Beer festivals are coming thick and fast now. But before I talk about others just one last word on the Bournemouth Beer Festival.

First of all thanks for the comments on my last blog. In answer to kevinpatrick question on whether we can have a Winter Festival as well.

Well I assume that it is no accident that the Bournemouth Festival is exactly six months away from the Poole one.

Both are organised by the East Dorset branch of CAMRA and hopefully the two festivals will grow and complement each other, with one being a more summer festival and the other a more winter one. Maybe someone at CAMRA can comment on this?

Wetherspoon have been running their latest festival, which finishes on Sunday. With 50 ales and a cider from around the world.

As of Wednesday night I’ve sampled 27 of them (plus the cider). Favourites for me so far have been Brew Dog’s Trashy Blonde (4.1% ABV), Davenports Beer Hunter (4.5 % ABV), Moorhouses Amber Rambler (4.8%) but top beer for me is Maui Coconut Porter from Hawaii, though the Weatherspoons served beer was brewed in the West Midlands. Strong coffee and chocolate taste to it. Lovely.

Other festivals coming up are Reading, 29 April to 2 May. Held at King's Meadow in Reading, which apparently walking distance from the main train station. Organisers say that there will be around 500 beers available. For more details see readingbeerfestival.org.uk

Tickets are already on sale for the Southampton Beer Festival, to be held 3-5 June, at the Guild Hall in Southampton and will have about 90 real ales available as well.

Again walking distance from the train station. Don’t you just love it when the beer festival is close to good public transport links? Makes life easier.

Ticket available from outlets, mostly in the Southampton area. For more details see shantscamra.org.uk/beerfestivals/sbf2010

But where ever you choose to sample beer, at a pub or a festival, please remember to drink responsibly and feel free to let me know if you come across any good or bad beers.