The Beer
Boathouse bitter was first in the bitter category at the 25th and 26th Cambridge Beer Festivals.
A deep amber beer with a rich, chocolately nose, supported by a little citrus hoppiness. The taste is malty and fruity, with hints of chocolate, but quite dry. Plenty of depth for its modest strength. Boathouse Bitter has an ABV of 3.8%.
The History
Cambridge has a long history of rowing within the city and the university. The highlight is the annual varsity boat race which takes place between Oxford University and Cambridge University on the Thames in London. The Varsity Boat Race has been held annually since 1829. The local river Cam is unfortunately too narrow for the crews to race side by side so an alternative method of racing is used called the “Bumps”. The boats are aligned along the river and the object of the race is to bump the boat ahead. Once this has been achieved both boats pull out of the race and start the next days race with their positions reversed. Over a series of bump races the boats try to advance their positions at the start as high as possible.
In the centre of the city the university and town boat clubs have several historic boathouses from which very early morning training runs are taken.