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It’s AK At The Hertfordshire Peak

Written by Les Middlewood

Congratulations to everyone at McMullen’s who have scooped CAMRA’s 2024 Hertfordshire Beer of The Year award with their historic AK Original Mild.  The beer has come first in a blind tasting held at September’s St Albans Beer & Cider Festival, in competition with beers from all of the county’s cask beer brewers.

Initial reaction from Fergus McMullen, Mac’s Non-Executive Director, was “Wow, that’s fantastic, I’m sending round a note to everyone at the brewery – great that AK has been recognised in this way. Many thanks for the award”

McMullen’s trace AK back to the 1830s, making it one of Britain’s oldest brews. It was a stalwart and welcome cask ale in Hertfordshire when CAMRA was formed in the 1970s with the aim of defeating the depressing national march towards insipid and tasteless keg beers.

A presentation of the award to Mac’s will soon be arranged and a full report will appear in the winter edition of Pints of View.

But glasses just had to be raised in the meantime – and at the Festival where the beer was in excellent condition.  Our picture (l-r) has Ian Boyd (South Herts Branch Chair), Brian Lakin (Herts Bar volunteer), Sean Newman (Team Leader at Mac’s nearby Saint and Sinner pub) and Les Middlewood (CAMRA’s Brewery Liaison Officer with McMullen’s) – all saying a hearty “Cheers to AK!”.

The full Hertfordshire Beer of the Year result:

  1. McMullen “AK Original Mild”
  2. Farrbrew “Mannered”
  3. Garden City Brewery “Pale” & Two Bob Brewery “Pale (USA Version)”

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