The Stratford-upon-Avon Beer Festival

Apart from attending the Great British Beer Festival (Winter) at Burton Town Hall back in February, I've been slacking somewhat as regards going to CAMRA events this year. This means the Stratford Beer Festival is only the second ale extravaganza to make it into my 2023 diary, and our very own Nick will be joining me in Shakespeare country...

- Shakespeare by the Station -

It's Friday 30th June 2023 and the festival gods have conspired that Bromsgrove, Stratford and Stafford's celebrations of cask have all been arranged over the same weekend. We can only squeeze in one of them so the Warwickshire option is our preference on this occasion, hence I catch the 9:36 train at Smethwick Galton Bridge which His Majesty joins in Dorridge. Arriving at Stratford circa 10:46, we quickly reacquaint ourselves with the terminus station's heritage charms, not least a handsome footbridge dating from 1891. The pavement along Station Approach is punctuated with mosaic circles detailing swans, theatres and canals.

- Stratford Racecourse -

Nick has devised our opening walk and purposefully leads us along Rother Street where the Mason's Court cottage looks every inch a medieval Wealden hall. One mysterious front room seems to have become someone's personal shrine to Stratford's railway heritage, and when we join The Greenway we're effectively strolling along what used to be the Honeybourne Line towards Cheltenham. We pass Bobby's, a popular tearoom housed in a converted carriage, then enjoy fine views looking out over the nearby racecourse where sprinklers are ensuring the turf is kept fresh ready for the next round of jump races. 

- Staking out Stannell's Bridge -

We've actually investigated some of The Greenway previously (back in 2015 when we were also en route to the beer festival) but didn't get as far as Stannell's Bridge and its distinctive rusty girders that day. The bridge spans the verdant River Avon and reminds me of a similar if smaller structure on the Staffs & Worcs Canal near Tettenhall. Nick poses patiently amidst the metallic surroundings before we descend below to briefly flank the riverbank, looking out for a gap into an adjacent field. Sure enough, we find the access we seek and hug the pasture's boundary edge to reach a kissing gate onto the racecourse's main footpath. 

- The festival awaits -

As well as being a well-liked venue for National Hunt racing, Stratford-upon-Avon Racecourse has long served as the host location for the town's annual beer festival. Negotiating the clunky antique turnstiles, we take care of admission matters and settle ourselves in on the top floor of the Pravha Bar, an excellent spectators gallery from where we can admire the grandstand and winning post. Ales rather than horses are our primary concern though so we get stuck straight into halves of Titanic 'Cappuccino Stout' and Fuzzy Duck's 'Ruby Duck', taking advantage of the extra token bestowed upon CAMRA members. 

- Titanic Chocolate & Vanilla Stout -

That Fuzzy Duck was a nice start for me but soon gets upstaged by Coach House's 'Banoffee Bitter' which does exactly what it says on the tin (it helps that I like the flavours of toffee and banana of course). Nick for his part is seriously impressed by Brew York's 'Tonkoko' with its promise of hand-roasted coconuts and Madagascan vanilla pods, even if he makes sure to include the lovely Titanic 'Chocolate & Vanilla Stout' too. In between times, I get embroiled with 'Daddy's Little Warlord' (Fosse Way Brewery) which at 7% abv is not something to be trifled with. Thankfully I survive to tell the tale, and we round off on the novelty of 'Vienna Lager' - yet another Titanic tipple - and very refreshing it is too! Friday afternoon's session takes a while to get busy but the punters begin to congregate eventually, perhaps tempted along by biltong stalls or the £2.10-a-half pricing on all ciders and perries. 

- The Keys, Ely Street -

Thanking the festival volunteers for their sterling efforts as always, we take our leave and roam another stretch of lost railway back through to Seven Meadows Road. Ely Street is Nick's next target for not one but two intriguing boozers that are far enough away from the tourist hotspots to feel like proper community haunts. The Keys offers a decent drop of Bull Pale (Wye Valley) amidst lacy lighting and trench green woodwork as we find time to discuss genealogical topics regarding Nick's family provenance. Switching just up the road to the Queens Head, we hope in vain for an Australian batting collapse whilst catching up on the Ashes action from Lords. Timothy Taylor's Landlord goes down nicely here. 

- Meeting the main man in Ya Bard! -

For our final calling point, Nick suggests we try out Ya Bard as a craft tasting room and bottle shop on the aforementioned Rother Street. The pun in the bar's title already earns it brownie points and my esteem for the place only increases once we get to grips with the Glasshouse Marigold IPA resembling tropical citrus juice and tasting very zingy. Shakespeare caricatures add to the fun so we decide to stop for a Black Iris Little Dipper (murkily opaque but again highly drinkable). Apparently there's a vintage emporium upstairs too but we call it quits and return to the station for our homeward trains. Barred at Ya Bard? Not us!