Beer Festival (first time beer drinker!)

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Im going to Oxford Camra beer festival tomorrow but Ive never been a big fan of beers apart from the one or two that ive stumbled up at small pub beer partys, so I was wondering what people would recommend? im normaly a kronenberg/stell/estrela/Peroni "man"

http://oxfordcamra.org.uk/festival2012.php

List of beers is above, would copy and paste but it doesnt format well!
 
Drink anything that says 'Pale Ale' (or 'IPA'), 'hop', or with a strangely dirty name.
Avoid anything that mentions 'red', 'chocolate', 'coffee' or anything with a fruit in its name name.

After a quick glance at that list I'd be trying:
Apollo, Hop Harvest, Golden Fuggle, Hop Harvest, Floss The Boss, Classic IPA, Bumble's, Hops, Fresh Hop XT1.

The Raspberry Wheat would also be worth a try.

If you can, get yourself a 1/3 pint glass (though it's likely they'll only have the 1/2 glasses). Allows you to try more, before getting battered. Take paper, and a pen and rank the beers out of 10 (don't worry about tasting notes, they'll be pointless after a few hours) so you remember what you like.

Avoid men with beards. Oh, it's a CAMRA festival? Good luck. ;)
 
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Ahleckz said:
Drink anything that says 'Pale Ale' (or 'IPA'), 'hop', or with a strangely dirty name.
Avoid anything that mentions 'red', 'chocolate', 'coffee' or anything with a fruit in its name name.

After a quick glance at that list I'd be trying:
Apollo Hop Harvest Golden Fuggle Hop Harvest Floss The Boss Classic IPA Bumble's Hops Fresh Hop XT1

The Raspberry Wheat would also be worth a try.

If you can, get yourself a 1/3 pint glass (though it's likely they'll only have the 1/2 glasses). Allows you to try more, before getting battered. Take paper, and a pen and rank the beers out of 10 (don't worry about tasting notes, they'll be pointless after a few hours) so you remember what you like.

Avoid men with beards. Oh, it's a CAMRA festival? Good luck. ;)
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I like beer but that short in and out response by Ahleckz sums it all up very very nicely.
 
Ahleckz said:
Drink anything that says 'Pale Ale' (or 'IPA'), 'hop', or with a strangely dirty name.
Avoid anything that mentions 'red', 'chocolate', 'coffee' or anything with a fruit in its name name.

After a quick glance at that list I'd be trying:
Apollo, Hop Harvest, Golden Fuggle, Hop Harvest, Floss The Boss, Classic IPA, Bumble's, Hops, Fresh Hop XT1.

The Raspberry Wheat would also be worth a try.

If you can, get yourself a 1/3 pint glass (though it's likely they'll only have the 1/2 glasses). Allows you to try more, before getting battered. Take paper, and a pen and rank the beers out of 10 (don't worry about tasting notes, they'll be pointless after a few hours) so you remember what you like.

Avoid men with beards. Oh, it's a CAMRA festival? Good luck. ;)
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Excellent bit of advice there...I always go to these festivals and get so hammered so I don't remember my name, let alone the beers I like or dislike...looks like the Missus is going armed with a pad and pen at our next one...;)
 
Castiel said:
Excellent bit of advice there...I always go to these festivals and get so hammered so I don't remember my name, let alone the beers I like or dislike...looks like the Missus is going armed with a pad and pen at our next one...;)
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Poor Missus Castiel then...
 
Good advice above. Also I'd say pace yourself if you're there for the evening, and stay well away from the stronger ales/ciders. Yes it's amusing to drink pints of 8.5% Orkney Skull Splitter or Thatchers Cider, but you'll be on the floor much quicker and won't get to enjoy as much.

Often nice food at beer festivals too, eating it also helps with the pacing. :)
 
Damn, i would have a field day at one of these. Ale in my local in the village is anything between £3.50 and £4.20 a pint depending on which version of Cairngorm brewery ale is on tap at the time (not always good!!). From personal experience, anything dark, ruby or extra strong is vile. IPA or Brown ale is good.
 
I love beer festivals, especially real ale festivals. I also went to a cider festival once with a few people... we got so drunk at that one that we all went home, fell asleep and left the front door wide open all night! Funny looking back but could have been a disaster... Don't do that!
 
BluSky said:
I love beer festivals, especially real ale festivals. I also went to a cider festival once with a few people... we got so drunk at that one that we all went home, fell asleep and left the front door wide open all night! Funny looking back but could have been a disaster... Don't do that!
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I woke up at one way back. Somewhere in Warwick, went with a mate and a couple of others. Woke up in a seething mass of beards and bottom gas. Aside from that it was fun ;)
 
went to the nottingham one last night, absolutely amazing! take a drinking hat too, just so you're not left out. try a bit of everything is my advice, if you're not a major fan of ale trying all sorts of stuff will increase your chances of finding a type you'll like. i much prefer dark ales over pale (stouts and porter especially), and actually found a ginger ale style ale, a mango flavoured ale and a raspberry ale yesterday that were incredible!

it'll be awesome, and you want to have facial hair forever.
 
nin9abadga said:
went to the nottingham one last night, absolutely amazing! take a drinking hat too, just so you're not left out. try a bit of everything is my advice, if you're not a major fan of ale trying all sorts of stuff will increase your chances of finding a type you'll like. i much prefer dark ales over pale (stouts and porter especially), and actually found a ginger ale style ale, a mango flavoured ale and a raspberry ale yesterday that were incredible!

it'll be awesome, and you want to have facial hair forever.
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Yeah - good aren't they? I like proper ginger ales too.
 
The real ale society at our uni are going to Nottingham tomorrow, really annoyed I can't make it. I've only been to the one festival so far but really enjoyed it. I hope you aren't driving :p
 
If you're normally a lager man, you might be safer on the Golden or IPA ales (anything with the word 'Gold' or 'Pale' as mentioned above). But I would try milds and darker beers just to see what you think.

My top tips:

1. Don't be afraid to ask for a small sample - you should almost always get a small taster.
2. If you like a taster, ask for a 1/2 pint or 1/3 if available. Don't buy pints.
3. If your glass gets foamy or covered in finger prints, go back to the place you bought it from and ask for a new one - they'll swap it for free
4. Keep your glass as a memento of your day out. You can sometimes sell it back for £3 but don't!
5. Ale is warmer than lager, but don't be put off - learn to appreciate it like a fine red wine by really tasting it.
6. If someone drops their glass, cheer!
 
caff said:
If you're normally a lager man, you might be safer on the Golden or IPA ales (anything with the word 'Gold' or 'Pale' as mentioned above). But I would try milds and darker beers just to see what you think.
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Definitely try the other beers but do not be upset when you don't like them
 
Porters are normally a safe bet, taste like Guinness. Personally I tend to avoid pale ales (unless I like the name ofc) as they tend to be the worst tasting.
 
Anyone saying avoid the dark stuff is right. It'll only make you feel ill if you're not used to it. Drink in half pints and don't go for the strongest beer you can find.
 
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