Beer, beer and more beer!

It's that time of year again! August Bank Holiday and it start's to rain. Well, actually, to be fair there's a bit of blue sky out there at the moment so I shouldn't be too down on the weather yet – but just in case it does turn out wet you can always drown your sorrows at the Audlem Beer Festival which takes place this weekend. Over 50 beers and ciders are on offer at the festival which is based at the Lord Combermere in Audlem – my fondest memories of last year were of the perry which was around 20 per cent proof and which finally finished off my friend who we all but carried home. It has to be said that although we were determined to try them all we only got a quarter of the way through the booklet by the time things got rather hazy, so there is a definite need to go back this year to finish them off. For those of you who are more virtuous there is even a tea festival at Hoc's Fat Pigeon (on the Nantwich road out of the village, just up from the chemists) which takes place on Sunday and Monday, indeed something for everyone. So if you do take a trip to the village this weekend and spot someone looking like me just check on my perry consumption and point me in the direction of home if it's getting late.....