Within minutes of the 1pm start, St Lawrence Church was starting to fill up with lots of happy drinkers.
The beer festival runs until Saturday, but the first session is for those in the trade.
Among them, Katie and Amanda Speed of Brewhemian Hopsody, a much-loved micropub in Fulford enjoying their first visit to the church location.
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Karen Crombie and staff from the Waggon and Horses. (Image: Darren Greenwood)
Katie said: We have just been judging the beers, which was really good. I enjoyed it immensely.”
Katie said she was enjoying the festival due to the range of beers- over 200 beers and ciders are available.
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The volunteers are keen to serve (Image: Darren Greenwood)
Amanda agreed: “There is such a different range and it is fantastic to try different beers that you never see.”
Amanda added: “It’s also research. It’s great research. We will definitely get ideas of what beers to stock. The festival is also lovely networking.”
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Eager customers keen to try an extensive range. (Image: Darren Greenwood)
Karen Crombie of the Waggon and Horses was enjoying the festival with some of her staff.
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Mike Webvale and Colin Povey of the North Riding Brew Co of Scarborough. (Image: Darren Greenwood)
Karen said: “It’s a fabulous place for a beer festival. There much excellent beer. The beers here are great. They (CAMRA) have made good choices.”
The festival may also affect the guest ales she offers at the pub in nearby Lawrence Street.
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Steve and Sally Scantleburn of the Half Moon at Strensall. (Image: Darren Greenwood)
Karen added: “Even though the Waggon and Horses is a Bateman’s p[ub, I can have some input on the beers we stock.”
Steve and Sally Scantleburn of the Half Moon at Strensall agreed the festival was ‘really good.’
Sally said: “We have been coming here for three years. It always makes for a pleasant afternoon.
Steve said: The festival is really well run. There’s a great selection of beers. It’s also a bit of a fact-finding mission not a day out.”
Mike Webvale of Scarborough-based North Riding Brew Pub said of the festival: “It’s looking excellent as always. I have been coming here for so many years. I like the choice of beers. There’s something for everybody. The beers are also reasonably priced.”
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Craig and Millie Lee of Rudgate Brewery (Image: Darren Greenwood)
Colin Povey of the North Riding Brew Pub also liked the large selection of beers, agreeing the festival is well-run.
Colin added: “It’s lovely for us coming from Scarborough.”
Craig Lee of the Tockwith-based Rudgate Brewery was enjoying the festival with daughter Millie.
Craig said: “It’s a fantastic beer festival. It’s great to support it again. I’m pleased to showcase our beers again.”
He continued: “Millie has just started at Rudgate doing social media and marketing. This is her first beer festival. It’s an eye opener for her. I’m teaching her all aspects of the trade.
York CAMRA officials were delighted to see the festival get off to a great start.
Rev Geoff Mumford, who had blessed the beers, noted a great start and thanked the many volunteers.
Branch chairman Chris Tregellis said the fine weather was helping the turnout and he was pleased to see so many enjoying themselves.
Festival organiser Karl Smith agreed and added: “We are very happy and a looking forward to another successful festival.”
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