(Beer from) Leaves & Twigs on the Line

Chappel Beer Festival, Essex
I'm not religious but I go to Chappel once a year. [GROAN! Not my idea, it was printed on a XXL t-shirt]. Actually it's true, I went last year and I found myself there again this year. And let's face it, The Chappel Beer Festival was the REAL (ale) reason that I returned from my global roaming!

Chappel Beer Festival is probably the best beer festival I've ever been to (and there's some tough competition) obviously because it serves a vast array of fine ales but also it has the added frisson of being held in the East Anglian Railway Museum...so there are trains and assorted large railway things to look at and old 1940s style carriages in which to drink the beer. Smashing.

So with great fervour and a level of precision planning only associated with sniffing out some fine nutty brews, The Badger, Shelly, Ian and myself met at Liverpool Street Station, purchased a Family Saver ticket (huh?) for Chappel & Wakes Colne (change at Marks Tey...who makes up these names? Enid Blighton?) and hopped on the 17:08. Shelly was a bit nervous about joining in being a 'no-tail', but I assured her I saw a woman there last year (on reflection however, it might have been a man without a beard).

Crouch Best proved to be my personal favourite to begin with followed by anything wet and brown in a glass.

Pics say it better as ever:

Raising the holy chalice of ale at Chappel.

The Badger & Ian thrusting forth their brews whilst enjoying a stationary 'ride' in a rail carriage.



The Badger, Shelly and myself in a beautiful old railway carriage. We had to lock Shelly in there for most of the evening due to the interest sparked amongst the bearded masses by a woman at a beer festival. They were shuffling menacingly around the carriage in their baggy Matalan slacks and oversized Ts and murmuring in low tones like a scene from Night of the Living Dead. Scary.


Ian buying a pint a pint of Scabby Hog in the Shunters Arms (errr...a goods carriage turned into a bar).

Ian at a jaunty angle after a pint of previously mentioned Scabby Hog.


We also met up with Adam (above stuffing his face with veggie curry so fast it's a blur) who was accompanied by Dr Bateman & Dr Davies - handy in case of medical emergency. Good thinking.

The main 'Shed' with thronging crowd of beards braying for booze.

Ian & Shelly surveying the vista of fine ales. I assume that's what they were doing. Either that or watching a man in a leather hat & waistcoat breakdance to the 'band' murdering Lynyrd Skynyrd's Sweet Home Alabama.

And finally we returned back to Liverpool Street...errr...slightly merry.

For The Badger's eye view of events check out his blog and photos.