Swindon CAMRA Beer Festival 2024

The 36th Swindon Beer Festival was held from Thursday 24th to Saturday26th October 2024 once again at STEAM Museum SN2 2EY.

Winners at the 2024 beer festival

The Beer of the Festival competition results are:
1st Rusty Garage - Sump Oil
2nd= Broadtown - Tripel Bassett Belgian Blond
2nd= Hop Kettle - Flapjack Black Marmalade
2nd= Ramsbury - Plum Pudding

The Cider of the Festival winner is:
Thistly Cask - Whisky Cask

Congratulations to all the winners.

Thanks to all who attended and the volunteers and sponsors who made the festival possible.

Programme

Download the complete Beer Festival Programme 2024.

Swindon CAMRA Beer Festival 2023

The 35th Swindon Beer Festival was held from Thursday 19th to Saturday 21st October 2023, once again at STEAM Museum SN2 2EY.

Thanks to all who attended and the volunteers and sponsors who made the festival possible.

Winners at the 2023 beer festival

The Beer of the Festival competition results are:
1st Broadtown - Tripel Bassett
2nd Tiny Rebel & Theakstons – Chocolate Old Peculiar
3rd= Hop Kettle – Sippin’ on the Dock
3rd= Ramsbury – Red Ram

The Cider of the Festival winner is:
Purbeck Cider - Katy Perry

Congratulations to all the winners.

This is the Beer List and this is the Cider List, or download the complete 2023 Festival Programme.

Tickets were on sale online for the first time, we hope to maintain this for future festivals.

Swindon CAMRA Beer Festival 2022

The dates for the 34th Swindon Beer Festival were Thursday 20th to Saturday 22nd October 2022, once again at the STEAM Museum SN2 2EY

Thanks to all who attended and the volunteers and sponsors who made the festival possible.

Winners at the 2022 beer festival

The Beer of the Festival competition results are:
1st Broadtown - Weisse Horse
2nd Kirkstall - Jasper
3rd= Ossett - Voodoo Chocolate Orange Stout
3rd= Ashton - Kakapo
3rd= Phoenix - Wobbly Bob

Congratulations to all the winners.

This was the 2022 Beer List and this is the 2022 Cider List, or download the complete 2022 Festival Programme.

Swindon CAMRA Beer Festival 2021

Unfortunately we have had to cancel the festival for another year. The NHS will be using the venue as a vaccination centre. Please everybody, if you have not already had your jabs, get them now, so we won't have this issue next year.

Swindon Camra Beer Festival 2020

Given the ongoing COVID-19 restrictions and the possibility of local lockdowns in the next few months, we have regretfully decided to cancel this year’s Swindon Beer Festival at the STEAM museum.

Swindon CAMRA Beer Festival 2019

This was the Beer List and this was the Cider List



As you can see you drank us dry!!

Winners at the 2019 beer festival

The Beer of the Festival competition results are: 1st Exmoor - Beast
2nd= Hop Kettle - Old Town Pale Ale
2nd= Hop Kettle - Space Cowboy Milk Stout

The Cider winner is:
Thistly Cross - Whisky Cask

Congratulations to all the winners.

Pictures from the 2018 beer festival

For a short video of the stages of a festival see below:

Beers of the Festival in recent years

Brewery	Beer	Year
Rusty Garage	Sump Oil	2024
Broadtown	Tripel Bassett	2023
Broadtown	Weisse Horse	2022
-	No beer festival	2021
-	No beer festival	2020
Exmoor	Beast	2019
Hop Kettle	Liquid Highway	2018
Shed Ales	Minal Tap	2017
Flying Monk	Birdman	2016
Rebellion	Old Seadog	2015
Ramsbury	Belapur IPA	2014
St Austell	Bucket of Blood	2013
Ramsbury	Silver Pig Stout	2012
Ramsbury	25 Silver Pigs	2011
Box Steam	Derailed	2010
Fyne Ales	Avalanche	2009
Oakham	Bishop's Farewell	2008
South Hams	Eddystone	2007
Three Castles	Tanked Up	2006
Loddon	Russett	2005
Skinner's	Pennycomequick	2004
St Peter's	Spiced Lemon & Ginger	2003
-	No beer festival	2002

Beer Festivals in Swindon

There have been CAMRA organised Beer Festivals in Swindon since 1976. Originally held at the Mechanics Institute in Emlyn Square, the last Beer Festival there was in 1983. The Mechanics Institute was offered to the local Council for £1 in 1984, but they declined to buy it because it was in a poor state, so it was closed and could not be used as a venue again.

Partially as a result of this there were no further Swindon Beer Festivals until 1994. The new venue was the New College, Walcot.

After 5 years at New College the Beer Festival moved to the Territorial Army Drill Hall in Church Place in 2000. Although the Drill Hall was slightly smaller its more central location proved very popular and it was our venue for 2000 and 2001. The Drill Hall was not available in 2002, consequently our Beerex could not take place.

In 2003 we moved to the Old Railway Museum in Faringdon Road, where we held successful Beer Festivals three years running.

In 2006 we took the opportunity to move to STEAM, the Museum of the Great Western Railway, close to the tracks of the mainline. That year was of course Brunel's bicentenary. We have now had several very successful Swindon Beer Festivals at this location.