tracy and julie at Boojum and Snark

The Craft and Cask Festival heads to Sandown next month

A celebration of craft and cask beer, as well as cider – organised by The Castle Inn and Boojum and Snark – is planned for Sandown on 9th-11th October.

As the hugely popular Isle of Wight CAMRA Beer and Buses Festival has been cancelled this year , the two venues have teamed up to offer a carefully chosen range of excellent craft and cask beers over the same weekend in Sandown (with all the usual Covid-19 restrictions – see below).

They say that cask ales will be available at The Castle Inn and craft beer will be on tap at Boojum&Snark.

Both venues will also have a good range of craft cider available.

Fundraising for Bus Museum
Over the weekend, both venues will be fundraising for the Isle of Wight Bus Museum and encourage people to also check out other Island venues over the weekend such as IW Steam Railway, Newport Ale House and Ventnor Exchange – who are also putting on a range of beers.

You can even buy special merchandise such as t-shirts, glasses and bags.

Craft and Cask, what’s the difference?
Boojum have kindly shared this useful explainer for those who would like to understand the difference between craft and cask beer.

Craft beer quite often refers to beer produced by small breweries that do not filter, fine or pasteurise their beer and quite often produce small-batch experimental brews alongside a core range. They can be both vessel conditioned and force carbonated.

At Boojum&Snark we use keykegs to dispense draught beer. The foil-lined inner bag ensures that no CO2 or air reaches the beer, meaning that beer is kept fresh and also the delicate aromas and flavours are retained. Our own brews come straight out of the brite tanks.

Cask beer is conditioned in the cask (keg) to build up CO2 naturally before sending out for consumption. Once opened the beer becomes exposed to air which means a cask should be drunk in a few days before the beer goes stale.

For some, this could be seen as Craft v’s Cask but for others, it’s just a fantastic tribute to the dazzling array of beer styles from traditional bitters, Imperial Stouts to hoppy IPAs.

Opening hours
The Castle Inn
Friday 9th Oct: 11am – 10pm
Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th Oct: 10.30am-10pm

Boojum&Snark
Friday 9th and Saturday 10th Oct: 10.30am-9pm
Sunday 11th Oct: 10.30am – 6pm

C19 compliance
Customers are reminded to wear a mask to the venue and to check-in on arrival. Table service for a maximum of six people per table.

Mask-up when leaving your table to visit the toilet.

Booking advisable at Boojum&Snark, please email [email protected] or send a message via Facebook.