London and South East Craft Beer Festival 2012

This is the first of two blogs about this excellent festival run by London Amateur Brewers.

I'll start with a few photos of the set-up and judging and then photos of all the winners who were there.

The new location was an excellent room.

All the latest technology was being used.

Not many kegs this year.

Some stewards seemed chirpy...

 ...some a little tired...

...or worse for wear

The judges were locked away in a separate little room

Nice new glassware.

At 2pm the punters started arriving

Beers were poured...  

...or escaped of their own volition.

It got nice and busy by the end.

The results...

Table 1: IPA and Strong Ale (18 entries)

1st Steve Syson Debaser                 Midlands Craft Brewers

2nd Fergus Mciver Hop Rocket

3rd Andy Parker West Coast IPA London Amateur Brewers

HM Dave Halse MyAIPA                 London Amateur Brewers

Table 2: English and Scottish Ale (19 entries) 1st Ken Bazley Boring Brown Beer LAB 2nd Mark Newman seventeen 3rd Paul Spearman TraditionAle London Amateur Brewers HM  Giancarlo Maccini EVO-3 E.S.B. London Amateur Brewers

Table 3: Porter & English Brown Ale (14 entries) 1st Rob Case Back To Black London Amateur Brewers 2nd Chris Cheeseman fuggles porter 3rd   Paul Henderson Gently Does It London Amateur Brewers HM  Dave Halse MyBrownPorter London Amateur Brewers

Table 4: Stouts (15 entries) 1st Ali Kocho-Williams Tsar Pembrokeshire Union of Brewers 2nd Steve Syson Tomahawk Midlands Craft Brewers 3rd Nick Reese Imperial Stout (the 2nd) HM Ian Thomas Sluice Gates Stout HM Fergus Mciver Dark Matter

*Yes that is Paul Henderson impersonating Ali.

Table 5: American and Other Pale Ale and IPA (13 entries) 1st Allan Gayton George’s Nectar Midlands Craft Brewers 2nd Steve Syson South Pacific IPA Midlands Craft Brewers 3rd Mark and Chris Simpson Hop Sip and Slump HM Mike Carter Browst LAB HM Bryan Spooner EL 15 LAB

Table 6: Belgian and French Ale (13 entries)

1st	Stephen Auld, Chris Auld and Kristian Robinson	Aramis
2nd	Dave Halse	MyBelgian	London Amateur Brewers
3rd	Steve Syson	La Fleche Wallonne	Midlands Craft Brewers
HM	Ingemar Jansson	Serenity	cosinusfi
HM	Ben Fields	Stuck in the Chunnel Pale Ale	London Amateur Brewers

Table 7: Fruit Spice Herb Vegetable Beer (11 entries) 1st Drew Wnek Happy Thanksgiving London London Amateur Brewers 2nd Peter Bamford Coconut Porter LAB 3rd Chris Lewis Eye Piercing Scene From Zombie Flesh Eaters HM Vladimir Kaznakov Pumpkin Ale

Table 8: Speciality and Smoked Beer (8 entries) 1st Dave Halse MySmokedPorter London Amateur Brewers 2nd Gregg Irwin Fade to Black LAB 3rd Dave Halse MyOakedSmokedChocoStout London Amateur Brewers

Dave Halse had a good day even if his beer names are a bit rubbish.

Table 9: Amber and Hybrid Beers (6 entries) 1st Steve Syson American Gothic Midlands Craft Brewers 2nd Steve Syson Goodnight Vienna Midlands Craft Brewers 3rd Tom Johnstone Kolnel London Amateur Brewers HM Simon Bedwell Chippings Altbeer HM Steve Syson California Dreamin’ Midlands Craft Brewers

Yes this is Steve Syson again!!!

Table 10: The Better Half (6 entries) 1st Alison Irwin Grumpy Cougar 1st Kerri Henderson Trick or Treat 3rd Belinda Kelly Killed Three Already London Amateur Brewers

I can claim some credit here...I was co-brewer on Alison's beer and I wrote the recipe on which Kerri's was based.

Rob Case picked up the award for the best label...More of that in another blog.

Mark Vincent picked up the People's award for Herman's Chocolate stout.

Best in Show

1st Allan Gayton George’s Nectar Midlands Craft Brewers 2nd Steve Syson Debaser Midlands Craft Brewers 3rd Stephen Auld, Chris Auld and Kristian Robinson Aramis

Well done to all those involved in the organisation and those who picked up prizes. I thought the standard of beer was very good and greatly improved from last year.