When I'm on holiday, doing nothing is not an option. I'm not suited to the beach-bum, poolside lounging lifestyle. Mainly because I don't like sand between my toes, that I can get sunburnt under a full moon and the last time I relaxed on a beach, a Greenpeace team tried to refloat me. I need something to do... and beer to drink. So one of the highlights of my recent holiday was a day at the Royal Norfolk Show. Pom-pom headed chickens, HUGE combine harvesters and beer tents. What a combination!

I'd never been to an agricultural show of this size (4500+ animals and 600+ trade stands on a 375 acre site). That's plenty to get around and certainly helps to build up a thirst, especially on one of the hottest days of the year. Good job that there was plenty of beer on offer, then.



First stop was at the Woodforde's bar. Sundew was pleasant enough, though three quid and over for a pint seemed steep given the footfall they were likely to achieve. The Food Hall was bristling with stands including a healthy selection of brewers. I had samples from Wolf, Elgoods and Norfolk Square along with a half of Tipples Elm Hill Gold which was very impressive - plenty of smooth hops in there. The irrepressible Denis Gwatkin was there too, so it have been rude not to have a chat whist enjoying some of his Farmhouse Perry. He was having a good show, though the poor perry harvest last year had severely restricted the range of perrys he could offer.



But the standout bar, opposite the 'village green', was Humpty Dumpty's. With at least eleven casks of their own beers (all in perfect condition) along with tinnies for the macro mob, it was a popular place to be. The shade and through breeze was very welcome, as punters watched the ballestra and shimmy on offer over on the green as fencers and dancers strutted their stuff. Little Sharpie, Golden Gorse and Lemon & Ginger were all excellent quenchers. It was good to meet up with the guys and girls here; if it hadn't been for their Twitter updates I might not have known about the show.

Next year's Royal Norfolk Show will be at the Showground on the outskirts of Norwich between 30th June and 1st July. I'm gutted that I won't be there; if you visit, sink a beer of five for me! >

It's great to holiday somewhere and enjoy the locally brewed beers. Almost as good is to find a bottle retailer so you can bring some of those tastes back with you. Fortunately, Norfolk was blessed with some of the finest outlets I've found.



By far the largest (in fact the largest in the UK) is Beers of Europe, just outside Kings Lynn. It's a huge warehouse, natch, with a comprehensive selection of beers, wines and spirits from around the world. Their range of Norfolk beers is impressive with most (if not all) of the county's brewers represented. A good range of Belgian and German stuff too, often with matching glassware. You can buy whole cases of a particular beer at a discount or fill your trolley with individual bottles, which will be securely boxed up for you at the checkout. And with beers from far-flung parts (Vietnam, Brazil, Belarus) alongside rarer continental and US imports (De Molen, Cantillon, Stone) it's well worth the visit. If you're not passing through North Norfolk, you can buy online for reasonably-priced next day courier delivery.




At the other end of the scale, there's The Real Ale Shop on Branthill Farm just outside Wells-Next-The-Sea. They specialise in beers brewed with barley grown on the farm; some bottles even give a grid reference of the appropriate field! With a range of beers from the likes of Elveden, Fox, Humpty Dumpty, Woodforde’s and Grain, there's certainly plenty of choice and quality. Their passion for local brewing is reflected in their Drinks Retailing award as Independent Beer Retailer of the Year for 2009, complementing their CAMRA Online Retailer award in 2008.




When it comes to cider and perry, a visit to Whin Hill is a must. Their shop is located handily in a public car park near to the seafront in Wells, where you can try samples, treat yourself to a pint in the courtyard (as they're fully licensed) or pick up bottles to take away. They have a standard range of still and sparkling ciders and perrys as well as occasional single variety specials such as the delectable pink-blushed Browns. It's a superbly civilised shop, the staff are always happy to have a chat and it's a pleasure to go say hello to Fred again.

A couple of honourable mentions. The Walsingham Farms Shop in Little Walsingham offers a compact but perfectly formed range, including Whin Hill Cider and beers from the likes of Yetmans, Why Not and Wissey Valley (including their Walsingham Bitter and Walsingham Spice). If you're staying in self-catering accommodation nearby, you'll want to take advantage of the sumptuous range of meats, pies and cheeses.

As our visit co-incided with the Royal Norfolk Show, there was plenty of opportunity there to meet a number of brewers to sample and buy their products. This year, the food hall featured the likes of Tipples, Norfolk Square and the irrepressible Denis Gwatkin to name a few. More about the show tomorrow.

Needless to say, the car's back axle was put under some strain with the amount of bottles I brought back. I'll be posting a Norfolk special of 'Bottled Up' in the near future. >