Event held on October 20-21 at Town Hall was the first since 2019
The Oxford Beer and Cider Festival was voted a major success in Facebook posts, and the general feedback was that the range of beer and cider lived up to expectations with fewer visitors reassuring those with lingering concerns over mixing.
Attendance was down on previous years and short of the 2,500 expected, and there was no Saturday opening this year to keep down costs. Some beers had sold out prior to closing time on Friday, but there was some wastage as the hard work began of taking down the bars and stillage.
Oxford CAMRA laid on 120 real ales and over 30 ciders and perries, and the Beers of the Festival were chosen from local products in a “blind” tasting session by brewers and other experts. Overall winner was Yabba Dabba Do from Little Ox brewery in Freeland, while third was Dark Blue Oxford University Ale from White Horse brewery in Stanford-in-the-Vale.
Runner-up was Wallingford Brewery 8d Ale XXX brewed to an 1890 recipe as part of a collaboration between Oak Taverns and the Dead Brewers’ Society. This beer is now available at the Cross Keys pub in Wallingford.
