One of the county’s most friendly and relaxed beer festivals returns at the end of the month.
 
The Dragon Hall UK Beer Festival returns on Friday 25th April and runs through to Sunday 27th 2014 (Friday 6-11 pm, Saturday 12-3.30 pm and 6-11 pm, Sunday 12-3.30 pm)

Over 30 different ales from independent British breweries in a magnificent medieval trading hall.

Live music and food

Admission: Lunchtime £5 (CAMRA members £4), Evening: £6 (CAMRA members £5)

Includes souvenir glass and £2 in beer vouchers

Dragon Hall, King St Norwich NR1 1QE 01603 663922

See www.dragonhall.org for details of all events at Dragon Hall. Proceeds from all events are used for the upkeep of the unique 15th century trading hall.

Since its inaugural year in 2011 this has become one of the best loved and friendliest beer festivals around, and has become renowned as an especially female friendly festival. In the largely male dominated world of beer and beer festivals The Dragon Hall Beer Festival is also unusual in that all organisers are women, including chief beer selector Emma Pinder, Andrea Kirkby who expertly looks after the beer during the 3 day festival and runs the bars and Dragon Hall Events Manager Rachael McLanagan who oversees it all.

This year the Festival will be showcasing a selection of unusual real ales from right across the UK to bring some of the finest lesser known ales supplied by independent brewers to Norwich with as many ales from all over the county as can be fitted under the ancient timbers of Dragon Hall’s magnificent crown post roof (and all round the building). Following an enthusiastic response from drinkers last year The Cider Corner will also return with its choice selection of real ciders.

Delicious hot food will be available at all sessions as well as tea, coffee and soft drinks for drivers. There will be live music will from a range of bands who will be announced soon.

Dragon Hall has had a long association with beer drinkers. It is now one of Norwich’s best-loved historic buildings but from the death of its founder Robert Toppes in 1467 to its rediscovery in the early 1980’s it was largely neglected with parts of the building being put to various uses ranging from shops to a vicarage to slum tenement housing. Most relevantly it has housed at least three pubs, the last, The Old  Barge Inn was serving thirsty drinkers until 1969. Indeed the building we now know as Dragon Hall was owned by brewers Watney Mann until 1979. It reopened following restoration and extension as a modern visitor attraction in 2006.

Special souvenir glasses are included in the admission price with a new logo by Norwich artist Matt Reeve and all proceeds will help towards the upkeep of Dragon Hall which is cared for by an independent trust.

 

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