All hail to the ale at Redditch festival (From Redditch Advertiser)

All hail to the ale at Redditch festival

7:40am Friday 18th January 2013 in News

REDDITCH ale lovers do not have long to wait until they can raise a glass at a popular annual festival.

This year’s Redditch Winter Ale Festival is at Rocklands Social Club on Birchfield Road, Headless Cross, on Friday and Saturday, February 1 and 2.

Run by volunteers of the Redditch and Bromsgrove branch of CAMRA, the Campaign for Real ale, the festival will feature more than 30 beers for visitors to try in both third and half pints, alongside a selection of traditional cider and perry.

Now in its seventh year, the event will offer beers such as Seventh Heaven from the Weatheroak brewery in Studley, as well as other beers from across the country. One to watch out for is a specially brewed Indian Pale Ale from the Rock and Roll brewery in Birmingham. A full provisional beer and cider list can be found on the festival website redditchwaf.org.uk.

As well as raising a glass or two, the festival will also be raising money for the Alzheimer’s Society to provide support for carers and sufferers of dementia. Volunteer CAMRA member and Redditch MP Karen Lumley will also be lending a hand at the event.

Festival opening times at the club will be 4-11pm on Friday and 11am-11pm on Saturday, with live music on the Saturday evening from Over Atlantic - a local band playing modern and classic rock.

Entrance is £4 which includes a festival glass and programme (discount for card-carrying CAMRA members). Food will be available at all sessions alongside a separate bar selling other drinks.

Redditch and Bromsgrove CAMRA chairman Paul Richards said: ”Real ale is becoming increasingly popular, and the nation now has over 1,000 breweries. Our festival is a great opportunity to try traditional beers and ciders that you wouldn’t normally find in the pub.”