BERKSHIRE breweries and distilleries will be celebrated at the University of Reading’s first drinks festival this month.

The Neck of the Woods festival will offer a range of beers and ciders from local breweries, as well as wines from Stanlake Park Wine Estate in Twyford and gins from the Henley Distillery.

There will also be a chance to try a new gluten free pilsner, brewed exclusively for the University by Siren Craft Brew in Wokingham.

The festival will be held in Park House and Eat at the Square on the University’s Whiteknights campus on Friday and Saturday, May 26 and 27.

FULL LINE UP OF DRINKS SUPPLIERS:

  • Siren Craft Brew - Siren Craft Brew is a Wokingham-based brewery. It recently won the Supreme Champion Beer of Britain Award. The brewery offers unique flavours of beer including a coffee, chocolate and vanilla stout, as well as sour beer.
  • Phantom Brewing Co - The Reading brewery aims to produce "the freshest beer, made with the highest quality ingredients".
  • Double-Barrelled - The independent Reading brewery was started by co-founders, Mike and Luci, in their garage. They now brew up to 1.3million pints a year in Tilehurst taproom.
  • Stardust Brewery - Based near Maidenhead, the brewery host brewery tours every Thursday evening, giving visitors the chance to see the process of brewing local beer.
  • Renegade Brewery - The Thatcham brewery also offers unique flavours of beer including a citrus, passionfruit and toffee IPA.
  • Tap Social Movement - This Oxford-based craft brewery was launched as a social enterprise that provides training and employment to ex-offenders. It aims to provide a welcoming and inclusive space in the community.
  • Two Flints Brewery - Based in Windsor, this brewery started as a project from the founder's flat in Singapore.
  • Disruption is Brewing - The TapHouse in Ascot offers a pint and pizza in the mezzanine bar. It is open Thursdays to Sundays.
  • Elusive Brewing - Founded by a home brewer who went on to win awards at national level, from a small brewery in Finchampstead.
  • Windsor & Eton Brewery - The brewery opened a new taproom, on the same site as the brewery. It has 20 beers on offer including its flagship Bitters, IPAs and Pilsners.
  • South Oxfordshire Brewery - The Wallingford brewery will be showcasing some of its craft beers at the drinks festival in Reading.
  • Delphic Brewing - Known as a super-micro brewery, the Thatcham-based brewery offers a range of handcrafted beers. This includes a blackberry and raspberry creation that they describe as "Blackberry and Apple crumble… but in a beer!"
  • Bond Brews - Based in Wokingham, the brewery will be featuring its handcrafted beers at the Neck of the Woods event.
  • Umbrella Brewing - Moving further afield, this independent brewery is coming from London. It sells a variety of beers including "fiery" ginger beer as well as cocktails, spirits, cider and wine.
  • Stanlake Park Wine Estate - Stanlake will be bringing the wine to the University of Reading's drink festival. Stanlake wine estate is set in 10 acres of Berkshire vineyards, run by an Italian winemaker.
  • The Henley Distillery - The Henley-on-Thames will be presenting its gin at the drinks festival. Housed in an 18th-century barn, the gin is produced by one of the youngest Master Distillers in the country, Jacob Wilson.

Matt Tebbit, Head of Bars and Dining at the University of Reading, said: “We are proud to work closely with local food and drink suppliers, with the majority of the beers served in our university bars only travelling only a few miles to get there.

“As a University that wants to support our community and is serious about environmental sustainability, welcoming people onto campus for a truly local drinks festival makes sense.”

Tickets for the festival are £12 (£10 for staff and students) and can be purchased from the University’s online store.

Entry includes one free drink and a craft beer glass designed in partnership with the Siren Craft Brew. Non-alcoholic drinks will also be available.