The Bolton News' business editor Nick Jackson is the number one real ale fan in the office. So who better to send to the launch night of the Bolton Beer Festival? Here, Nick gives his verdict on the tastiest tipples.

A THIRST for the weird and wonderful – the only requirement for an uplifting experience at Bolton Beer Festival.

So I discovered, after becoming one of the first to sample thousands of gallons of real ale, lager, cider and other miscellaneous beverages which will be consumed with delight at Bolton Rugby Union Club, in Avenue Street, in an event which runs until Saturday.

As a frequenter of local hostelries serving real ale, my go-to ales tend to be Bank Top’s Flat Cap and I’m also rather keen on Dunscar Bridge’s Northern Storm.

But the festival is a place where one feels duty bound to try something different.

As a lover of the Lake District, I feel drawn to its many micro breweries, so the offering from the Cumbrian Legendary Ales brewery based in Ambleside was a must try.

Its Langdale citrus orange bitter – at four per cent strength — was to prove irresistible, so too the Esthwaite bitter, weighing in at 3.8 per cent, which carried a more traditional taste.

Chester brewery Spitting Feathers – not to be confused with Bolton’s home brew outlet in Tonge Moor Road – produced a pretty decent brew with its Special Ale (4.2 per cent).

But the ale with the X-factor proved to be one that was made at Brewsmith Beer.

Former driving instructor James Smith, aged 36, launched the company with his father, Ted, and wife, Jennifer, in Ramsbottom less than six months ago.

They were amazed to be crowned winners of the gold award for the champion cask beer by SIBA, the Society of Independent Brewers, which was running its North West competition at the festival for the first time.

“We launched the company because we like beer,” said James. “I never thought we would win the champion bitter category, because there is a lot of competition and it is a more subtle art.

“I did think our Oatmeal Stout might win something, because it is the one I get most pleasure out of drinking and brewing. It just shows how unpredictable it all is.”

Trustee of the SIBA is Dave Sweeney, who runs Bolton’s Bank Top Brewery, which landed three bronze awards —in the Dark Mild category, and the Cask and Bottled Pale Ale categories.

“It’s an added bonus for the festival that it is hosting the SIBA awards,” said Mr Sweeney.

“For the micro breweries to get recognition for their beer at festivals like this a big thing for them.”