Great for beer
Now that some of Britain's leading brewers have made their pitches about the future of beer, it's your turn to see whether they can live up to their promises. Next week sees the annual extravaganza that is without doubt the nation's greatest showcasing of beer the Campaign for Real Ale's Great British Beer Festival at London's Olympia 1, running from Tuesday through to Saturday. Here the MA provides a festival floor plan and a snapshot of some of the treats in store
1 Adnams
Adnams is showcasing its new Explorer beer at the GBBF the first time it will be available.
A 10ft-tall Adnams signpost will be positioned in the middle of the Adnams seating area. It will point to various places associated with the beer's heritage. Visitors will be invited to guess the distances between the places, to win a Crew Explorer T-shirt.
2 Arkell's
l Arkell's will be exhibiting two of its cask ales: Arkell's 3Bs and its Summer Ale.
3 Batemans
l Lincolnshire-based Batemans is using this year's GBBF to launch its new Valiant beer a 4.2% abv golden ale positioned between its 3.7% abv Batemans XB and 4.8% abv XXXB (Triple XB). The name Valiant has strong associations with Lincolnshire's history more than 1,000 years ago valiant Norsemen invaded the Lincolnshire shores, laying down the foundations for many traditions along the east coast.
4 Caledonian
l If you are in need of a drink, Caledonian will be supplying samples of its Deuchars IPA award-winning beer on tap Scotland's best-selling cask ale.
Its Edinburgh Tattoo Ale, a seasonal guest ale, will also be available.
5 Cameron's
l This year Cameron's will be featuring its award-winning Strongarm to mark its 50th birthday, having been developed in the '50s to quench the thirst of local shipbuilders. The ruby-red coloured ale has an abv of 4% and a roast malt flavour.
Nimmos XXXX will also be available at the Festival, a 4.4% abv light golden beer that was first brewed in the '60s by the Nimmo family the original owners of the former Castle Eden Brewery. The old north-eastern drink was relaunched by the present owners in 2001.
6 Dark Star
l For coffee fanatics out there, Dark Star is showcasing its Espresso Ale. The roasted malt flavour of the ale is enhanced by adding freshly-ground espresso coffee beans to the brew.
l Dark Star's Hophead will also be available. Both beers will be served at the South East England bar.
7 Fuller's
l For a tutored tasting, head down to the Fuller's stand, where the head brewer will be sharing his knowledge.
Or if it's good-looking bar staff you're after, this could also be the place, according to a Fuller's spokesperson.
The brewery will also be showcasing its Discovery beer at this year's event.
8 Hall & Woodhouse
l Hall & Woodhouse is showcasing its new cask ale Badger First Gold at this year's show. The drink is a classic golden brown country ale from Dorset, with an abv of 4%.
Look out for the Dorset-themed Badger area, with its thatched cob-stone walled cottage and 'Dorset field seating area, complete with the Cerne Abbas giant, a telephone box and a life-sized cow.
Hall & Woodhouse is also sponsoring the glasses for the estimated 50,000 visitors this year.
9 McMullen
l The brewery will be exhibiting its AK and Country Bitter beers.
10 O'Hanlon's
l For a collector's item, check out Thomas Hardy ale at the O'Hanlon's stand. It's a limited-edition annual vintage strong ale, with a strength of 11.7% abv. But you don't need to worry about drinking it quickly, the beer can keep in its bottle for up to 25 years.
11 Shepherd Neame
l Shepherd Neame will have a new addition to its stand this year its premium bottled ale 1698, which was launched in March. Named 1698 in honour of the year that Sheps first began brewing in Faversham, Kent, the thrice-hopped ale is brewed from Kentish pale ale malt and has a strength of 6.5% abv.
Other ales available at the festival include Bishops Finger, Spitfire, Master Brew and Goldings.
12 Wadworth
l 6X and Summer Sault ales will be showcased at the show.
Bar staff will be wearing T-shirts bearing the legends 6X God and 6X Goddess.
Wadworth is also sponsoring the inside cover of the programme of the event.
13 Charles Wells
l A Bombardier bus will be positioned next to the seating area at the Charles Wells bar.
l For those with a slightly sweeter tooth, Charles Wells will be giving out samples of its Banana Bread Beer.
l John Bull and Eagle beers will also be available making a total of four instead of the usual three the brewer offers.
14 Wychwood
l Check out the 'petrified forest bar area, built to look like the ancient medieval forest Wych Wood, which is next to the brewery in the Cotswold market town of Witney. The theme of the bar is the wood and the mystical creatures that live there. Legend has it that hobgoblins are the guardians of the beer and the brewery, hence the name of the beer which will be available at the show.
l Hobgoblins and witches will also be giving out treacle toffee on the Tuesday and Friday.
15 Young's
l Young's Bitter, which will be available at the show, is getting a new brand identity, to include a new logo and new pump clip, which will be launched at the event.
16 Brains
l Brains is showcasing its new seasonal beer Taff End a golden cask ale with a 4.4% abv which was brewed to celebrate Brains' sponsorship of Glamorgan County Cricket Club and is named after the eastern end of the Glamorgan CCC ground.
Brains Dark and Brains SA, which the brewer claims is Wales' most famous beer, will also be available.
