done to Marty from H&B for organising such an event and also for scooping the first prize for his superb Newcastle Pioneer, and for all you sceptics out there, the winner was chosen following a blind tasting session at the Boathouse where non of the judges were aware of which beer they were voting on till afterward.

We put a 10G cask of Pioneer on at the Arms on Wed night for our CAMRA presentation evening, hoping it would last the night but it was gone by 8pm!!! Not to be outdone, Norman apparently sold 25 casks last Monday afternoon alone!!

Thanks Barry, your support for the event was greatly appreciated. Well done to you all, and Neil, at the Newcastle Arms for your tremendous efforts in winning the Tyneside pub of the year again.

Local breweries need the support you guys give us, and in turn we try to repay it with good proper made real ales.

Our Newcastle Pioneer sold out in 5 days, all 56 firkins, meaning a heavy week for us all at the brewery where we had to brew an extra batch to keep you all satisfied. We have lots of advanced orders for it when it is finished, back of next week.

The whole Battle of the Beers was not really about the competition side, it was good to win though, a bonus. It was to prove, if that was ever necessary, the quality and talent in brewing we have here in the area. Some great brews were produced and thanks to all the Breweries and pubs that supported it.

It was great to chat to the brewers and owners in the Boathouse on the Saturday.

Lets keep it going, its good for all concerned. Thanks to everyone involved, and to you good ale consumers out there.

Treat yourselves to a beer for all of your efforts!!!!!!!!

Cheers, Northern Brewer.

I know it is a bit late now but you may like to know that the five completely individual and different types and styles of beer brewed at The Ship Inn Brewery,Newton Square ,Low Newton By the sea all only use the same single variety of hop, this being "Aurora" come and taste the difference

"The Taste of The Seaside"