The
Star’s Beer Festival
Thursday from 5pm, July 24 to Sunday evening July 27
By PubSpeak
July 14 2003 (ish)
LESS
than two years ago and just a year after suffering the sharp end
of an Enterprise Inns increase, Tyrone and Samantha put their
money where their mouth were.
They came out of their
lease determined to search for a free-of-tie pub but what they
came up with was hardly everyone’s dream.
Despite its celestial sounding
name, the Star Inn at Folly Hall, Huddersfield, is the antithesis
of the typical English county pub. It is set in a rundown industrial
area of the town and about a mile from a busy town centre full
of national branded outlets.
And not only that, before
the couple moved in, it was a former Bass pub which had been closed
for over two years. But what this Tyrone and Sam did should be
an example to every licensee in the land.
They had an uncomplicated
formula which simply boiled down to real ale from small independent
brewers and more real ale from small independent brewers. Sure
they made the place comfortable with open fires but basically
they enticed customers out of the town centre with their amazing
range of good quality cask-conditioned beers.
This is a pub with no pool,
juke box, disco, karaoke or television. Instead you’ll find
good conversation, licensees who are behind the bar 90 per cent
of opening times and a choice of ten beers.
Two are from the Timothy
Taylor range and one from local brewer Eastwood and Sanders are
on permanent pumps but the other seven carry ever-changing example
of the brewers art from Orkney to Exeter from Southwold to Swansea
and the Star Inn has seen over 750 different beers on its bar
in just 16 months as the pumpclips which adorn the ceiling testify.
In addition, Tyrone and
Sam, also served Hoegaarden on draught and have a big selection
of Belgium, German and Dutch bottled beers each served in its
own distinctive glass.
No wonder then that the
Star Inn was chosen as the local CAMRA branch’s Spring Pub
of the Season and Mild Pub of 2002 - or that it has the distinction
of being Huddersfield and District CAMRA Pub of the Year 2002
- an award that few would argue with.
During the summer of 2002,
The Star Inn staged its first three-day beer festival - an al
fresco affair in the back yard under small marquees. Over 40 beers
were available, most cooled in the cellar and served through handpumps.
The couple were lucky with the weather and attracted large crowds
throughout the weekend. Everyone who attended declared the festival
a great success and it is still talked about whenever real ale
enthusiasts gather.
A Winter Beer Festival followed shortly before the couple first
anniversary and that too was a great success although in a more
limited respect.
Now we are on the brink
of the Star Inn’s second Summer Beer Festival. The 2003
event will take place from Thursday at 5pm, July 24 to Sunday
evening July 27 and almost 50 hand-crafted beers, all cooled in
the cellar and served through handpumps, will be available to
sample.
“I’ve tried
to get together list of beers for us all to enjoy,” Tyrone
said.
“We also took suggestions from Star regulars and I think
the result is a wonderfully balanced festival with a number of
unusual beers.”
As you can see from the current list, Tyrone has been a busy bee
“Do try and get to see us over the weekend,” Sam added,
“and remember that snacks will be available throughout.”
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