Swanage Railway Diesel Gala & Beer Festival 2015

Already last year I wrote about this event, which I also visited yesterday. The Swanage Railway Diesel Gala & Beer Festival is an annual event on the Isle of Purbeck for train enthusiasts, families, beer friends and more. During the weekend vintage diesel trains operate on the heritage rail between Swanage and Norden. My favourite stop along the line is Corfe Castle, because it's just such a fairytale village. I also love the hill landscapes and the seaside in the Isle of Purbeck and always gladly visit there. 

We travelled a lot on trains back and forth during the day and it was good fun. I thought that the beer festival was a bit nicer this year as well, as it had moved to the Corfe Castle railway station and therefore it was practical to grab a beer or cider and jump onto the next train. I tasted some wonderful beers like the Old Pusher Ale by the Glastonbury Ales, or ciders like the Glastonberry, also by the Glastonbury Ales. The Glastonberry cider unfortunately sold out fast, so I could only get one half pint of it, but it was a really nice cider, dry yet full of surprising berry goodness. I definitely want to try that again! 

Yesterday the weather was really nice, just perfect for a little outdoor event. Here are my impressions through my photos.

Swanage Railway Diesel Gala & Beer Festival 2014

I was lucky enough to be able to spend last Saturday at the Swanage Railway Diesel Gala and Beer and Cider Festival. During the gala weekend you can travel on traditional old diesel trains between Swanage and Norden through the beautiful landscapes of the Isle of Purbeck, or just do some train spotting and visit a beer festival. Some of these trains operate normally as well in this distance with the addition of steam trains, but this gala is a special occasion. Have a look at my photos below.

The beer festival took place in a tent in the picturesque village of Corfe Castle with a view on the impressive medieval castle on the hill. Here are my tasting notes of the ciders and beers that I tasted (and in case you're asking, I didn't have full pints of all these drinks!).

Ciders:

Gwynt y Ddraig – Pyder 4,5%

- pear cider; fruity and fresh; makes the perfect starting drink for a beer and cider festival

Orchard Pig – Philosopher 6,0%

- well balanced with slightly nutty taste; slight cloudiness; tastes like a Finnish apple pie of my youth

Mr Whitehead – Purbeck Pomme 4,5%

- could be what a cow shed tastes like, but in a good way!

Mr Whitehead – Strawberry/Blackberry 4,0%

- fruity and light; strong strawberry in the front taste and mild blackberry in the after taste; also this cider reminded me of some flavour from the early 1980s, but I can't quite put my finger on it

Beers:

Piddle – Piddle 4,1%

- a well hopped ale with a good citrus after taste

Exmoor – Exmoor Gold 4,5%

- golden beer with fresh hop notes and a good balance between malts and bitterness

Downton – New Forest Ale 3,8%

- a pleasant session beer with a deep bronze colour and the malty character that goes with it

Yeovil Ales – Star Gazer 4.0%

- reddish copper in colour with moderate hop character throughout and a slightly more pronounced malty-sweetness than many ales

The Isle of Purbeck is one of my favourite holiday destinations, it's such a pretty and chilled out place. If you're interested, also have a look at my other Isle of Purbeck related posts: The Bankes Arms Country Inn and Great British seaside chips.

Your VegHog