With the beer list coming together nicely, the return of Poole Beer festival is shaping up to be something to remember.
As always, we have ensured that many of our local breweries are represented, with many providing something a little different from the norm!
Starting with a couple of cask one off specials, both Eight Arch and Way Outback are supplying beers only normally found on keg dispense with Past Reflections, a 6.3% IPA from the former and Deep South, a 7% whiskey barrel aged doppel bock from the latter.
Sandbanks Brewery will be represented by a special rum and coffee infused version of their Back In Black stout while Southbourne Ales and Hall & Woodhouse will be sending new beer’s in the shape of Digie’s and Red Roaster respectively.
Sitting alongside festival regulars such as Brew Shack’s Eight Grain Porter, Dorset Brewing Jurassic Dark and Palmers Tally Ho! will be beers from Gritchie’s, Dolphin Brewery and Remedy Oak, all new local breweries represented for the first time and adding to the strength and depth of the industry in our area.
Those looking for something more adventurous might want to look for Gyle 59 Nettle IPA, the ever popular Cerne Abbas Gurt Coconut Rum Stout or Downton Brewery Roman Imperial Stout, at a mere 9% it will certainly make a very good nightcap!

To complement our selection of local beers we have tried to source beers from many of the best breweries across the country. Notable amongst these are Magic Rock, Oakham, Arbor, Siren Craft, Marble and for the second festival in a row, Cloudwater. Casks of their beer are always hard to find so we were delighted when a barrel of their Pale Ale was secured a few weeks ago.
For lovers of chocolate we have both Blue Monkey Chocolate Guerilla and Saltaire’s Triple Choc, both of which have been previous winners of our Beer of the Festival award so it will be interesting to see which will do better in this year’s voting. Other novelty flavours include Cinder toffee from New Bristol, salted caramel from Shiny Brewery, coconut from Brew York, lemongrass from Hop Back and figs from Brass Castle, the last one on this list is also one of six gluten free beers on offer.
Titanic’s Plum Porter is always very popular and I’m sure will be on many people’s agenda over the weekend. Old Empire is a more interesting and rarely seen beer from a well known brewery, Marston’s while Mild from Timothy Taylors is also a beer which is not often seen from them.
Rubbing shoulders with these established brands are the likes of North Riding, Frisky Bear, Loch Lomond, Errant and Black Lodge all excellent breweries making their Poole debuts as will a new black IPA from Dark Star, Solar Eclipse.
For those wanting to start off gently then Burning Sky’s Plateau, Fyne Ales Jarl, Purity Bunny Hop and Acorn Barnsley Bitter are all fabulous beers under 4%.
For those who wish to finish the night with a bang maybe Vibrant Forest Misty Woods (6%), Siren Craft Broken Dreams (6.5%), Arbor Yakima Valley (7%) or Burton Bridge Thomas Sykes at an eye watering 10% would be more to your taste. I hope you don’t have too many plans for the next day though!
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