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Adnams Old has been declared Champion Beer of East Anglia by the tasting panel at the festival. At the time of writing (Thursday evening) we still have all 6 finalists available. Come and see if you agree with the result!

For those of you that have visited our festival before you might have figured out that it's our tenth year putting on our modest extraganza of all things real ale in the throbbing centre of Dovercourt! For those that haven't been you might wonder what all the fuss is about but let us assure you that our small festival has built up a reputation in its first decade - a reputation for introducing a bit of atmosphere to Harwich and Dovercourt in the run-up to Christmas and challenging people's taste buds with some experiences they may not have encountered before.

We like to champion dark and seasonal brews but we also like to stock something to refresh - reviving some forgotten traditions or even introduce something completely off-the-wall. So - alongside Harvey's Christmas Ale for example (rarely seen outside its East Sussex heartland) you might find a beer brewed with damsons, blackberries or even blueberries. As if that wasn't enough we also have a great selection of continental bottled beers (as well as a couple of draught ones) and last but not least some fantastic real ciders - including some from local producers.

Real ale is certainly enjoying a hearty renaissance at the moment and is actually bucking the trend of a stready decline in pub sales by standing out as the only growth area. The reason for this is simple - it's a diverse, natural and tasty product and is massively supported by growing ranks of craft brewers who strive to bring you a fantastic mix of the traditional and the new resulting in a collosal range of beers and ales that can be enjoyed on their own or with food.

In our tenth year our mission is to bring you a representative sample of this great revolution in taste - we hope you can join us!

   

Our Theme This Year

Our theme this year is the 100th Anniversary of the Electric Palace Cinema in Harwich. One of the first purpose-built cinemas in the country this magnificent building was created at a time when going to the movies was quite dangerous as the then rather flammable film stock and the hot projection lamps had a habit of setting fire to the place! The Electric Palace has a sturdy projection room built to keep the audience away from such events.

Thanks to the hard work of a dedicated local trust the Palace is still a working cinema and is a wonderful place to enjoy a film followed by an excellent pint of real ale in the New Bell, the Hanover or the Alma!

Find out more about the Electric Palace here.

Out and About

You'll find a friendly welcome and pretty much all you need at our beer festival but if you're a visitor and would like to explore a little more of the area you'll find plenty of advice is on hand. Dovercourt town centre is a bustling place - especially during the Friday market which is being extended this year for the switch-on of the Christmas Lights in the evening. If you like a bracing walk you can also explore the old Victorian Town - taking in Cliff Park and the cliffs for impressive views of the Bay and out towards Felixstowe and Walton-on-the-Naze.

If you fancy a bit more of a walk 1000m will get you into Old Harwich with its fantastic history. There are plenty of old buildings, some great places to eat and 3 great real ale pubs - The Alma Inn, The New Bell Inn and the Hanover Inn. Ask for directions at the bar!

Information for Travellers

The festival is located in the Kingsway Hall in Dovercourt Town Centre. The venue is a large, Victorian Church which dominates the town's skyline. Bus passengers on the 103 and 104 services from Colchester should alight in the Town Centre and walk up Kingsway towards the sea front. Rail passengers should alight at Dovercourt station which is one stop before Harwich Town on the line from Manningtree. Passengers from away will generally need to change trains at Manningtree although there are some direct services from Colchester and London Liverpool Street.

Resources

Check to see what we've got on our beer list. We hate disclaimers but please note that we simply cannot guarantee that a particular beer will be available when you visit.

Click here to find the venue on Streetmap.

Click here to get a train timetable from National Express East Anglia.

Live on FRIDAY EVENING another great night out with our old friends the Onion Band!

Live on SATURDAY AFTERNOON we have some wonderful jazz with the fabulous Tendring Thunderbirds.

Live on SATURDAY EVENING we have a tradional beer-drinking atmosphere with the Naze Shanty Crew.

Can you help spread the word? Please print some posters and put them on your noticeboard!

Last Year's Festival

Last year's festival page is available here.