Swindon CAMRA Beer Festival 2018

We've reached the end of another festival. Thanks to everyone who attended. Without you there would be no festival!

Winners at the 2018 beer festival

The Beer of the Festival competition results are:
1st Hop Kettle - Liquid Highway
2nd Ramsbury - Milk Stout
3rd Corinium Ales - Imperial Porter

The Cider winners are:
1st Snails Bank - Apple & Ginger
2nd = Celtic Marches - Lily the Pink
2nd = Kentish Pip - Vintage Pip
2nd = Lilley’s - Elderflower

Congratulations to all the winners.

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

Swindon CAMRA Beer Festival 2017

The 31st Swindon Beer Festival was held at the STEAM Museum from Thursday 26th to Saturday 28th October 2017.




We can celebrate another successful CAMRA beer festival with 2,000 visitors for this popular three day event.

Beers of the Festival in recent years

Brewery	Beer	Year
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.