May 26, 2022 5.00 pm This story is over 22 months old

Cheers! Lincoln Beer Festival is now open

Running Thursday to Saturday

Excited customers arrived early as a queue of people waited to get into the 2022 Lincoln Beer Festival, which is now officially open at The Drill.

The event has been taking place in the city for more than 40 years with the first festival held in the upstairs room of the Stag’s Head on Newport in 1977.

This year’s festival opened at The Drill on Free School Lane at 12pm on Thursday, May 26 and will run until 9pm on Saturday, May 28 (12pm-11pm Thursday and Friday, and 12pm-9pm on Saturday).

The queue outside The Drill before the 2022 Lincoln Beer Festival opened. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Enjoying this year’s Lincoln Beer Festival. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Lincoln Beer Festival will be serving 106 real ales, as well as 24 ciders and perries. Some of the ales will be from Lincolnshire’s newest brewery – Shadow Bridge Brewery, which opened in Barton-upon-Humber last month.

The entry to the event is £15, which includes admission, a £3 refundable deposit for a glass, and some beer tokens. CAMRA members will also receive bonus beer tokens.

Lincoln Beer Festival will be serving 106 real ales, as well as 24 ciders and perries. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Serving one of the first pints at this year’s Lincoln Beer Festival. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Inside the Lincoln Beer Festival. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

There was a three-year absence caused by the coronavirus pandemic, and the closure of The Drill Hall, which has since reopened under the new name of The Drill, but the event is now back in its traditional much-loved format.

Lincoln CAMRA Secretary Steve Renshaw at the opening of the 2022 Lincoln Beer Festival. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

Speaking to The Lincolnite Podcast, Lincoln CAMRA secretary Steve Renshaw revealed his joy at being able to bring the event back after the COVID pandemic, especially at the now-named The Drill, which was taken over by Lincoln College Group after a period of uncertainty.

More than 50 volunteers transformed The Drill ready for the festival and they will help ensure it runs smoothly.

The Lincoln Beer Festival is held at The Drill. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

The Lincoln Beer Festival starting to fill up on Thursday, May 26, 2022. | Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite