A guide to the Wakefield ales at Castleford Beer Festival

The inaugural event starts today (Friday) at 6pm and runs until Saturday night.

There is plenty of Wakefield representation on the 30-strong all Yorkshire beer list.

An aptly named beer called Viva Cas Vegas has been brewed by Five Towns, of Outwood, and festival organisers Revolutions Brewing, of Whitwood.

The light copper ale, which features the festival venue on its pump clip, hasn’t been brewed for a while but it has been revived especially for this weekend’s event at the Queen’s Mill.

Revolutions head brewer Andrew Helm and his assistant Callum Nuttall, of Altofts, travelled to Leeds Road, Outwood to help Mr Bastow brew 18 gallons of it for the festival.

Revolutions director Mark Seaman said: “We thought if you are going to run a beer festival in Castleford then we’ve got to have Viva Cas Vegas.”

The two breweries have also provided individual beers for the festival. Other Wakefield names to grace the list include Tiger Tops, of Flanshaw, who have brewed Blanche de Newland, a Belgian style wit beer. Meanwhile, Fernandes, of Kirkgate, have selected Wheat and Juniper, a cloudy wheat beer. Hamelsworde, from Hemsworth, have sent Kuddelmuddel, its take on a dark Bavarian wheat beer.

Mr Seaman said: “We want to show beer in all its glory and all its many different styles. We want to ensure there is something for everybody.

“We have a range form a 7.4 per cent stout, a pumpkin porter, a special beer made with Belgian yeast, German-style beer and a good number of hoppy pales.”

The beer boss kindly gave us an insight into the beers he is looking forward to sampling this weekend.

From his own stable he selected a rare pin of Revolution’s The Queen is Not Dead, an imperial stout which is a nod to The Smiths’ song and our long living monarch.

He added: “Obviously we are looking forward to trying our collaboration with Malcolm but if I was to recommend a brewery that doesn’t get into this area much I would advise trying the top notch beers from North Riding Brewery.”

The Scarborough based brewery has sent Sorachi Ace pale and a collaboration ale with Sheffield brewery, Blue Bee. From east to west, north to south, Castleford Beer Festival has got Yorkshire covered.

UPDATE:

Ticket sales have been brisk and each session is now all ticket.

The first session runs from 6pm until 11pm tonight (Friday).

The festival resumes tomorrow at noon until 5pm and concludes with a 6pm to 11pm evening session.

A limited number of tickets are available online and at selected outlets - but there will be no pay on the door.

Session tickets cost £5 and include a festival glass and beer list. A limited number of tickets are available online and at selected outlets.

The Tea Rooms at the Queen’s Mill, Castleford, The Station Pub in Castleford. Robin Hood pub in Altofts and at Eye Wood on Wood Street, Wakefield currently have them. For more ticket information log on to the festival website: www.castlefordbeerfestival.co.uk or follow @CasBeerFest on twitter.