MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL.
A big THANK YOU to everyone for supporting us during 2025. May 2026 bring you health and good fortune.
ALE BY RAIL:
Wednesday, 10th. December - CANCELLED DUE TO HIGH WINDS - rearranged as below!
Wednesday, 17th. December
The last day out on the train for 2025. A hearty lunch overlooking Belfast Lough and the historic Norman castle while sipping some pints of cask ale and enjoying a relaxed chat. A last pint in the Crown Bar, Belfast, before heading home.
Enjoy Old Year's Night festivities and we will meet up again come January.
WISHING ALL OUR MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS:
A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
NOVEMBER:
Supporting Movember
Every year in November BFTWNI supports and highlights men's health on our website and X (Twitter)
For more details, check out their website. They have sites in several countries - this is the UK website: MOVEMBER
BEER and CIDER FEST
6-8th November
Banana Block
Lower N/Ards Road
A few pleasant hours at the Belfast festival sampling various ales. A snack or two. CHat with several of our BFTWNI members.
AS EASY AS ABC
Ards-Bus-Cask.
Saturday 15th November
Meet up for the 11:10 bus to N/Ards then lunch, chat/banter, cask ales, a bus back with a quick pre-homeward pint in the Crown.
THE HOHOHO PRE-CHRISTMAS TOUR
Saturday, 22nd, November
A new one for us. A pre-Christmas pub walking tour round Belfast city centre, with a festive difference. Hop On for a beer. Hop Off to call in somewhere for a spot of shopping. Hop On for a beer.
ALE BY RAIL (Movember)
Wednesday, 26th November
The Central Bar, Carrickfergus.
Braving the dropping temperatures, we journed to Carrickfergus for a filling lunch, some fine cask ales and lots of chat. As usual, there was some time left for a cask ale or two in the Crown before heading home.
OCTOBER:
THE HUNT FOR CASK OCTOBER
This is a Northern Ireland initiative set up by BFTWNI to highlight cask ales available during the month of October - information may change at the last minute and there might even be an impromptu day out. We have a look to see what local premises are serving cask ale on a regular basis and highlight supporting local breweries and premises on our our Twitter account. All event during the month are part of "Cask October".
ALE BY RAIL (The JDW Beerfest)
Wednesday, 1st October
The Central Bar, Carrickfergus.
Thanks to Danielle from the Central Bar for the special invite to attend the first day of their JDW Autumn Beerfest.
Arrived for an early lunch, and to sample the Festival ales - three 1/3 pints for the price of a pint. Brilliant chats with the local ale drinkers might result in a few new members.
AS EASY AS ABC
Ards-Bus-Cask.
Saturday 18th October
Meet at Laganside Bus Station for the 11:10 bus to N/Ards.
Lunch, chat/banter, cask ales, a bus back with a quick pre-homeward pint in the Crown.
CASK OCTOBER - THE FINAL HUNT
The Bridge House, Belfast
Wednesday 29th October
The end days of October and time for some lunch & cask ales, Chill out & chat, perhaps the usual last pint before heading home?
SEPTEMBER:
CASK ALE WEEK:
18th - 28th September
As always, BFTWNI supports CAW, a national and high profile event. Sadly, we do not have enough cask outlets nor guaranteed quality, so we stick to what we know for this year.
LUNCH & ALES
Bridge House
35-43 Bedford St, Belfast BT2 7EJ
Sat 20 Sep
Lunch at The Bridge House, Belfast, with a few cask ales and conversation. Next stop, The Crown Bar for some more cask ales and conversation.
ALE BY RAIL
Central Bar
13-15 High St, Carrickfergus BT38 7AN
Wed 24 Sep
A day out on the train. A hearty lunch overlooking the Belfast Lough and the Norman Castle while sipping some pints of cask ale and enjoying a relaxed chat. A last pint in the Crown Bar, Belfast, before heading home.
AUGUST:
INTERNATIONAL BEER DAY
Friday, 1st August
First celebrated in August 2008, International Beer Day takes place annually on the first Friday in August and is celebrated in over 200 cities globally
ALE BY RAIL
Carrickfergus
Wednesday, 20th August
Our usual, and popular travel event. While not having the choice that the rest of the country has when it comes to cask ales and premises accessible by train, it was a grand day out for lunch, scenery, commaraderie and, especially, good beers.
The usual stuff, arriving at The Central Bar for lunch & ales, leaving in time for the journey home and a last cask ale in the Crown before heading home (although others may party for longer).
HILDEN FESTIVAL
Hilden Brewery
22-24th August
The annual Hilden Beer and Music Festival. Sadly, this year will not have Hilden ales available as the brewery is no longer producing its own beers.
CROWN BAR THANK-YOU
Saturday, 30th August
From Noon onwards
Andy, the Manager of the Crown, presents his thanks to members of BFTWNI for their support over the years, and the POTY awards, and invites all members to a special day at the Crown.
~BFTWNI booked a booth, enjoyed food & chat, but especially a choice of great cask ales with a 20% off courtesy on Andy.
JULY:
A BFTWNI BBQ
Saturday, 19th JULY
An afternoon BBQ with some UK draught (sorry - mini kegs) and a couple of Phillipine side dishes.
BFTWNI IMPROMPTU BEER DAY BELFAST
Sat. 26th. July
Lunch, cask ales, chill & chat.
Some of our members asked about a get-together at the Bridge House for cask ales. A few took a late lunch there while some had an earlier lunch at The Morning Star before dandering round to meet us.
ALE BY RAIL
The Central Bar
Carrickfergus
Saturday, 30th July, around 12:30pm.
A day out on the train. A hearty lunch overlooking the Belfast Lough and the Norman castle while sipping some pints of cask ale and having a relaxed conversation. A last pint in the Crown Bar, Belfast, before heading home.
JUNE:
DIABETIC WEEK:
9-15 June:
Knowing this well from family history, having it ourselves, we highlight this event on Twitter annually.
ALE BY RAIL - DUBLIN
Saturday, 7th June
A special ABR event was organised as a request from some of our members. This was an early morning run (9am start) on the Enterprise train from Belfast Grand Central to Connolly Station in Dublin. Seats were block booked in advance both ways.
First stop was to be Galway Bay Brewery's The Beer Dock, but it was not open. TA pleasant stroll to The Silver Penny (JDW) for a spot of lunch, some cask ales and some meaningful (?) conversation, all at a sensible price. The train back was approx 4pm so time to check out at The Brew Dock before boarding. Time for a quick one in The Crown before heading home.
BEER DAY BRITAIN:
Sunday, 15th. June
The Bridge House, Belfast
As usual, we are supporting this event annually (which always falls on the 15th), and visited The Bridge House for a Sunday lunch and a few cask ales.
The official timing is at 7pm & but a beer at home will do the trick.
YEAST FROM THE EAST V:
Saturday, 28th JUNE
Around noon.
A bus trip to support a couple of NI's local breweries.
First stop is Boundary, about noon, on the Lower Newtownards Road for a test flight of beers to see what is new, then a short walk up the road to the Arches and Bullhouse. Food places are close by. Then the Glider back from the stop just across the road for a final pre-home pint in the Crown.
May:
"May is Mild" has been a long running slogan to support the (almost dying) style of Mild Ale in the UK. We always do our very best to support it in the premises around Northern Ireland! Sadly, it looks like no mild this month here, unless maybe an impromptu and unadvertised appearance at the local JDW establishments, but we will support it online.
TREVOR DICKSON MEMORIAL DRINK:
The Bridge House, Belfast.
Friday, 2nd May:
A few pints of his beloved cider to celebrate the life of a great friend and BFTWNI member, lunch and chat.
We support Suicide Awareness.
STAR WARS:
Sunday, 4th May
Celebrating the official Star Wars Day - "May The Fourth Be With You!"
This year we have some things to do at home - but don't let us stop you from having a good time on the day.
ALE BY RAIL
Wednesday, 14th May
A favourite outing; a Train trip to Carrickfergus for lunch, a few cask ales and back to Belfast for the traditional pint of ale in the Crown before heading home.
NATIONAL BEER GARDEN DAY
Sunflower Pub, Belfast
Thursday, 22nd May from midday.
Longer and brighter days with, hopefully, warmer and drier weather, enticing us into an alfresco drink with friends and lots of social natter in the beer garden of one of Belfast's most famous old fashioned backstreet boozers, the Sunflower Pub. Followed by a slow dander along Union Street outdoor area, The Reporter and then back via the outdoor area of Voodoo to the (usual) Crown Bar pint before heading home.
APRIL:
ALE BY RAIL
9th April 2025, 1:30pm
Central Bar Carrickfergus
Lunch, ales, chat.
No "April Showers" on our monthly trip on the train. Great views over the Belfast Lough & castle. Back to Belfast, a couple of cask ales in the Crown Bar before heading home.
NATIONAL BASS DAY
Saturday, 19th April
Celebrating one of the most iconic ales in the world. A small wander round some of the back street city centre pubs then a final couple of cask ales at the Crown Bar before heading home.
ALLEYWAY CRUISING
Thursday 24th April
A visit to some of Belfast's little alleyways pub, now becoming touristy, and having a look at the old pubs still residing there. Starting at The Morning Star. Finishing at the Crown for some lovely cask ales before the bus home.
MARCH:
March is National Essential Tremor month and we highlight this on our Twitter feed.
BELFAST MEANDER & PUB CRAWL
Saturday 15th March
Daytime
Starting about 12:30 in Voodoo Lounge, Fountain Street, and moving at a slow pace around the back streets to see what grabbed our attention. Exercise, chat, and the chance to relive old memories, and maybe somewhere new for some people. The day finished at The Crown Bar for a last cask ale or two then home (for some of us anyway).
ALE BY RAIL
Lunch, ales, chat.
Our usual day out to Carrick and we some spring sunshine over Belfast Lough to brighten up the day. Lunch and cask ales, then a return to Belfast for a final ale or two in the Crown Bar before heading home.
26th March 2025, 2pm
Central Bar Carrickfergus
FEBRUARY:
BFTWNI once again supported the business community (which is usually financially depressed during the month of January) with its own annual FE-BREW-ARY campaign!
Please, make a point of buying locally instead of huge international conglomerates - thank you.
ALE BY RAIL
Lunch, ales, chat.
This month we remembered a colleague of ours, a real character who had a load of interests, including writing his own biography:
Stephen Caves Memorial Pub Crawl
1st February 2025, 2pm
Central Bar Carrickfergus
KA DEAN MEMORIAL PUB CRAWL
Sunday 23rd. February
Daytime
A Sunday brunch to remember the humour & times of another past member.
Famous for being "The man with two names" over here - Tony on one side of the place, Kenny on the other - he was a cask ale hero: fully supporting cask ale, and cask ale groups.
JANUARY:
BFTWNI once again supported the business community (which is usually financially depressed the month of January) with its own BUYANUARY campaign!
Please, make a point of buying locally instead of huge international conglomerates - thank you.
ALE BY RAIL
Lunch, ales, chat.
This month we will be remembering a colleague of ours, a real character who had a load of interests, including writing his own biography:
Stephen Caves Memorial Pub Crawl
1st February 2025, 2pm
Central Bar Carrickfergus
