Norwich celebrates the great beer revival

Norwich City of Ale is back – 10 days of glorying in the tremendous range of good beer and pubs in Norfolk’s historic capital, with its cobbled streets, two cathedrals, the world-famous street market and many ancient buildings. The event, which runs for 10 days from 31 May to 10 June, has built on the success of last year’s inaugural event that attracted support not only from drinkers but from the local media as well.

The 2012 event has attracted even greater following from pubs and breweries in Norwich and wider East Anglia. Sixty pubs will show banners proclaiming City of Ale while 39 breweries will supply a wide range of beers. Many of the pubs will stage mini beer festivals.

There will be barbecues, meet the brewer events and pub quizzes, while PintPicker on the website gives detailed tasting notes for 235 beers that will be available during the 10-day event.

The revival of brewing in Norwich is remarkable. The city had becomes a ghost town and beer desert in the 1960s and 70s, due to the activities of Watneys. The London brewer bought and closed three large breweries in Norwich – Bullard’s, Morgan’s and Steward & Patteson – and also shut scores of pubs in Norfolk.

Starting with Woodforde’s, there are now half-a-dozen breweries in Norwich and 30 in the county. City of Ale is a celebration of good beer being restored to the region.

For full details see http://cityofale.org.uk

Follow on Twitter @cityofale.

*The famous Fat Cat pub in Norwich has opened a new outlet, the Fat Cat & Canary, close to Carrow Road football stadium.