Battle brewing at Wolverhampton beer festival
[figure caption="Organiser Shelly Bentley with, left, Derwin Bennett and Tom Fownes dressed up for the beer festival opening" title="Beerfestival2" align="center" url="/editors-picks/2014/06/12/battle-brewing-at-wolverhampton-beer-festival/beer-3-ts-10/" id="672813"]The Saxons will be battling it out with the Vikings at a popular beer festival opening in Wolverhampton tonight.
The Battle of Tettenhall will be the theme of the 39th Wolverhampton Beer and Cider Festival, which runs from tomorrow through to Saturday.
And to mark the occasion, an Anglo-Saxon beer, produced for the Wolverhampton Campaign for Real Ale branch, will be taking on a rival beer produced for Viking battle re-enactment group Svartland.
Both beers have been brewed by Gornal-based Fownes Brewery. The Battle of Tettenhall – which many believe actually took place in Wednesfield – happened in 910AD, and was a key victory for the Saxons against the Viking invaders.
Jason Matthews, of Wolverhampton Campaign for Real Ale, which is organising the event, said its Anglo Saxon Pride ale was a golden bitter of 3.9 per cent in strength, to reflect the fact it was the 39th year the festival was being held. Festival-goers will be able to sample both beers and vote for their favourite.
Svartland will also be in attendance at the festival armed with knowledge about this period of local history.
Mr Matthews said there would be 75 real ales, ciders, and perries, plus a selection of international bottled beers at the event which opens at 5pm tomorrow. The event then continues between midday and 11pm on Friday and Saturday.
Entry prices are £3 tonight, £1.50 tomorrow between midday and 5pm, £5 from 5pm to 11pm, and free on Saturday.