Sample The Ales At The Wandsworth Beer Festival

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Drink beer and enjoy a bit of history

Around 100 beers will be on tap for sampling at the forthcoming Wandsworth Common Beer Festival, housed in the historic Le Gothique building.

The event, which takes place from Thursday March 24-Saturday March 27, will showcase the entire output of the Sussex-based Dark Star brewery.

Local brewers, Twickenham Fine Ales, are the glass sponsors and will have five beers available at the festival.

There will also be 20 ciders available, including a strawberry cider and a pyder - made from pears and apples. There will be live entertainment on the Friday and Saturday evenings.

The building itself - the Grade II-listed Royal Victoria Patriotic Building, off Windmill Road - provides a splendid setting and drinkers can reflect on its history, which includes its uses as an orphanage and a hospital. It's most famed for housing 20,000 refugees during the World War II, with Rudolph Hess being held in the cellars for several days.  

Wandsworth Common Beer Festival costs £2 to enter (£1 for CAMRA members), with beer prices starting from £2.80 for a pint. On Thursday it opens from 3pm to 11pm; Friday and Saturday from 1pm-11pm; Sunday (when the beer choice may be running down) is from 1pm to 4pm.

March 16, 2011