Chappel Beer Festival revellers sizzle in the heat

The Chappel Beer Festival returned for the 36th time last week.

Beer buffs enjoy the sun at Chappel in an open carriage (Image: Chris Wilkin)

An elaborate beer cooling system worked flat out as temperatures hit 30C.

More than 3,000 people flocked to the five-day festival, with most sessions selling out in advance.

Real ales fans could try out just over 200 beers and ciders at the event, which is a fundraiser for the museum.

Roger Clark serving Colchester Brewery tipples in the Shunters Bar (Image: Chris Wilkin)

Beer manager Alan Barker said: "The nearest come from the Colchester Brewery which is less than a mile away across the fields.

"The furthest were from Cross Bay in Morecambe and the Well Drawn Brewery in Caerphilly, south Wales."

Sheree Williamson, from Halstead, with two-year-old Thomas Walter in the Restoration Shed (Image: Chris Wilkin)

Two-year-old Thomas Walter was more interested in looking at the trains in the Restoration Shed, with mum Sheree Williamson, from Halstead.

She said: "We come every year for the beer festival and Thomas comes here for most of the train events with his Grandad, who is a member."

John Sharp, from Ingatestone, was at the festival with daughter Jo, from Colchester (Image: Chris Wilkin)

Jo Sharp, from Colchester, was there with dad John.

"I think it's great," she said.

"It's smaller than in recent years and there's not as much for the kids.

Jo Sharp, from Colchester, enjoyed the ales on offer (Image: Chris Wilkin)

"But in terms of the beer, there's a really good selection and lots of new ones I haven't tried before - the Puck's Folly was really good."

Mike Woods, of CAMRA and Colchester Brewery, serves up a pint in the Shunters Bar (Image: Chris Wilkin)

Local breweries included Bishop Nick in Braintree, Crouch Vale in South Woodham Ferrers, Gosfield's Courtyard Brewery, Mauldons in Sudbury, Maldon' Mighty Oak, Nethergate, Toppesfield's Pumphouse, Roughacre at Clare, Shalford, Halstead White Hart, Wobblers in Southminster, and Wharf - Witham, Harwich and Red Fox.

Martin Gibbons and Ian Rushbrook, of the East Anglian Railway Museum, and (centre) CAMRA'S John Lucas (Image: Chris Wilkin)

Festival organiser Brendan Sothcott's personal favourite was the Nene Valley Egyptian Cream.

"It's been a really good festival - tickets have sold really well," he said.

"Apart from the heat there have been no hassles.

Staffing manager Graham Darby cools off with an ice cream (Image: Chris Wilkin)

"The chillers have been at their limit. This sort of heat is almost too much for them - they are working flat out.

CAMRA members Dave and Pauline Bradley travelled up from Chelmsford (Image: Chris Wilkin)

"We pay a lot of money for the cooling. It's a big investment but it's really paid off.

Jen Walter, Antonia Parker-Jewell and Laura McLeod made the short trip from Sudbury (Image: Chris Wilkin)

"If the beer gets too warm, it's horrible. It gets out of condition very quickly.

"There's warm beer... and there's cooked beer."