This year’s City of Ale is the 10th festival and looks set to be the biggest and best yet with over 40 pubs, 40 breweries and 200 ales and craft beers showcasing the very best that Norwich and Norfolk has to offer.
We are delighted again that Moon Gazer will be helping to organise the festival and party.
For those of you who remember last year’s party; the boats, the Vikings, the French brewers, the chaos – it was a great event and oh, some great beer.
This year, the 10-day citywide festival will launch with another one-day beer event at The Waterfront on Thursday, 21st May.
This ‘Festival of Champions’ will be a fitting curtain raiser for the City of Ale celebrations and will include
over 40 cask ales and 20 keg conditioned craft beers.
The Festival of Champions will see brewers from Norfolk and Suffolk show case some of their award-winning beers from past and present. This will include former Champion Beers of Britain, brews receiving national accolades from the Society of International Brewers (SIBA) as well as beers which have proudly claimed best of festival titles at CAMRA events. Oh, and of course a few new brews and collaborations from Team Moon Gazer.
Many of the brews on offer will be crafted using another Norfolk Champion – Norfolk Maris Otter malt. This world-famous malt variety calls Norfolk its home and is celebrating its 55th anniversary this year. Maris Otter is a firm favourite amongst many of the brewers involved in the festival.
A real approach to craft
For the first time at a City of Ale launch party, there will be a bar devoted to real ale in Key Kegs. Look out for some innovative new brews from Moon Gazer and some of Norfolk and Suffolk’s newest brewers…
A Belgian twist…
Also joining in the celebrations will be some rather special beers from Belgium. This year’s festival has been working closely with the team at Visit Flanders to unite Norfolk brewers with Belgian brewers.
One such collaboration will team Moon Gazer Ales link with innovative farmhouse brewer Hof Ten Dormaal to bring a Belgian IPA and an apple saison – combing the best ingredients from Norfolk and Belgium.
There are so many historical and cultural links between Flanders and Norwich, so look out for lots of news and events to create ever closer links. In the meantime why not check out what a fab place Flanders is to visit: https://www.visitflanders.com/en/?country=en_GB
Book early – for great value
This special one-day festival is also great value! £10 includes entry and your first three pints, or six halves if you prefer! Booking is strongly recommended and can be done online at https://www.ueaticketbookings.co.uk/ents/event/10926/ or via phone: 01603 508050
City of Ale launch party Thursday May 21 5.30 – 10.30pm