Ale of a good Addingham beer festival! (From Ilkley Gazette)

Ale of a good Addingham beer festival!

9:00am Tuesday 16th October 2012 in Local news By Amanda Greaves

Addingham’s second annual real ale celebrations attracted hundreds of beer connoisseurs and raised thousands of pounds for a village school in the process.

More than 2,000 pints of beer were drunk in Addingham Memorial Hall on Friday and Saturday at Addingham Beer Festival.

Ciders, sloe gin and fizzy wine were also on offer, while visitors also enjoyed live music and tucked into food laid on by local businesses.

The festival was staged by the Friends of Addingham Primary School (FAPS) to raise money for the village seat of learning.

It is believed this year’s event has raised more than £5,500.

A total of 27 different top tipples were on tap. Visitors were welcomed with their own festival glass and some tasting notes.

Sessions took place on Friday evening, Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening, and there was a special sponsors-only session late on Friday afternoon.

Visitors were entertained on Friday and Saturday night with live music performed by blues guitarist, Graham Robinson, from Colne in Lancashire.

Tasty treats were provided by The Good Food Shop, of Addingham, as well as Addingham pub and restaurant The Fleece.

Owner of The Fleece and The Craven Heifer, Craig Minto, also gave a food and drink demonstration.

Festival organiser, Richard Glover, thanked the 30-plus sponsors, as well as the event’s helpers and all those who supported it.

FAPS are now looking towards holding a third village beer festival in 2013.

“We will definitely be running it again next year, sometime in October,” said Mr Glover.

Visit addinghambeerfestival.co.uk for further information.