Fast Train, sponsored by Skillset and hosted by the BBC Academy, held on Wednesday 18 May 2011 at White City, was great.

Pictured is Jon Plowman, who gave a fantastic keynote speech.

Let’s hope this is the first of a regular series of similar training events.

I attended Kingston Beer Festival on 15 May 2011.

Here’s the drinks I sampled, along with marks out of ten:

• Butts Barbus Barbus – 7/10
• Triple fff Summer is Icumin – 9/10
• Westerham Audit Ale – 8/10

Unfortunately the festival had to close two hours early at 1900 due to the beer running out!

I think a bit more planning for next year may be required…

MailCamp 2011 yesterday was excellent.

Many thanks to the speakers, the sponsors and Steph for organising the event.

Shoreditch Church at 1410 on Sunday 17 April 2011.

I attended the Wetherspoon 2011 Spring Real Ale Festival at various JDW pubs in West London recently.

The Festival, which ran 23 March to 10 April 2011, featured 50 real ales and 10 ciders.

Some of the ales were new and brewed exclusively for the festival, [exclusive] below, whilst a few were by international brewers but specially brewed in the UK [international special], to complement the imported beers [international].

A few others were resurrection ales brewed for the festival [resurrection] – in other words beers that have not been produced for some time.

Full details are given in the festival tasting notes [3.7MB PDF].

Here’s the drinks I sampled, along with marks out of ten:

• Acorn 1887 [exclusive] – 8/10
• Big City Jamaica Stout [international] – 8/10
• Broadoak Perry – 10/10
• Elgood’s Sping Challange [exclusive] – 7/10
• Everards Early Doors [resurrection] – 8/10
• Highgate Fox’s Knob Premium – 8/10
• Holden’s April Shower [resurrection] – 7/10
• Jennings Cocky Blonde – 7/10
• Lancaster Kingmaker – [exclusive] 9/10
• Mauldons Blackberry Porter [exclusive] – 9/10
• Nethergate Saison Challange [exclusive] – 7/10
• Oakham Taipan [exclusive] – 9/10
• Rhymney King’s Ale – 9/10
• Robinsons Ginger Tom – 9/10
• Shepherd Neame East India Pale Ale [resurrection] – 8/10
• Tripple FFF Ramble Tamble [exclusive] – 8/10
• Wadworth 125 Celebratory Stout – 9/10
• Wells Banana Bread Beer – 9/10
• Westons Organic – 11/10
• Zeunerts Ale [international special] – 8/10

Brick Lane Market at 1439 on Sunday 17 April 2011.

Is there nothing that isn’t cool about this place?

Pictured below is outside the Vibe Bar, where I quaffed a few Pimms in the late afternoon.

I’ve just launched the BECTU May 2011 London Production Division social networking evening site.

I put together this simple one page site in less than a day – made possible by the flexibility and efficiency of WordPress.

I attended Record Store Day at Rough Trade West, in Notting Hill W11, yesterday.

This was the follow up to last year’s event.

Pictured are Trevor Moss and Hannah-Lou playing a set outside the shop.

Whilst the ability to download music is great, without the expertise of staff in record stores such as Rough Trade, the world would be a poorer place.