Rotherham Real Ale and Music Festival: A celebration of good music, great beer, and goodwill

MAGNA’S Big Hall pulsated to the sounds of soul, indie and rock music as thousands of fun-lovers drank to the return of Rotherham’s biggest beer-based celebration.

The bar pumps and their operators were working overtime from Thursday night through to Saturday at the Rotherham Real Ale and Music Festival.

There was plenty of musical choice, from Stone Roses tribute Resurrection and the Two Tone swagger of Handsome Dan & the Mavericks to the infectious rhythms of Funky Business and the party atmosphere created by South Yorkshire’s own Everly Pregnant Brothers.

On the ale front, punters were also offered a mouth-watering variety, with big names Black Sheep and Tim Taylors and Rotherham powerhouse Chantry jostling for position alongside micro-breweries from across the country.

And as ever, the p***-up in a (former) steelworks was all in a good cause, with Rotherham Cancer Care Centre set to benefit from a four-figure windfall once the sums are completed.

Festival organiser Steve Burns estimated attendance was up by about ten per cent on last year, with around 5,000 commemorative glasses collected and more than 200 casks of beer drained.

The trend continued from last year of Thursday being busier than Friday, with the Everly Pregnant Brothers headlining opening night pulling in the numbers.

One change from previous years was the heating being turned on in the usually-chilly main hall following complaints in the past from drinkers and cold-handed musicians alike.

“It shows we do listen,” added Steve. “We asked Magna how much it would cost and they offered to do it for free, so well done to Magna.”

CAMRA members and other ale lovers met up the day before the festival to judge the best brews.

The overall winner — taking the title of Champion Beer of Yorkshire —was Triple Point Debut, described as “a juicy, hazy, punchy, yet quenching IPA, bursting with passionfruit, mango, blueberry and citrus aromas”, with Chantry Special Reserve and Rudgate York Chocolate Stout taking the runners-up spots.

Steve said the Triple Point had been a clear winner with judges and festival-goers, selling out by two hours into the Friday session.

“I rang and asked for some more but they didn’t have any,” said Steve.

“It was actually the winner five years ago.”

The beer lover said the fruity feel of the winning ale showed how brewing had changed, adding: “It certainly does seem to be popular.”

Overall, the organiser’s verdict was a thumbs-up, with Steve concluding: “Attendance was up, the bands were fantastic, the beer was on good form — it was another great festival.”