Your Brentwood Beer favourites, Chockwork Orange 6.5% and Marvellous Maple Mild 3.7%, are on the beer list of 120 or so beers from East Anglia, along with real cider and perry.  Belgian beer fans may want to check out draught and bottled beers in the Belgian Bar but we feel they should go for some quality Brentwood Beer too.   Look out for an Australian hopped blonde beer from the same Brentwood stable:  Aussie Blonde 4% brewed by Elephant School Brewing.

The 8th Colchester Winter Ale & Cider Festival gets underway at Colchester Arts Centre in Church Street from Wednesday 28th  to Saturday 31st January, open from noon to 11pm each day.

Double Barrel will be entertaining visitors on Saturday night with their Ska and Raggae music.  Ken the Curry Man will be there to cater for your curry requirements including vegetarian dishes.  Or hog roast, barbecue, jacket spuds and salads could tempt you from  Char-Grill.

Entry is free to card carrying members of CAMRA.  Free entry for everyone between noon and 3pm.  From 3pm to 11pm entrance is £3.  Accompanied children are welcome until 6.30pm.  Fully wheelchair accessible venue.

You can buy a commemorative festival glass for £3 (refundable).  Payment for beer is by beer cards which can be bought for £10 per card on entry to the festival.  Any unsold units of 10p each can be refunded when you leave.

There’s free soft drinks for designated drivers and proving there’s something to suit all tastes, there’s even wine to be found.  It’s good stuff too from Mersea Island Vineyard.

This year’s event, organised by Colchester and North East Essex CAMRA, will be supporting The Robin Cancer Trust.

Remember to try a little bit of Brentwood in Colchester.  Love Beer, Love Brentwood