Full Story

10th May 2011

Beer Festival to celebrate the Scots Guards being granted the freedom of Wantage

A beer festival will be held on 20th - 22nd May at the Shoulder Of Mutton, Wantage to celebrate the Scots Guards accepting the freedom of Wantage from the town council.

On the 21st May from 12:30 the Scots Guards will exercise the Freedom of Wantage by marching through the town with drums beating, bands playing, bayonets fixed, swords drawn and Colours flying, where they will be given their Freedom Scroll.

Weather permitting at 1:10 p.m. there will be an RAF Fly Past, followed by a parachute display team.

A special 7% Imperial Russian Stout has been brewed for the occasion called Sebastopol, in recognition of Lord Wantage's leadership during the seige of Sebastopol during the Crimean War when he served in the Scots Guards.

The Shoulder of Mutton now has 10 handpumps, 8 being for real ale and two for real cider, as well as horizontal stillage for a further 12 ales, thus there will be 20 real ales on at any time. These will always include Sebastopol, with the remainder being primarily from local breweries. There should be about 40 ales in total.

Another date for the diary is for the following weekend, on 28th May, when CAMRA members only will be invited to a "Meet the Brewer" evening with Chris Hearne from Loddon brewery. I will have on 8 of his beers for us to enjoy, as well as a free vegetarian buffet for attendees.

Source: Peter Fowler