Over 70 different barrels of real ale from all over the South West will be featured at the Campaign for Real Ale’s [CAMRA] Weymouth autumn beer festival in eight weeks time, on Friday 16 and Saturday 17 October- two weeks later than usual. The venue is again Weymouth’s Ocean Room, much praised by festivalgoers in the four previous years and said by the organisers to be a key part of the success of this annual event.
This week, 1500 tickets have been put on sale over four sessions, 11am to 3.30pm and 6pm to 11.30pm on Friday and Saturday 16 & 17 October. This is half an hour longer than in previous years. Tickets cost £5 for Friday & Saturday evenings, £4 for Saturday lunchtime and only £3 for Friday lunchtime. They are being sold by West Dorset CAMRA online at www.camrawdorset.org.uk/Octoberfest.htm or from The Boot, The Globe and Charlbury Food & Wine in Weymouth and the Blue Raddle at Dorchester. The Royal Portland Arms and the George at Portland have a supply too Weymouth Pavilion box office https://weymouthpavilion.com [01305 783225] has a supply, as has CAMRA Chairman Dave Harris at 01305 772286.
“This will be our fifth October beer festival at the Ocean Room and some CAMRA members will come long distances to enjoy Weymouth,” comments CAMRA spokesman Michel Hooper-Immins. “Many will stay for the weekend as their families shop in the town- a valuable out-of-season economic boost for Weymouth. In addition, many festivalgoers will converge on the Ocean Room from all parts of Dorset, including CAMRA members from other branches all around the South and South West.”
“The Ocean Room provides a superb venue for a beer festival,” says West Dorset CAMRA Chairman Dave Harris. “Not only does it have the space to allow plenty of seating, but there’s the beautiful view of Weymouth Bay right outside the big windows. The festival will feature the Dorset Brewing Co. to celebrate their 20 years in brewing, which started in Weymouth in 1995 and is now based in Crossways.“
West Dorset CAMRA’s October beer festival was held for eight years at Brewer’s Quay, until closure of the Hope Square attraction in early 2011 forced a move. Moving to the Ocean Room in 2011 meant more real ale drinkers could be accommodated and last year almost all 1500 tickets were sold for the event, spread over two days. There will again be live music only on Saturday evening. Some 70 firkins* of real ale will be on tap from many different breweries, amounting to 5040 pints of beer. Around a dozen ciders and perries complete the choice.
*One firkin = 72 pints.
Michel Hooper-Immins
