Quick note re my beer notes: I've given each ale a star rating, roughly speaking, (1*) = so terrible I couldn't even finish the glass; (2*) not bad, but I'd rather not drink this in future if there's anything else on offer; (3*) pretty good, I could drink a few pints of this if it was on in my local one night; (4*) very good indeed, I enjoyed this very much and might seek it out; (5*) this is such a great beer, it's on my list of all-time favorite ales and I'll actively seek it out from here on in. There were no 1s or 5s tonight, but I've highlighted a couple of 4s below with (****) as they are the standouts of the festival for me.
I started the afternoon with a glass of Foxfield, Sand Cascade: a very pale, slightly cloudy straw-colored beer, smelling of caramel and a hint of lager malts, leading to sweet orange on the tip of the tongue. It was then zesty and tangy in the mouth, with a little charcoal and yeast (perhaps the barrel was hazed?); a plain crusty bitterness lingers, but is not very memorable. (**)
Wold Top, Spring Fling is a slightly cloudy blonde/gold ale, with a bit of a musty/composty scent, zesty sweetness that is lemony and pithy in the mouth, and final bitterness overwhelmed with tart yeast and a slightly earthy aftertaste. Although this may seem like a lukewarm review at best, the whole is better than the sum of its parts, and is quite quaffable. (***)

Very nice indeed, but not in any sense a session ale was Sarah Hughes, Snowflake: a very deep honey-amber color, with sweet, slightly acerbic smell of enamel paint or a field of lemons. The first taste is honey-sweet with toasted hazelnut, vanilla and caramel; smooth maltcake and molasses grows in the mouth with a bit of harsh burnt sugar bitterness, not too malty but with crystals of processed sugar. The hint of coconut in the swallow becomes slightly artificial, and the lingering flavour is chemical rather than fruit, like the hit coming off the refuse site of a sugar factory. Not bad at all, truly; but you couldn't drink this all night. (***)

Dent, T'owd Tup is black as a Tory's soul, completely opaque and almost still; there's sweet coffee and old tar in the aroma, and a very gentle burnt sugar first taste. It's fruity but understated in the mouth, leading to a slightly cloying, dessert before bedtime, chewy finish; coffee on the swallow and a charcoal aftertaste, but neither really lingering. Perfectly pleasant, but not much to write home about. (***)
Mallinson's, Amarillo is a very pale gold-blonde with a frisky but thin head, lovely green citrus zest odor, and flattish, tangy, slightly numbing sweetness, growing to more lime zest in the mouth. The swallow has notes of orange pits or unripe almonds, lingering IPA hops and lemon pith, with quite a satisfying finish. (***)

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