Real ale campaigners are paying tribute to the resilience of local brewers as they get ready for the annual beer and cider festival at Oxford Town Hall.
The festival runs from Thursday until Saturday.
About 60 breweries will supply 100 barrels of beer for the festival with the local contingent including 17 from Oxfordshire and neighbouring counties.
Otherwise beers have been sourced from all over the country, many seldom seen in the city.
READ MORE: Unacceptable delays as A34 remains closed
Only local breweries will take part in the Beer of the Festival competition with an expert tasting panel meeting on Friday to declare the winners.
Dave Richardson, spokesman for festival organisers the Oxford branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), said: “Much has been written recently about the number of small breweries going under because of the cost of living crisis, but locally we are bucking the trend.
"There has been huge growth in the number of small breweries in recent years, so the closures have to be seen in that context.
“It might surprise some people that there are nearly 20 breweries in Oxfordshire alone, and nearly all of them will be at this week’s festival.
"Local breweries are doing well because most have their own tap-rooms to sell their beer on site, and during the pandemic many started mail order and home deliveries.
READ MORE: Cases from Oxford Magistrates' Court
“A notable absentee this year is Wychwood of Witney, which sadly brewed its final beers a couple of weeks ago and is now closed.
"But unlike Wychwood, which was owned by the giant Carlsberg Marston’s Brewing Company, all our local breweries and cider makers are independent. Come along to the town hall and support them.”
Oxfordshire breweries represented include Amwell Springs, Barn Owl, Chadlington, Church Hanbrewery, Craftsman, Hook Norton, Little Ox, Loddon, Loose Cannon, LoveBeer, Oxford Brewery, SOX, Tap Social, White Horse and Wriggly Monkey, plus Animal/XT from Buckinghamshire and Renegade from West Berkshire.
As usual the wide variety of styles will range from the pale and hoppy to rich, dark stouts and porters, plus various bitters and experimental brews.
Local cider makers Hitchcox, from Chalgrove, South Oxfordshire and Tutts Clump, from West Berkshire, are prominent among the cider suppliers with 20 varieties on offer.
There will again be no keg beer or other kinds of drinks, apart from water, and food will be provided by the town hall’s caterers.
Entry costs £18 including £10 worth of vouchers and souvenir pint glass, reduced to £15 for CAMRA members.
READ MORE: Nine memorable photos from 1990
Opening hours are from 4pm to11pm on Thursday, 11am to 11pm on Friday and noon to 11pm (or when supplies run out) on Saturday.
Tickets can be bought on the door or online – search for Oxford Beer Festival tickets.
“We have received great support from Oxford City Council this year, and we really hope that attendance will return to the high figures seen up to and including 2019,” added Mr Richardson.
“Thursday and Friday evenings are our busiest times, so if you want a less hectic experience then come during the day on Friday. We are also open on Saturday but may have to close early if the beers sell out.”
The festival was in doubt earlier this year due to concern about venue fees increasing but then an agreement was reached.
Help support trusted local news
Sign up for a digital subscription now: oxfordmail.co.uk/subscribe
As a digital subscriber you will get:
- Unlimited access to the Oxford Mail website
- Advert-light access
- Reader rewards
- Full access to our app
About the author
Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here.
He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.
His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning.
You can also read his weekly Traffic and Transport newsletter.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here