The 2012 CAMRA Derby Winter Beer Festival Wednesday 15th February to Saturday 18th February.

It does not seem long since the Derby Summer beer festival was here does it, well now its not long until the Derby Winterfest 2012. Which is the 11th winter beer festival to take place in Derby.
Here is my complete guide to this Winter beer festival in Derby.
Update : Saturday 18th Feb 2012.

The 2012 CAMRA Derby Winter Beer Festival starts on Wednesday 15th February and runs until Saturday 18th February. Here are all the details about this years winter beer festival
This will take place the Derby Roundhouse on Pride Park, Derby.

If you have never been to a beer festival before then you are missing an experience, there are not just beers on sale there are ciders and Perries.  You can get some hot or cold food too. T-shirts and glasses are available to buy. And great live music to watch each day.

Its best to arrive by the free bus service from Derby Assembly rooms.

This year there will be real ale on sale in the Carriage Room as well as the Main Hall of the Round House itself. The Carriage Room will also host the extensive range of live entertainment.

Dates and opening times:
Wednesday 15th February 4pm to 11pm
Thursday 16th February 11am to 11pm
Friday 17th February 11am to 11pm
Saturday 18th February 11am to 11pm

Entrance charges:
FREE to CAMRA Members at all times. Non-members will be charged as follows :

Wednesday 15.2.12 4pm - 11pm - £3
Thursday 16.2.12 11am - 4pm - £2
Thursday 16.2.12 4pm - 11pm - £4
Friday 17.2.12 11am - 4pm - £3
Friday 17.2.12 4pm - 11pm - £5
Saturday 18.2.12 11am - 4pm - £3
Saturday 18.2.12 4pm - 11pm - £5

Travelling to the Derby Winter Beer Festival:
There is a FREE Shuttle Bus between Derby Town Centre and the beer festival provided by Harpurs Coaches. (Yes its FREE there and back honest !) and travels as below :
I have created a very detail map for this free bus showing locations etc. - Free Derby Beer Festival Shuttle Bus Map.

This free bus shuttle will run at these times :

Wednesday 15th, Leaves Derby City Centre at these times :
17:30, 18:00, 18:30, 19:00, 19:30, 20:00, 20:30, 21:00
Leaves the Roundhouse at these times :
17:45, 18:15, 18:45, 19:15, 19:45, 20:15, 20:45, 21:15

Thursday 16th, Leaves Derby City Centre at these times :
14:00, 14:30, 15:00, 15:30, 16:00, 16:30, 17:00, 17:30, 18:00, 18:30, 19:00, 19:30, 20:00, 20:30, 21:00
Leaves the Roundhouse at these times :
14:15, 14:45, 15:15, 15:45, 16:15, 16:45, 17:15, 17:45, 18:15, 18:45, 19:15, 19:45, 20:15, 20:45, 21:15

Friday 17th, Leaves Derby City Centre at these times :
14:00,14:30,15:00,15:30,16:00,16:30,17:00,17:30, 18:00, 18:30, 19:00, 19:30, 20:00, 20:30, 21:00
Leaves the Roundhouse at these times :
14:15, 14:45, 15:15, 15:45, 16:15, 16:45, 17:15, 17:45, 18:15, 18:45, 19:15, 19:45, 20:15, 20:45, 21:15

Saturday 18th, Leaves Derby City Centre at these times :
11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 13:30, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00, 15:30, 16:00, 16:30, 17:00, 17:30, 18:00, 18:30, 19:00, 19:30, 20:00, 20:30, 21:00
Leaves the Roundhouse at these times :
11:15, 11:45,12:15, 12:45, 13:15, 14:45, 14:15, 14:45, 15:15, 15:45, 16:15, 16:45, 17:15, 17:45, 18:15, 18:45, 19:15, 19:45, 20:15, 20:45, 21:15

The bus looks like this, its quite distinctive so keep your drunken eye open for it  :

Here we see the Beer bus on The Morledge.



Live entertainment at the 2012 Derby Beer Festival :
Wednesday 15th February its an 'Open Mic' music & song night with prearranged Performers. Bands TBC.
Thursday 16th February its The Merseybeasts.
Friday 17th February its Superdupergrass followed by the Headline Act Coldplace.
Saturday 18th February the UK Foo Fighters headline supported by Steak Club.

Venue
The Roundhouse
Roundhouse Road, Pride Park, Derby, DE24 8JE

A video showing a pan around the Roundhouse at last years winter beerfest.


For those non-drinkers giving people a lift in your car, the SATNAV postcode for Derby Roundhouse is DE24 8JE

Its also a perfect location to get to by train as Derby railway station is less that 30 seconds walk away from this venue !
See when the next train to Derby station is here - Thetrainline.com

Google Streetview of Derby Roundhouse. (note this was captured by Google before the Derby College restoration was completed!)

Smartphone mapping pin for smartphone owners:
If you are a new visitor to Derby's winter beer festival then you will find my smartphone navigation pin of use. Simply view this blog on your smartphone and follow my instruction below.

Derby Winter Beer Festival drop pin <---- Tap this link on you smartphone.

When you tap the link above, it will launch your mapping application and place a "push pin" onto the map with the exact location of Derby Roundhouse beer festival. You can then use this marker to get walking directions.

For example on an iPhone you tap the "Directions" button at the bottom and this will pre-fill in the start location with your current location and the end location with the Roundhouse.

So all you need to do is just tap the "Route" button at the bottom then tap the walking icon and it will show you walking route. If you tap the bottom left icon 3 times then this will turn on follow mode, Centre mode and direction mode. What this means is that a blue flashing dot which represents you will stay in the centre of the screen and orientated in the direction that you travel in.

If you tap the middle button at the top, this will even show you which bus number and when the next bus to the Roundhouse is from your nearest location.
My push pins are far more accurate than any other map as its not based on the postcode which most maps are. My map is based on local knowledge of the location.

Beer and Cider Lists:
The Complete Beer and Cider lists are here : (These are in .PDF format.)

The Beer List.
Cider and Perry List.
Continental Beer List.

With regards to Cider and Perry, the tub labels should tell most of what you need to know when ordering. Green labels are cider and yellow labels are perry.
Good to see they have Gwynt y Ddraig Black Dragon on as this was on in The Babington Arms and the Standing Order but sold out before I had chance to even try it !
We also have Three Cats Morley a local cider on again which was also on at the GBBF in London.
Also the classic Broadoak Perry.

Thanks
Andy Savage
www.derbyphotos.co.uk

Get yourself ready for next year : The 2013 Derby Winter Beer Festival will take place Weds 20th to Sat 23rd Feb 2013.