2015 Boot Beer Festival
Thursday 4th June Sunday 7th June 2015
Boot Beer Festival is a great event for all the family, ride up on the la'al Ratty railway, visit Brook House Inn and sample a beer or two then wonder up to The Boot Inn, where non drinkers could visit the working watermill and the Kids can enjoy themselves at the Boot Inn play area. Next take the path upto the Woolpack and sample the delightful beers available at one of the most remote pubs in the Lake District. A short walk down the road brings you back to the station.
Alternatively get a load of mates together, hire a minibus and con someone into driving! Better still dig the tent out blag Friday off work and come for 3 nights of superb beer in a wonderful part of the lakes, you could even do some walking (even if it is only between the pubs) Friday and Saturday nights are busy at all 3 venues so booking a table for dinner is always a good idea.
2014 Review
This was our most successful festival yet, ok so I keep saying that, but the beer keeps getting drunk even though we order more each year. Quality of the beers this year was very good, but parhaps without anything really standing out and towering above the croud.
Thursday, Friday and Saturday saw a good turnout, with some local coaches arriving and plenty of people on the trains, some beers lasted only a little over 1hr, including both barrels of Iti NZPA from Hawkshead. Biased though I may be, the local Cumbrian beers seem to be hard to beat! Although Bad Kitty packed a chocolatey punch at 5.5% and the Sarah Hughes beers were both tasty. As has become the norm the light/golden and pale ales were the fastest sellers, but we surged through some stong ones as well.
It was great to have support from local CAMRA members, groups from further afield and also from the Morris Dancers.
Not quite Wall to wall sunshine this year, a bit wet on the Saturday I am told ( I spent the day either in the cellar or kitchen). We have had plenty of new customers this year, but so many have been coming for the past 14 years, it is great to see so many old friends.