44th Bedford CAMRA Beer & Cider Festival
Wednesday 5th to Saturday 8th October 2022
Corn Exchange, St Paul’s Square, Bedford MK40 1SL

This year's festival has now closed. Local CAMRA members have organised and run a beer and cider festival in Bedford every autumn since 1978, with the single exception of 2020, when Covid-19 regulations made such events impossible. Like our festival in October 2021, this year’s event was simpler and slightly smaller than they were in years past, but still offered an attractive choice of over 90 real ales, 48 ciders and perries, and a small range of craft and imported beers on KeyKeg dispense.

An expert judging panel met on Thursday morning to select an East Anglia Champion, New England IPA category. The winner, Mr Winter's Citrus Kiss (6% abv) from Norwich, was announced at the festival and offered to visitors. Citrus Kiss will be now be a candidate for Champion Beer of Britain in 2023. Photo right shows volunteer staff toasting the winner!

Our festival charity this year was the Bedford RAFA Club, which operated the cloakroom and sold a range of items to raise funds for charity. Visitors were also invited to donate their unused bar tokens.

Like all CAMRA beer and cider festivals, the event was organised and staffed entirely by unpaid CAMRA members and friends volunteering to serve behind the bars, the glasses counter and elsewhere behind the scenes, The branch is very grateful to everyone who came forward to help this year.

Click beers, ciders and wines for a list of cask, craft and international beers, ciders, perries and wines offered at the festival.

Click promo video to view a short, light-hearted video kindly prepared and sponsored by local company Future Legend Media.

Click BBCF44 poster to download a festival poster.

We are sad to tell you that Jonathan Kemp, CAMRA National Director, craft and foreign beer expert and manager of our KeyKeg craft beer bar at the recent BBCF, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly in the final week of October. Although not a North Beds branch member, he gave generous and highly valued support to recent Bedford festivals. Festival Organiser Katherine Lilley has written the following tribute:

"It is with immense sadness that we have to announce the passing of a great friend of North Bedfordshire CAMRA and in particular our annual beer festival, Jonathan Kemp. Jonathan had for many years helped run the continental bar in the Howard room and in recent years being our craft/foreign and KeyKeg bar manager. His wealth of knowledge and expertise was second to none. He was also a very valued member of the CAMRA stewarding team. Jonathan served CAMRA in many roles including being national chair of Events committee and an active member of the National Executive. He will be greatly missed by all his friends within CAMRA far and wide. RIP Sir, your seat at the Great Pub is waiting!"