The Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity has teamed up with the Hillfire Brewing Company to launch a bespoke beer celebrating 25 years of the Aylesbury Beer Festival this October. Hillfire owner Neil Coxhead says this new ale will be extra special because it’s brewed in partnership with Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity using the Brewery’s own hops grown organically in Buckinghamshire.
“We feel honoured to have this exciting and unique opportunity to support the Hospice with this special new beer,” says Neil. “It will hopefully draw many enthusiasts to this established and popular Festival because they like new beers. Especially as it’s going to be made with our own hops. We’re really looking forward to making the brew with Florence and CAMRA in September and we’re busy formulating the recipe and tending the hops.”
The Festival will take place on Friday 26th and Saturday 27th October, offering real ale fans the chance to try local beers as well as award-winning ales and ciders from further afield, whilst raising vital funds for Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity.
CAMRA’s David Roe will be selecting the ales to include a range of old favourites and seasonal novelties. Festival-goers can suggest favourites they would like to see at the Festival by commenting in the event on the Charity’s Facebook page.
As well as over 35 beers, ciders and perries to taste and judge, a new feature this year is the ‘Local Gin Showcase’, with gins made by distilleries within a 25-mile radius of Aylesbury such as Puddingstone Distillery, Griffiths Brothers and Foxdenton Estate. The Festival also features gourmet sausages courtesy of Kings Farm Shop in the Sausage Festival on Saturday afternoon, while local caterer Alena Winter’s homemade classics will be back on Saturday evening to provide some ballast for the alcohol.
“Last year we added more music and food, and we had more ales than the previous year,” says Emma Carroll, Community Events Manager at Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity. “This year, by popular demand, we have added the Local Gin Showcase to widen the Festival’s appeal. But real ales remain at the heart of the Festival which makes it an unmissable event for any serious ale drinker.”
Tickets are just £6 in advance or £8 on the door and include a souvenir Festival pint glass and programme. To book, and for more information go to www.fnhospice.org.uk/beer-festival or call 01296 429 975.
