Josh Francis

The 2011 Lincoln Beer Festival runs from Thursday, May 26 through to Saturday, May 29, so The Lincolnite went to the Drill Hall to test the local ales on offer and find out for you what’s worth a sip.

Over 90 types on beer are on sale, and all local brewed beer is marked with the LocAle scheme. Organiser Steve Redshaw said “All breweries which are within 25 miles of the venue [Lincoln Drill Hall] have been LocAle to show that they’re local.”

Here are five local ales you should try at the Lincoln Beer Festival 2011:

Summer Swallow

1. Summer Swallow

Brewed by Batemans of Wainfleets in Lincolnshire, this beer matches its light golden airy appearance and it’s lightly sweet, but leaves a strong refreshing after taste.

Dark Mild

2. Dark Mild

Brewed by Batemans, Dark Mild recently won bronze in Mild category at the Society of Brewers’ National Awards. As the name suggests, it’s mild but with a unique flavour of dark chocolate mixed with caramel flavouring.

Imp Ale

3. Imp Ale

Especially brewed for the Beer Festival by Poachers of North Hykeham, the ale celebrates the relaunch of the Lincoln CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) magazine. The flavour of the ale is tough on the taste buds but is worth it for the refreshing distinctive aftertaste.

Grantham Gold

4. Grantham Gold

Brewed in Grantham by Newby Wyke, this beer resembles a glass of Coke in taste and appearance. The taste itself is quite mild with a strong resemblance to a strong caffeine-based drink.

K2

5. K2

The 2,000th brew from Oldershaws brewery in Grantham comes out as bearably sour enough to warrant another sip whilst leaving a citrus-like aftertaste.

To check out the beers yourself, the Lincoln Beer Festival at the Drill Hall continues on Friday, May 27 (12-4pm – admission £2, 4-11pm – admission £3) and Saturday, May 28 (11am-11pm – admission £3). CAMRA members recieve free admission throughout the duration of the event.

Lincolnshire poets celebrated the eighth Lincoln Book Festival by holding a reading at Pimento Cafe on Saturday afternoon.

Paul Sutherland, who organised the local poets meeting, is a Canadian-born poet who arrived in the UK in 1973.

Inspiration for writing poetry for Sutherland comes randomly, he said: “It was just last week whilst I was sat in the garden and I looked at some flowers and then I thought about this (the reading) event, it flows and it’s like the birth of a child with how it creates so many feelings and emotions.

“In another way it’s like turning over a stone and finding something which inspires you. Though what inspired to become a poet was my grandfather. He used to read poetry to me as a child.

“I think I always knew I was going to be a poet. At the age of the 17 I decided I had to stop playing football and go into my attic starting writing poetry.”

Sutherland said his poetry is easy to write down, though it took him many years to refine it: “I tend to wonder if I should make it fictional.”

“I try to get my poems published though it can be quite selective, though I consider readings a form of publishing as well. Though I feel when you go out to get your work published your dealing with over people’s agendas.”

Jenny Clarkson is another Lincolnshire poet who is renowned for her poetry and short stories, also present at the Saturday reading.

“Most of my poems are inspired by things that are in my life. For example like sound or seeing objects. I feel like they’re things to say about everyday and it needs to be made into art. I’m not sure about this, but in my opinion artists are born.

“I wouldn’t say a lot of my inspiration comes from Lincoln, well not as a town. It mostly comes from the streets, my house and people generally.”