Ale going down well in Harpenden (From St Albans & Harpenden Review)

Ale going down well in Harpenden

5:45pm Friday 26th June 2009 in

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MORE than 300 people have enjoyed an array of traditional cask conditioned beers at Harpenden's first ever beer festival today.

Volunteer Chris Adkins of the South Hertfordshire branch of the Campaign for Real Ale told the Review: “This is wonderful. Despite a bit of rain this morning, it's all going well. The sun is shining, lots of people are sitting outside and the beer is in good nick.

“Even Peter Lilley is here.

“I am sure it is going to get a lot busier this evening.”

Beer enthusiast Stan Tomkins of Uxbridge, in a party of four from London, said: “The beer selection is excellent. We have been here since 11. My favourite was Sauvin So Good from the Alehouse Brewery in St Albans. It is very difficult to find words to describe the taste, particularly after six or seven pints.

“The only problem is there are not enough tables and chairs- some people this afternoon are over 60 and they don't want to stand for hours.”

Organiser Phil Defriez responded: “If we had more tables and chairs we wouldn't be able to have so many people, because of fire regulations. Most people are sitting outside where there is plenty of room.

”I ordered 72 firkins, more than 5,000 pints, and about another 500 pints of foreign beers, plus the cider and perry.

“We budgeted for about 1,500 people - there should be enough beer to last until 10.30 tomorrow night.”

The festival at the Eric Morecambe Hall, Southdown Road, will close at 10.30pm tonight and reopen at 11am tomorrow.