DISCOVERY BAR TASTING PROGRAMME

Friday 8 August
Wilderness - Between Two Beers
Time -
  • 12:00 - 20:00
Wilderness’s Discovery Bar tasting experiments with similar malt bills that have undergone different fermentations. From lactic, to spontaneous in their orchard, to in barrel. They’ll be showcasing beers conditioned in cask, keg, bottle and can. With a total of six beers to taste, each beer will be be matched up in pairs to offer intriguing comparisons. Table (their table cask offering) vs Iluminare (a key wild pale); Scared of Heights (a dry hopped saison) vs I Know a Place (a spontaneously fermented pale ale); Until I Met You (a rhubarb kettled sour) vs Standing on My Own (a rhubarb barrel fermented sour).
Tuesday 5 August
Elusive - Exploring the impact of yeast selection on flavour and aroma
Time -
  • 12:00 - 20:00
For this tasting on Trade Day, Elusive and Unbarred have fermented an identical wort with four different yeasts, producing four very different beers. Join Andy from Elusive and Jordan from Unbarred along with yeast experts from Lallemand, to taste and talk through the beers and explore the impact yeast selection can have on what's in the glass.

Saturday 9 August
Fierce Beer: Then & Now
Time -
  • 12:00 - 20:00
Fierce will be diving it to their past and present for their tasting. They’ll bringing along a couple of the styles they focused on in their early days – some big stouts & porters with fierce flavour. These will be Cafe Racer, a coffee & vanilla porter, which was one of their first brews and has stuck with around ever since, and Very Big Moose, a Maple & Hazelnut Imperial Stout, their biggest annual release, so popular they launch multiple barrel-aged editions every November. After a few years of serious study and lots of effort, Fierce found their pale & hoppy releases finally at a point where they match the quality of their dark beers. They’ll be spotlighting some of these fresh releases, including collabs with legends Siren Craft Brew and up-and-comers Indie Rabble. This will be alongside their two cask offerings, a core session pale ale and a brand-new Citra-forward pale ale.
Thursday 7 August
Modest - Sweet As: Discover The Versatility of New Zealand Grown Hop Varieties
Time -
  • 12:00 - 20:00
Northern Ireland is the closest thing to New Zealand in the northern hemisphere. Rolling green hills, near constant rain, and excellent beer made with some of our favourite New Zealand Hops. Modest celebrate New Zealand grown hops for their remarkable versatility. Through their experimental “Sweet As” series of beers, they’ve found New Zealand hops to be an excellent choice for a wide range of beer styles. This versatility has allowed them to experiment and create a range of beer styles for the Discovery Bar that cater to various tastes and preferences across a range of beer styles. Something for everyone!
Wednesday 6 August
Thornbridge - Thornbridge at 20; from then ‘til now
Time -
  • 12:00 - 20:00
Thornbridge will be celebrating their 20th birthday by going through the history of their beers. They’ll be showcasing their iconic first brews (Jaipur and Lord Marples) as well focusing on their new Union brews, using the historic Burton union system. You’ll be able to see a small model of the system, while a video of it in action will be playing in the background.

The Discovery Bar - In Partnership with Brewser

The Discovery Bar at the Great British Beer Festival will be hosting an exciting programme of informal brewer and cider maker led tastings throughout the week of the festival. Discovery Bar tastings help you learn more about the ingredients, techniques and people behind the greatest beers and ciders Britain has to offer.

Discover perry, one of Britain’s most esteemed and historic beverages with an informative display and expert led tastings programme. Experience the freshest hops and malts in our ingredients display and learn more about how you can craft the finest brews right at home.

Be prepared for your tastebuds and pre-conceptions to be challenged in equal measure. Whether you have been drinking for forty years or forty minutes you are sure to learn something new, but don't worry our friendly volunteer team will be on hand to guide you on your journey.

With thanks to our Discovery Bar Partner:

Brewser

Volunteer at the discovery bar

Join our team of volunteer experts on the Great British Beer Festival Discovery Bar. You don’t have to be a CAMRA member, nor do you need to know everything about beer and cider, but you should ideally be passionate about the drinks and are willing to engage and talk to others and support tastings. Register your interest today by emailing discover@camra.org.uk

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