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CAMRA Bristol Beer & Cider Festival 2026 The Bristol & District branch of CAMRA was regrettably not able to proceed with plans to hold the Bristol Beer & Cider Festival at City Hall in November 2025. This was because an incoming contractor, Restaurant Associates, took over event management for Bristol City Council (including control of City Hall) and initially was not able to confirm prices and key terms and conditions in the necessary time frame. The branch kept in contact with the new event manager and it was looking hopeful that we could hold our festival there in March 2026. However, once the new terms of hiring City Hall were confirmed, it became clear that there are too many challenges for it to be viable. Aside from an increase in the cost of hiring the venue, under the new contractor we would no longer be able to access the kitchen that adjoins the hall. Running a beer and cider festival with no easy access to a sink or clean water presents significant challenges. Further, there would be significant restrictions in the provision of food, including not allowing external food vendors and stopping festival attendees from bringing in any food of their own. Clearly this is disappointing news, but the branch will continue investigating alternative venue options with a view to holding a festival later in 2026. Some key requirements for any new venue are:
An issue we have previously encountered when looking at venues is that some advertise a capacity based on all attendees standing or being seated in rows theatre style. Unfortunately this figure can drop significantly when the venue is laid out for a beer festival. Also, some venues have a business model that expects to generate revenue from running their own bar at events, so when approached they are not interested in hosting a CAMRA beer festival. If you have any suggestions for a suitable beer festival venue in Bristol please email: richard@camrabristol.org.uk
 The twenty-fifth CAMRA Bristol Beer & Cider Festival ran from Thursday 14th to Sunday 17th November 2024 at City Hall, College Green, Bristol. We hope that everyone who attended had a great time. After a trade session and five public sessions the festival finally closed at 5pm on Sunday with 31 real ales and 11 ciders still available. And customers even received an up to date 2024 commemorative glass!
Organising the Bristol Beer & Cider Festival is a significant undertaking and it would not happen without the hard work put in by a lot of unpaid CAMRA volunteers to plan, set up, run and then take down the event. So a very big thank you to everyone who contributed towards it. Sponsorship deals help to balance the festival budget and keep prices down for customers, so our thanks also go to the main sponsors Butcombe Brewing Co. and Grey Trees as well as all the other pubs and breweries that took out adverts in the programme, sponsored the tokens or sections of the stillage, or donated prizes for the games. So thanks again to: (pubs) Bank Tavern, Brewhouse & Kitchen, Bridge Inn, Cornubia, Crown Tavern, Gryphon, Highbury Vaults, Llandoger Trow, Port of Call, Seven Stars, Volunteer Tavern (breweries) Arbor, Butcombe, Grey Trees, Hop Union, Moor, Otter, Sandford Orchard, Sheppy’s, St Austell, Twisted Oak.
Some judging sessions were organised by the branch tasting panel. All tastings were done blind and the results of their deliberations for beer of the festival were as follows: 1st: Twisted Gaucho, 2nd: Dancing Duck Dark Drake, 3rd: By The Horns Hopadelic, 4th: Incredible Brewing Co. English IPA. The ciders and perries were also judged by the cider team, with Sandford Orchard cleaning up and winning 1st for Devon Red and 2nd for The General.
Generous festival goers donated their unused tokens to charity, raising a total of £600 which was shared equally between FareShare and Alive.
Click here to view Bristol Beer Festival 2019 pictures Click here to view 2018 pictures Click here to view 2017 pictures Click here to view 2016 pictures Click here to view 2015 pictures Click here to view 2014 pictures Click here to view 2013 pictures Click here to view 2012 pictures Click here to view 2011 pictures Click here for a video of the 2012 ticket sales at the Commercial Rooms Click here for a video of the 2012 ticket sales at the Old Fish Market |
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