The Rutland Campaign for Real Ale's 10th Beer Festival begins today, and we have the inside information on which beers, ciders, perrys, gins and rums that you will be able to enjoy at the annual event.

Kicking-off on Thursday 22 June and going on until Sunday 25 June, the annual event hosted by Rutland CAMRA is back with a bang this year, and will include a range of locally and nationally popular beers, some top ciders and perrys, local musicians, entertainment and more.

Enjoy a beer or two at the CAMRA Beer Festival this weekend in Oakham. Image credit: CAMRA.

Rutland Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) are a local group of beer and real ale enthusiasts who recognise the hard work of local pubs and host fellow social drinkers at a range of events, from their beer festival to awards ceremonies and more. 

CAMRA itself is a nationwide, independent organisation run by volunteers who promote and champion real ale, cider, and traditional British pubs and clubs. 

While great pubs and drinkeries are their top priority, this week, the team will be enjoying a brew or two in a slightly different venue. 

Rutland County Museum will play host to the annual Beer Festival hosted by CAMRA, open to all and serving over 40 cask and keg ales, 10 ciders and perries, and local gin and rum bar. 

Some of these include:

Blondes

1. Baker's Dozen, Ketton, Rutland Electric Landlady 5.0%.
2. Baker's Dozen, Ketton, Rutland, Summertime 4.6%
3. Brewsters, Grantham Decadence 4.4%
4. Brewsters Grantham Fun-Gal-Explorer 4.8%
5. Carnival, Liverpool Never a Frown 4.3%
6. Black Lodge, Liverpool Start the Parade 4.2%
7. Everards, Leicester Chasing Rainbows 4.2%
8. Everards, Leicester Hopnosis 3.6%
9. Fallen Acorn, Gosport Cashmere Outside 3.8%
10. Grainstore, Oakham Zahara 4.2%
11. Hopshackle, Market Deeping Double Momentum 7.0%
12. Chin Chin Brewery, Pontefract Half Light 4.5%
13. Oakham Ales, Peterborough Lord Maximus 5.5%
14. Neepsend, Sheffield Yowie 4.3%
15. Nene Valley, Oundle Ness Point Session 4.0%
16. The Parish Brewery, Melton Mowbray Proper Charlie 3.9%
17. Shiny, Derby NZ Pale 3.9%
18. Tydd Steam, Wisbech 'Ten Not Out' 4.2% 'Festival Special'

Traditional Bitters

1. Black Iris, Worksop Till the Bitter End 4.4%
2. Blackjack, Manchester Pub Ale Best 4.2%
3. Brew York, York  Maris the Otter 3.9%
4. The Parish Brewery, Melton Mowbray Burrough Bitter 4.7%
5. Shiny, Derby 4Wood 4.5%
6. Squawk, Manchester Myotis 4.0%

Stouts, Porters & Milds

• Turning Point, Knaresborough Howling at the Clouds 4.4%
• Grainstore, Oakham Rutland Beast 5.3%
• Oakham Ales, Peterborough  Black Magic 5.0%
• Intrepid, Hope Valley Stanage 4.5% 
• Three Blind Mice, Little Downham, Ely, Cambridgeshire Milkworm 5.3%
• Chin Chin, Pontefract  'Stouter for Ten' 5.4%

Last Minute Blondes

1. Drum & Monkey, Stamford King's Head Gold 5.8%
2. Drum & Monkey, Stamford Stamford Pride 6.3%

Baker's Dozen Keg Bar 

1. Baker's Dozen Brewing Co, Ketton, Rutland Undertow 4.8%
2. Baker's Dozen Brewing Co, Ketton, Rutland Wave of Least Resistance 5.5%
3. Baker's Dozen Brewing Co. Ketton, Rutland Pit Lane Project : Dark Wheat 4.7%
4. Round Corner Brewing, Melton Mowbray Eye of the Storm : Vintage Ale 7.3%
5. Turning Point Brew Co. Knaresborough Gravediggers Biscuit 9.0%
6. Vault City Brewing, Edinburgh Double Blueberry Vanilla Swirl Doughnut 4.1%

Ciders 

1. Broadoak, Somerset Pheasant Plucker 4.5% Dry
2. Gwatkin Cider, Herefordshire Yarlington Mill 6.0% Medium
3. Rich's Cider, Somerset Traditional Farmhouse 6.0% Medium
4. Saxby's Cider, Northamptonshire Traditional 5.8% Medium Dry
5. Templar's Choice, Normandy Templar's Strong 7.0% Dry
6. West Croft Cider, Somerset Janet's Jungle Juice 6.5% Medium Dry 
7. Wilkins, Somerset Farmhouse 6.0% Medium

Perries 

1. Broadoak, Somerset Broadoak Premium 7.5% Sweet
2. Gwatkin Cider, Herefordshire Farmhouse Perry 6.0% Medium
3. Hecks, Somerset Blended Farmhouse Perry 6.0% Medium

There will also be local gins and rums on offer at the event.

Join the Rutland CAMRA Oakham Ale Trail this June 2023. Image credit: Rutland CAMRA.

To mark the weekend, the team have also released their 2023 Oakham Ale Trail information, so you can explore and support the local pubs that are a part of the local community.

Read more about the Ale Trail here.

On top of this, there will be live music, hot and cold food, brewers talks and a light-hearted Sunday dance fest at the event. 

The festival will take place at its traditional home in the County Museum. 

Entry is free to CAMRA members. Find out how to join on their website. Alternatively, non-members will pay £2 and will have the opportunity to enjoy some top local and national brews. 

Keep an eye on our What's On page for other local events.