Beer festivals come thick and fast between the summer and the end of October. Two that deserve the GBH prize for burning torches in the rain are:

On Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th October from 14.00, the third Brassigaume takes place at the Bois des Isles football ground in Marbehan (Luxembourg). Only microbreweries (< 4,000 hl per annum) are allowed to attend. This year should see sixteen, mainly from Wallonia and the gueze belt. Commended as a real campaigning event aimed straight at the general public. Marbehan's railway station is a regular stop on the main line from Brussels to Luxembourg. Details on www.brassigaume.be including English webpages.

On 18th and 19th October, about as far from Marbehan as it is possible to get in Benelux, the Noordelijk Bierfestival in Groningen is breaking new ground by plonking itself in the middle of the city's Home and Lifestyle Fair. This event has always been a firm favourite with the editor for its sheer nerve in trying to put on a top rate beer show in the city St Arnold left unblessed. Unless our Dutch fails us (which is likely) this eleventh festival will have a high entrance fee but cheap beer. Organised by Promotie Uitzonderlijk Bier (PUB), PINT Noord and the Groninger Stadsbrouwerij, this has always been the best eclectic gathering of smaller Dutch breweries in the country and hopes to attract 25 this year. May eventually get featured on www.noord.pint.nl.