Press my apples

The Great British Beer Festival presents visitors with over 800 casked and bottled beers and ciders under the shelter of the majestically Victorian Olympia venue in Kensington. The festival caters to the gluten-free niche with a respectably sized and well-staffed cider area not to mention the numerous food stands with Coeliac friendly signage.

While I was perfectly content with my selection of ciders and perries and my dinner of curried lamb (samosa seemed lovely by proxy), I did enjoy smelling various ales and stouts and my lips just lingered over a friend's pint of Bartram's Egalitarian Anti-Imperialist Soviet Stout, which smelled of peppered chocolate and communism. If tonight reinforced one thing though, it's that a gluten free life isn't so horrible, especially whilst in good company who take it well when you deploy every euphamism imaginable as they're eating longer than average hotdogs. And that the Brits really do make great cider.

Favourite cider of the night, Ross-on-Wye from Herefordshire.

Tip: cheaper advance tickets are available online up to 24 hours before your entry day of choice.