The Continental Pub’s fourth beer festival kicked off this Thursday, and Blog Preston were on hand to document it and sample (strictly professionally) many of the delightful beverages on offer.

This year’s festival boasted over a hundred different beers, some hailing from breweries as far as America. Cash was exchanged for beer tokens, £1.25 buying you half a pint of any ale that was on offer.

The lovely weather made for a carnival atmosphere, with excellent food provided in the form of hog roasts and a fresh curry stand.

The Continental’s excellent beer garden was used to its full potential, with a live music tent and seating areas breaking up the main thoroughfare. Indeed the queue for the bar itself snaked its way out of the pub door and onto the lawn!

The Beer Festival once again proves that the Continental is a centre for all things cultural, wacky and welcoming about Preston.

Despite the long walk from the city centre, the turnout was overwhelmingly good, and the prospect of sitting by the river enjoying an expertly brewed pint was too good to pass up. Hopefully next year’s will be even more successful!

With today’s weather similarly cheerful, be sure to pop down for the last day which runs until 11:30 pm tonight.

Below is a list of drinks that Blog Preston found to be particularly good:
Vale Brewery, Hop Pocket, 4.2%

“Light, hoppy, smooth floral notes.”

Purple Moose, Snowdonia, 3.6%

“Light and easy drink, nice barley and hops. Possibly enhanced by the piece of hog roast I dropped in it.”

Kopparberg Pear Cider, 4.5%

“Yes you can buy it in supermarkets. And yes I was berated for getting a bottled drink. But this is sexy, beguiling and sweet. If this was a celebrity, it’d be Scarlett Johannson.”

Arkwrights, Trouble at the Mill, 4.1%

“This did indeed cause a lot of trouble. I became loud and obnoxious within minutes of drinking this. Approach with caution.”

Fox Brewery, Red Knocker, 3.9%

“Biscuity, nutty and velvety.”

Real Cyder Company, Perry, 6.6%

“Tasted a bit too much like Smirnoff Ice to my unsophisticated palate. But lovely all the same.”

Thatcher’s, Draft Cider, 4.1%

“Lovely, unfussy, uncomplicated. Like a 20 year old marriage, there’s no real excitement, but it’ll always be there for you.”

Goose Island, India Pale Ale, 5.9%

“Sharp, lemon zest, shocking hops. Real zinger on the taste buds. Shock and awe.”

Flying Dog Brewery, Snake Dog IPA, 7.1%

“Strong, unashamed unabashed. Emblazoned with Hunter S Thompson’s recommendation, this beer does him proud.”

Words and cider reviews by Joseph Stashko

Photos and beer reviews by Daniel Bentley