This year's St Albans Beer & Cider Festival has something for all tastes.

With an array of showcase bars, you'll get to sample the extended ranges of our featured brewers, as well as chat to the people behind the products. In addition to these, our traditional festival bars will feature specially-curated selections of beers and ciders from across the UK and the world.

We'll be publishing a full beer and cider list ahead of the Festival, including a function to create your own personalised list. If you'd like to know as soon as that's available, keep an eye on the website - or better still, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X or Bluesky.

Festival bars

Stage Bar

Offering the Festival's largest and most diverse selection of cask ales, our Stage Bar in the Main Hall features a wide range of beer styles, from breweries all over the UK. Plus, this is where you will find our specially-imported, exclusive American casks - beers you won't find anywhere else this side of the Atlantic. We can guarantee you everything from classic favourites to rare finds that none of your Untappd connections will have tried! Not sure what you're looking for? Head straight here and our enthusiastic volunteer staff will help you find something to suit your palate.

Hertfordshire Bar

Our reinvention of the Hertfordshire Bar last year went down a storm - so once again it'll be located in the upstairs balcony area, and feature craft keg as well as cask beers from a range of the county's brewers. Want to try the very best that our home county's brewers have to offer? Then this is the place to be. This area also features additional seating and an outdoor terrace / smoking area.

Regional Spotlight Bar: West Midlands

* NEW FOR 2026 * Our fantastic regional spotlight bar concept is now in its third year, and it's back outside on our patio with a brand new part of the UK featured. This time it's the West Midlands, a great brewing region which our experts have scoured to source the very finest. Expect to find a range of classic and modern ales that are seldom seen in this area, and will show you the peak of what breweries from this part of the country have to offer. Bostin' bab!

International floor

Downstairs on the lower floor of the Arena is our dedicated mecca for international beer fans. We'll be offering a carefully curated menu of up to 80 bottled beers from around the globe, plus no- and low-alcohol options. Additional seating is also available on this level, so settle in, browse the menu, chat to our expert bartenders, and enjoy some delights from overseas!

Brewery bars

* NEW FOR 2026 * Cloudwater Brew Co

A brand new addition to our brewery bar line-up, we couldn't be more excited to welcome Cloudwater for the 2026 festival. Despite only brewing their first beers in 2015, in that short time the Manchester brewers have carved out a unrivalled reputation. They've crafted an extensive array of beers spanning the spectrum of old and new styles, embracing both classical and imaginative inspirations. It's been a constant evolution of brewing expertise, refinement of sensory evaluation techniques, and a series of trials exploring fermentation and process innovations -all in the relentless pursuit of elevating the quality of their beer to new heights.

Mad Squirrel Brewery

In the centre of the action in the Main Hall, Mad Squirrel will be offering a selection of delicious, cold and refreshing key keg beer alongside traditional cask ale offerings. A contemporary brewery based at the foot of the Chiltern Hills, their focus is on quality, innovation and exploration. Their mission is to brew fantastic beer that excites, satisfies and pushes new boundaries.

Oakham Ales

Famed for their intensely hoppy beers, the Peterborough-based "craft brew legends" are bringing their distinctive range and some rare surprises to our main hall. Oakham were amongst the very first UK brewers to pioneer the use of hops from the USA and the New World in this country back in the early '90s. Fast forward to today and they are well known and loved by beer connoisseurs nationwide.

Siren Craft Brew

A modern brewery based in Berkshire, creating flavour-forward beers designed to excite and intrigue, Siren are joining us again. They brew beers for everyone, producing a whole host of aromas, flavours, colours and textures. Their mission is to get everyone on a journey of discovery into what beer can be - so why not begin yours at their dedicated bar in the Main Hall.

Timothy Taylor's

Timothy Taylor’s is one of the UK’s oldest family-owned breweries with over 160 years’ heritage of brewing award-winning ales, with their Landlord winning more awards than any other beer, winning both CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain and the Brewing Industry Awards Gold Medal four times. Established in 1858 when Timothy Taylor began brewing in Keighley, the company remains in the family and is the last independent brewery of its type left in West Yorkshire. The very finest ingredients, combined with their uncompromising brewing process, ensure they deliver "that taste of Taylor’s" every time. They'll be in the Main Hall.

Tring Brewery

Tring Brewery have been a key part of our festival for many years, and we're delighted to welcome them back to our Main Hall for 2025. Founded in 1992, Tring revived the art of brewing in the Hertfordshire town after a gap of 50 years. When it comes to crafting their ales, they start with the finest UK barley, grain-milled on site. Add in hops meticulously sourced from all over the world and the beautiful local water filtered through the chalk of the surrounding hills, and you have the key ingredients that make Tring's beers truly special.

Triple fff Brewery

In music "fff" stands for "fortissimo" and means very loud! In keeping with the musical theme, most of Hampshire brewery Triple fff's beers are named after song or album titles, covering an eclectic mix from many genres. And it's not just the song titles that are iconic. Their beers are characterised by huge amounts of flavour relative to their alcohol content, and the brewery is a past winner of the coveted Supreme Champion Beer of Britain award. Find them in the Main Hall.

Wantsum Brewery

Wantsum are a Kent brewery founded in 2009, with a growing reputation for fine, award-winning ales. They proudly produce 10 core beers throughout the year plus a variety of seasonal and special ales. Using British barley and a variety of hops from around the world, their delicious beers span a wide range of styles but all have one thing in common: excellence. Wantsum's bar is located in the Main Hall.

Cider and perry bar

Our epic cider and perry bar is back once again in the Main Hall. As always, dozens of products will be on offer, sourced from all over the UK but featuring a strong presence from local producers. Staffed by our volunteer cider experts, they'll be on-hand to guide you through the wide selection and find something to suit your palate. Expect to find both still and sparkling ciders and perries, plus juices like you've never tasted before.

Wine, spirits and cocktails

Moving to a new location this year, right next door to Cider and Perry, is our premium wines, spirits and cocktails bar. Yes, our event is all about promoting excellent beers and ciders, but we know that some of you want to enjoy the experience with friends or partners with other tastes - and we want to make sure they have a great time too. Here's you'll find quality red, white, rose and sparkling wines, spirits and mixers, and a selection of delicious MOTH cocktails.

Soft drinks and no/low alcohol

We'll also be offering a range of soft drinks and no/low alcohol beers, so those who are driving or choosing not to consume alcohol are fully catered for too. Head down to the International Beer bar on the lower floor to see the range.

Gluten free and vegan options

Gluten-free and vegan beers will be clearly labelled at the bars and more detailed allergen information available on request. All cider and perry is gluten free and vegan-friendly.