Rivalry between Norwich and York over which is the real UK City of Ale set to continue, ahead of this year’s festival David Bale

david.bale2@archant.co.uk

@DBaleReporter

Here's the logo. Also a picture from the 2012 Launch Party. Picture by Ray Watts l to r Dawn Leeder, Co-Chair, the Sheriff, John Jennings, the Lord Mayor, Ralph Gayton, and Phil Cutter, Co-Chair. Cheers! Archant

People in York will be able to sample a range of Norfolk beers ahead of this year’s City of Ale event, with the rivalry between the two cities set to continue.

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City of Ale 2013 logo.

South Norfolk’s Grain Brewery is taking a van to York with a selection of local ales and is holding a mini Norfolk beer festival in the York Tap, a pub at the city’s railway station.

Phil Halls, Grain Brewery director, said: “There’s a fair amount of rivalry between the two cities over which is the real UK city of ale.

“We think we won last year’s contest, but obviously York has a different view.

“This will be a chance for people in York to see what Norfolk beers are really like. The date suggested for the trip is on or around April 10.”

As reported, organisers of this year’s Norwich City of Ale festival, which runs from May 23 to June 2, are planning a number of ticketed bus tours to city pubs as part of the event.

The tours would use the City of Ale bus, part of the Eastern Transport Collection, and would visit around five or six pubs with beer, food and possibly a tour guide included in the price. There would be about half-an-hour spent in each pub, making the tour around three hours long.

Festival organisers have also launched a fortnightly email newsletter featuring news items on pubs, breweries and beers, a beer writer’s slot, competitions and prizes, which will go out to journalists, beer writers and bloggers, the trade and real ale lovers everywhere.

The celebration of local pubs serving local real ales made by local brewers fits in with the Norwich Evening News’ Love Your Local campaign, which aims to get people back into pubs.

To see more stories from the Love Your Local campaign, see www.eveningnews 24.co.uk/loveyourlocal

Got a pub story? Call David Bale on 01603 772427 or email david.bale2@archant.co.uk

The next meeting of City of Ale is Thursday, April 4, 10am at Ketts Tavern in Ketts Hill.