Beer and cider festival season has officially arrived but unfortunately, the British weather hadn't got the memo by the time we ventured into the rain on Friday. We'd been looking forward all week to a few delicious pints in the evening sun, but as we trudged through puddle-soaked pavements to Propyard, we had to accept that it would be a soggier experience than anticipated.
Thankfully the venue in St Philips Marsh is only about a 15-minute walk from our bus stop at Old Market, inside a former MOD torpedo testing factory that has been transformed into an exhibition and events space. Just past Motion, the massive warehouse space is in a largely industrial area that's set for huge changes as part of the Temple Quarter project.
This was the third time it had hosted 'Hopyard', a two-day festival bringing together some of Bristol's best independent breweries, as well as others around the UK. Although the event had been marketed with sunny images from the vast outdoor courtyard, we were grateful to find that all the stalls and tables had been set up inside, sheltered from the downpour.
