Measures in place for Real Ale Festival

Warwick Real Ale Society will be hosting their 33rd annual beer festival with new measures in place to ensure that the ale shortage of last year is not repeated.

This year 20 percent more cider will be available and there will be a limit of 900 people a night.

The University’s 32nd festival ran out of supplies so quickly that it was forced to abandon its closing night. Over 1,100 people turned up to each night last year, an increase on the normal 3,000 attendees over three days.

Real Ale Society’s President Tom Hatton confirmed that measures have been put in place to prevent this from happening again. “This is a really popular campus event, but it can be difficult to judge capacity,” said Hatton. “However, we are bringing in 20 percent more cider and limiting entrance to 900 per night so the beer will be staggered across the three nights”.

In addition to the extra cider, the festival will have a selection of over 100 beers, barley wines, stout
and port.

Patrick Mackenzie, a first-year Philosophy, Politics and Economics student is planning to
attend the festival. “For those who live on campus there isn’t a great selection of bitter …so it should be good to try loads of different ones in such a fun environment.”

The festival was also criticised last year for failing to provide a vegetarian food option, despite Students’ Union regulations which state that one should be available. Hatton could not confirm that vegetarian food will be provided this year.

This year is also the first of which the festival has decided to donate 55 percent of its profits to the local Myton Hospice. Hatton commented that the decision to focus on fundraising for one particular charity means that they can benefit “entirely from a single large donation” and also that the festival is able to “model good charity regulations for the SU”. It is uncertain if the festival will donate part of its proceeds to charity next year.

The festival will take place from 16th-18th February in the Copper Rooms. Entertainment includes Dr Busker, the UK’s last Victorian pub pianist, who will open the festival. Friday and Saturday will see performances from two Warwick student orchestras.

The festival, first held in 1979, is the longest-running annual society event on campus and has grown to become the largest student-run beer festival in the UK.