I have been visiting the
End of the Road festival at Larmer Tree Gardens in Dorset every year since 2007. The quality and variety of beer and cider on offer has been improving over the years.
Most of the bars at the festival are run by
The Really Good Bar Co.. In 2016, most of the festival bars, like the Black Crow, near the Woods stage served draught Symonds cider and local ciders.
Every year, the
Somerset Cider bus brings Burrow Hill cider and is parked in the Tipi area near the campfire and the Tipi stage.
This is the best place to find hot spiced cider before sitting by the campfire or enjoying live music from the Tipi stage or some dance records in the smaller marquee tent next to the cider bus.
The hot spiced cider is served in doubled cardboard cups for extra insulation and strength.
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| Big Thief - Tipe stage |
In 2016, the late night music to go with this warming cider was provided by
Big Thief from Brooklyn featuring Adrianne Lenker (Friday) and
The Big Moon from London (Saturday).
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| 2015 - Bob Chaplin - Copse House Cider |
Copse House Cider from Sandley, Dorset was available at the festival in 2015 and I met Bob Chaplin the cidermaker at a tasting event in the Bear Tavern then.
In 2016, boxes of Copse House Landshire medium cider were available at several of the festival bars including the bar at the back of the Tipi stage tent.
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| Seratones - Tipi stage |
I was lucky to enjoy Copse House Landshire cider with the last Tipi Stage Surprise Show acts of the night from
Weaves from Toronto (Friday) and
Seratones from Shreveport (Saturday).
For more details of music at End of the Road festival 2016 - see my Tumblr blog
eotr2016
For details of beer at the featival - see blog post
End of the Road festival 2016 beer bars
Addendum:
Chris of
Really Good Bar Co writes:
I think we have one of the best cider selections at a music festival, all tip top and possibly the best 3 cider makers in the country, but thats just me and I would say that. Bob at Copse House and the Temperleys at Burrow Hill are cider legends and Bill at Cranborne Chase is the young kid on the block making waves and winning lots of awards with his excellent cider.
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| Bill (Cranborne Chase Cider) - End of the Road festival 2014 (photo from @reallygoodbars Facebook page) |
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You should mention Bill at Cranborne Chase Cider, he makes it a few miles down the road from the
festival. It is great oak conditioned real cider, very tasty. Check his
facebook page for details as he won some awards in Somerset this summer.
