With December 5th fast approaching there is much happening to prepare for another Harwich & Dovercourt Bay Winter Ale Festival.

Our dedicated team of organisers have spent months sampling beer on your behalf to make sure our beer list has something for everyone - including our usual guarantee that we'll have something you've never sampled before.

For newcomers to the real ale scene we offer an eclectic selection backed up by knowledgeable staff who, because you're at a quieter more specialised festival, can spend time guiding you through the exciting landscape that is British real ale in 2012.

There will definitely be lots of lovely dark beer, some delicious seasonal brews but also some lovely light palate cleansers. We'll have a beer list to download here as soon as we can but we promise they'll be something for everyone - keep checking back!

   

Our Theme(s) This Year

Our main theme this year is the 70th Anniversary of the closure of the Foresters Arms - the oldest known building in Harwich. This former pub is now the HQ of the Harwich Society and was generally referred to by locals by its original name - the Old Drum and Monkey.

The pub finally closed in 1942 after being badly damaged by a German incendiary bomb and, having stood derelict for 9 years, was bought and lovingly restored by the late Harwich Society President, Mrs. Winifred Cooper and her husband. When she died in 1999, Mrs. Cooper left Foresters to the Harwich Society so that it could be used as a resource centre

At a time of great economic upheaval we're commemorating the closure of an iconic Harwich pub whilst celebrating those that remain. We're also remembering the Barwood Family who owned and ran the pub for 70 years with a new beer from Harwich Town Brewery - "Barwood Bitter".

Whilst we're on the subject of tradition our beer theme this year is "in the wood" and we're trying to assemble a number of beers that have been matured in oak casks. Beers today are supplied in metal or plastic casks and the trade of the cooper has all but vanished but wood can impart a complexity and roundness to the finished beer and many craft brewers are now starting to recognise the extra dimensions it can create. Watch out for our beer list!

Music

Friday Night is Onion Night! Why bother studying National Rail Enquiries when Pug, Tony and Nick will tell you all you need to know about rail travel in Tendring whilst you enjoy some lovely real ale! Definitely the finest exponents of drinking music you'll ever see.

Saturday is Acoustic Night! A fantastic end to the festival with the amazing vocal talents of local songbird Charlotte Forman followed by the sublime modern folk of the terrific Tristan Mckelvey. Not to be missed!

Grub

Once again we have the tasty talents of the team from the Cafe on the Pier providing hearty food at all sessions at the festival. Everything from bacon butties to hearty stews are available - not forgetting superb sausages from T. Stobbs & Sons, the winner of our recent sausage festival tasting competition.

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. If you fancy a walk you can take in Victorian Dovercourt, the Cliffs, Beacon Hill and, for the more ambitious, Old Harwich and 3 great real ale pubs - the Hanover Inn, the Alma Inn and the New Bell Inn.

Here are some specific events you could combine with a visit to the Beer Festival:

• Thursday 6th December at 20:00 - Ray Gelato and the Giants at the Electric Palace in Harwich - "The Godfather of Swing" comes to Harwich, be there or be square!
• Friday 7th December - Friday Street Market in Dovercourt High Street
• Saturday 8th December 11:00 to 15:00 - "Foresters" in Church Street, Harwich open to the public. The fascinating history of the oldest building in Harwich.
• Saturday 8th December - Late Night Shopping in Dovercourt.

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!

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

Summers's Jubeerlee Festival

The Jubeerlee festival page is available here.