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Wakefield's Rhubarb Festival starts on Friday
Next week seems to a busy one on the local ale scene.
On Tuesday, February, 17 (as well trailed on here) Here Be Monsters, of Holmfirth, will be staging a meet the brewer event at The Sportsman in Huddersfield from 7pm. Tickets, which include samples of all the beers, cost £5 and are available on the night. Unfortunately I won't be able able to attend because of family commitments but I wish the new craft (bottle) brewery all the best with its cask debut.
There is another MTB on the same night at 7.30pm in Wakefield when Malcolm Bastow, of Five Towns Brewery, will be holding forth at The Red Shed. I gather there may be samples of Malc's Mad Monk stout and his nursing retirement brew with North Riding: OAP DIPA 9.6%.
Staying with Wakey, the Merrie City's is holding its annual Rhubarb Festival from Friday until Sunday (February 20-22) and there are some themed beers.
So far I know of three Wakefield district brewers who have done rhubarb beers. Hamelsworde and Five Towns have done Dame Ruby Rhubarb and Roo Barb, respectively. These were very popular with festival goers last year.
Joining them this year is Fernandes Brewery's Rhubarb and Custard, which is made with vanilla pods and about 30lbs of rhubarb.
And you should be able to sample some of them on handpull or get some of them in bottles at Bier Huis's pop up stall at the festival.
Then on Saturday, February 21, Wakefield CAMRA will be celebrating their 40th anniversary with a grand tour of the pubs of in its patch. I gather certificates will be handed out to various pubs - which have had long runs in the Good Beer Guide - and to its pub of the year, The Junction in Castleford.
Finally, may I take this opportunity to wish everyone in Wakefield CAMRA a very happy birthday. I'm indebted to many of their learned members (and that jovial bloke who works alternate weekends at The Star in Huddersfield) for my continuing ale education!


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