No matter where I go, I manage to attract a barfly, latching on to me quicker than the beer can be poured. This particular gentleman, early fifties but the look of ten more, asks if I know Cardiacs; punk isn't my thing, but I am schooled enough in most music to be aware of their storied history. He was in London two weeks ago to see them at The Garage, and is still feeling rather emotional about it. We fall down an old rabbit hole of music venues back home, where he has made the annual pilgrimage to their gigs, the changes around Soho since the turn of the millennium. He's drinking beer from a brewery further south that I was at the week before, and he reels off a list of others around there I should visit next time. Finally, once he finishes another, I am able to escape, running off to go play with the green fairies by the cathedral.

Kegs in Marquee

FESTIVAL BAR (KEG):

ZICHOVEC ‘13: Hody Hody Doprovody’ 5.5%
Lager. Introducing the new Czech hop Harmonie, this little holiday offering is light enough to be beautifully refreshing, and yet flavoursome enough to be truly satisfying. Na zdraví!

OTHERWORLD ‘Atropos’ 4.0%
Pale Ale. Otherworld are one of our favourite finds this year, every beer a delight. White peach and melon are bountiful, yet restrained enough to not overwhelm the taste buds (the badge is killer too).

VERDANT x BASQUELAND ‘Moving Through The World Of Other’ 6.5%
IPA. Showcasing the new superstar Kiwi hop Nectaron, this is a riot of (unsurprisingly) nectarine, with plenty of all the other stone fruits rushing through after. It's Verdant, you know you'll love it.

CLOUDWATER ‘Left Then Left Then Left’ 8.6%
Double IPA. A name equally applicable to both the recent election and its position on the T-bar, the level of juiciness is a guaranteed vote-winner. Passion fruit, gooseberry, pine, and pith – any left?

AZVEX ‘Strawberry, Banana & Coconut Mana’ 6.0%
Sour. The latest iteration of the craziest beer in a madcap trend. And once again, Azvex make it work. Incredibly, everything is clearly identifiable, the concoction even better than expected.

THIRD MOON ‘Vanilla Bean Dead Don’t Die’ 8.5% Contains Lactose
Imperial Stout. My new favourite Canuck? OK, maybe 2nd to our resident bundle of positivity. Sweet, luscious, full-bodied yet easy sipping: a delectable treat to have on our shores.

Kegs In Bar

MOOT ‘Wanderer’ 3.8%
Pale Ale. The very definition of quaffable. Not all who wander are lost.

BURNT MILL ‘Silver Falls’ 5.5%
Pale Ale. Resinous, plenty of grapefruit, Graham Cracker base, dazzling clarity: everything a West Coast pale should be. Basically perfection.

DURATION x BARON ‘First Light’ 6.0%
IPA. Expectations are understandably high with these two combining forces. It does not disappoint. The pillowy mouthfeel is counterbalanced by a gentle dryness in the finish, the current of plump stone fruits running strong throughout.

TWO FLINTS ‘Giant Peach’ 8.0%
Double IPA. Brewed with the new Kiwi hop Peacharine rather than the actual fruit, this demonstrates brilliantly just how vibrantly brewers can impart these flavours into beer with hops alone. No guesses as to the primary flavour present, but it is far from being one-dimensional.

RODENBACH ‘Fruitage’ 3.9%
Flanders Red. A variation on kriek, designed as something of an introduction to this style of beer. A sweetness dampens the sharpest sourness, the result bringing us pretty much to cherry drops.

DROP PROJECT ‘Jeez’ 5.0%
Sour. Jeez, Gromit! The bite of the yuzu cuts through the stickiness of the ripe pineapple, a perfect accompaniment to the sun (if it ever shows its face again...)

DE LA SENNE ‘Jambe De Bois’ 8.0%
Tripel. A modern classic from a city that knows a thing or two about beer. Old meets new so effortlessly, as only the Belgians can. The result is a delicate mixture of clove, banana, & dried fruit.

SIREN All Night Long’ 10.2% Contains Lactose
BA Imperial Stout. A blend of different stouts from their vast library, all aged in ex-bourbon barrels, the overarching word here is opulent. Like the finest truffles, the concentration of flavour is almost overwhelming as it dives through a multitude of ever-increasingly intense layers. Someone please check on Dom...

Ciders

Various

All available in thirds as well as pints and halves. Enjoy.

Cask - our normal wonderful range on the bar

Festival Bar

NORTHERN MONK x DOGFISH HEAD ‘The Endless Hum’ 3.4%
Session IPA. It has been many a year since the name Dogfish Head has appeared in these lands. A lychee burst gives way to the peppery undertones from the rye for a very welcome return indeed.

OTHERWORLD ‘Cryptid’ 3.8%
Pale Ale. Yet another phenomenal cask from these Scottish heroes. Bright, fresh, satisfying, quaffable... Plenty of citrus fruits entwine with pine and berries for an utterly remarkable pint.

BRASS CASTLE ‘Best’ 3.9% Gluten Free
Bitter. As old school as a new school bitter can be. Earthy, biscuity, a hint of fresh hay, even a waft of apples and pears: hits the spot, alright.

DEYA ‘It’s Another App’ 3.9%
Pale Ale. Combining big classic American hops with new English varieties is a tough gig, but of course DEYA nail it. Pith meets floral, plenty of lingering bitterness: a surefire winner.

GADDS’ ‘Ramsgate CarnivAle’ 4.0%
Golden Ale. A party in a glass! Brewed for their local carnival, Gadds' enliven this golden with a dose of peach and a backbone of oak to ensure the dancing never ceases.

GOOD CHEMISTRY ‘Amble On’ 4.2%
Amber Ale. Nice to see the start of a resurgence of amber, and Good Chemistry are demonstrating just how to do it. Marmalade on toast is the dominant note, complete with a satisfyingly long finish.

ELUSIVE ‘Stories’ 4.2%
Bitter. An evolution of the classic, introducing redcurrant and gingerbread, even a hint of turmeric into the mix. Rooted firmly enough in the past to please the originals, yet a bold new step too.

FYNE ALES ‘Handwritten Note’ 4.3% Gluten Free
Pale Ale. More Scottish loveliness, this is a wonderfully fragrant pale from the banks of the loch. Lashings of pomelo and kumquat, with enough of a bite at the back to get you rushing back.

TRIPLE POINT ‘Simtraza’ 4.4% Gluten Free
Pale Ale. The name is a weird amalgam of its three hops, the taste a much more conventional mix. Apricots emerge from the subtly complex body, a beer that offers as much as you want to take.

HOWLING HOPS ‘Hey!’ 4.5% Gluten Free
Pale Ale. That stereotypical “hoppy” smell leaps out, immediately reminiscent of grass and elderflower. The palate is more hedgerow & orchard, a pleasant robust fruitiness matches its colour.

ELUSIVE x NEW BRISTOL ‘Bayside’ 4.7%
California Common. An old style, brewed as an ale but with lager yeast, and a very important step in craft beer history. Bursting with plenty of west-coast hallmarks, it has a remarkable drinkability to it.

BREW YORK x LEFT HANDED GIANT ‘Jolly Green’ 5.0%
Pale Ale. Shut your eyes and feel like a bee! Super soft and aromatic, it has a distinct childhood tropical sweet energy. Might not be gigantic, but certainly very jolly indeed.

DISRUPTION IS ‘Shadow Of Darkness: Cherry Coconut’ 5.0%
Stout. A twist on a main bar staple, a beautiful balance of desiccated coconut and cherry liquor chocolates reinvigorate this trad stout. Avoids any hint of cloying, with a warming autumnal vibe.

MOOT ‘Sometimes’ 5.0% Contains Lactose
Milk Stout. Sometimes, milk stouts are really good. And this is definitely one of those times. With enough residual sweetness to please, it retains maximum sipability too.

BRASS CASTLE ‘No Sleep ‘Til Malton’ 5.2% Gluten Free
Stout. Coffee and doughnuts always have been a perfect pairing. This has the raspberry jam, this has the big coffee hit – an arrestingly bonkers beer that will leave a few jaws hanging in disbelief.

DROP PROJECT ‘Blud’ 5.3%
Sour. We’ve done it again, a sour on cask (and the only such barrel of this in existence). A true palate cleanser, a beer so dangerously close to juice you will wish you could have this at half time.

THE KERNEL ‘Brown Ale’ 5.8%
Brown Ale. Smooth and refined, understatedly decadent yet clearly of the highest order. Rich mahogany woodiness gives way to roasted chestnuts, a beer that says more with quiet gestures.

MAIN BAR (CASK):

Seven