Ascot Beer Festival & Racing

Went down to Ascot with Julie, and met up with Ian and Janet, Martin and Jenny, James and Doug as well as lots of friends of Julie's - quite a good crowd from Surrey Brances as well as Berks LOL!
BRRRR!!! Is all I can say. So much for the posh new Pavilion! It obviously wasn't built with the British weather in mind. There are huge gaps in the wall on the bottom floor where the wind whips through, also huge automatic glass doors and lots of glass frontage, yesterday was also more of a typical, perishing cold March day. I felt sorry for the poor Beer Festival volunteers who had to stand in the howling wind serving beer all day - I could barely stand queueing for a beer! There were two folk musicians who were so cold they could barely hold their fiddle and piano-accordion, playing fast tunes to keep themselves warm. The fiddle player was Paul Sartin whom I recognised from Bellowhead - a pleasant surprise!
Beer of the Festival for me was the first one that I tried - Lovibond's Henley Dark, a delicious, well-balanced porter. The Twickenham Naked Ladies was very good, but the Crane Sundance somewhat medicinal. Loddon's First Gold also in good form. Unfortunately I had a bit of a tummy upset so couldn't drink much.
I wasn't lucky with the horses again, only winning £1.33 on the first race. Janet and Ian seemed to be the luckiest, winning on almost every race!
I'd definitely go again, enjoyed the horse racing, the beer and the company - but I just hope it's a bit warmer next year!