Bird’s Eye View                        

Beer: it comes at a price
                                                                     
                                                                      

                                                                          

So there I was, sitting in the sun at the Latitude Festival, trying to decide if I wanted a healthy avocado on toast or a plateful of big fat cheesy chips.  It was hot, the sun was shining, and I’d just come out of the greenhouse (OK, not actually a greenhouse, but that’s what the comedy tent had felt like for the last hour).  After plumping for the healthy lunch option (those chips smelt sooo good!), I desperately needed a drink.  The beer options were good; Hektor’s, Woodforde’s and Lacons.  But all priced at £5 a pint!  Yes, you heard me right, £5!  I like my beer, but at that price I decided I’d have to go easy over the weekend (not a phrase you hear me say very often).  On-site bars have a captive audience, so I guess they charge whatever they can get away with.  For the punters there is no alternative, as you can’t take your own alcohol on to the festival site (trust me, I’ve tried, but there is a limit to what a girl can fit in her bum-bag).  With weekend tickets costing the best part of £200, the additional costs of food and drink make for a very expensive few days.  Still, it was all worth it.  Sunday watching the Divine Comedy (featuring the truly divine Neil Hannon), followed by Fat Boy Slim, was a night to remember.  And the fact is, I could remember it all because I hadn’t drunk very much!

The price of beer is always newsworthy, and this year we’ve had more than our fair share of scare stories; “Drinkers face a 5p hike in the price of a pint of beer after a 'crippling' 19 per cent rise in business rates.” (Daily Mail), “Drinkers face a 5p hike in the price of a pint of beer after a 'crippling' 19 per cent rise in business rates.” (The Guardian), “No cheers! Price of beer in UK pubs to go up 6p a pint.” (Daily Express).

But it is not all doom and gloom (apparently); “Brexit could slash the price of a pint by 20p if pubs are unleashed from Brussels' red tape.”  - so says the Daily Express – who were quoting Wetherspoons Tim Martin – who was quoting CAMRA (apparently).  Really?  I’m pretty confident that alcohol will be more expensive after Brexit.  It’s not Europe’s fault that beer is so expensive.  The EU sets minimum taxes on alcohol, unlike the UK.  If the government really wanted to, it could reduce the tax on beer at a stroke.  Still, what do I know?  I’m just a girl who likes her ale.

Having recently been on pub crawls in London and Brighton, I’m glad that beer prices here in the East are quite reasonable (in comparison).  I shouldn’t be, but often am, both surprised and annoyed that the price of a standard bitter can vary considerably depending on location.  At some city-centre and riverside pubs you may pay £4 for your pint.  Perhaps we must expect to pay more at nicer or more convenient locations.  Fair enough, I get it.  But does the beer taste any better?

In Norwich, there are real beer bargains to be had if you hunt around.  Decent session pints like Fat Cat Bitter and Chalk Hill Tap both come in at well under £3.  On mid-week nights in the Fat Cat you’ll often find premium beers around the £3 mark.  Several city pubs offer ‘All real ales at £3 a pint’ on Mondays or Tuesdays.  And if you are a CAMRA member there are discounts to had at many city pubs (13 at the last count). 

So get out there and grab yourself a bargain.  Beer – it’s as cheap as chips (well almost).

Speaking of chips, I really fancy some of those big fat cheesy ones…. 

Cheers

The Beer Bird

(first published in Norfolk Nips September 2017)

Carry on Camping!                      
                             

A weekend at the Happisburgh Beer Festival

For years The Chap and I have said “We must go to a beer festival this year which offers camping!”.  However, by the time we get around to organising it, the ones that have nearby camping are always fully booked.  This year we decided to ‘book early’ (as Fred Pontin used to say) to ensure we could enjoy a beer festival in the Norfolk countryside without one of us being the designated driver (a dry old job, let me tell you).  So, in mid-June, tent at the ready, we made our way towards the coast for the Solstice Beer Festival at the Hill House Inn, Happisburg.

There is a camp site just behind the pub (Manor Caravan Park), on the cliffs overlooking the beach, so only a short crawl to bed after a few beers.  We had two nights of camping and two nights at the beer festival.  On arrival, the campsite was pretty empty.  After pitching our tent facing the sea I was ready for my first beer. The Chap, on the other hand thought otherwise; he thought we should do a long walk and earn our beer (sometimes I do wonder….).
                                                                                                  

After a very silent coast walk to Mundesley, we waited for a bus back to Happisburgh.  Boy was I parched.  On the bus, we got chatting to a lady called Mary.  She had travelled from Reepham, via Norwich, to get the festival.  If Mary was prepared to travel all that way then the beer must be good.  

The pub

                                                                                                                    
On the first evening, opening night, I thought I would ease myself in gently and start with Adnams Freewheel, a lovely light summer beer with fruit notes. The next little delight was Black Sheep's Monty Python's Holy Grail, a quirky little number.  Next up was Skinners Ginger Tosser - this beer really packs a punch!  This was followed by Sonnet 43's Raven Bourbon Milk, a cask conditioned Stout with a silky finish.  My final beer of the night was Amber's Chocolate Orange Stout, a smooth dark chocolate ale with a subtle hint of orange. This, in my opinion, was the best beer of the festival. 

The beers...and the bird

                                                                                                          
Lots more beer was consumed on the second day of the festival (lunchtime and evening!).  It was Friday and the pub was packed.  Visitors from far and wide arrived by bus, bike and coach.  Even Elvis turned up (the wonderful Peter King).  I tried several new beers and downed a few old favourites.  From what I can remember, and it is a little hazy I must admit, I drank Buffy’s, Beartown, Elgoods, White Horse, Green Jack and Harviestoun.   After all that beer, I should have slept soundly, but sadly, late-night revellers returning to their tents disturbed my beauty sleep.  Oh well, only to be expected I guess.

Elvis entertains

                                                                                                      

A strong cup of coffee and a good fry-up sorted us out the next morning.  The Halt Coffee Shop, which is accessed via the courtyard from the pub, is a real bonus for bleary-eyed campers.  Feeling refreshed, if not completely recovered, I helped The Chap pack up the tent.  I longed for a hot bath and my nice warm bed, whilst casually mentioning “We really must do this again next year”!!!

Always remember to set up camp before starting on the beer!

                                                                     

The Beer Bird

(first published in Norfolk Nips September 2017)