ONE of Scotland’s premier festivals for food and drink-lovers – looking to experience their first taste of homegrown speciality craft beers, gins, cider and street food under one roof – is taking place in Aberdeen over the Easter weekend.
Now in its third year in the Granite City, North Hop Aberdeen will be showcasing a host of new taste sensations from the North-east and beyond at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre.
A mash-up of beer hall, cocktail lounge and barn dance, North Hop Aberdeen takes place over three sessions on Friday 14th and Saturday 15th April.
The music element of North Hop always adds to the full-on flavour of the festival, and this year, Aberdeen’s rising stars, The Little Kicks, will headline on Saturday night.
Festival founder, Michelle Russell, said: “North Hop is all about bringing something new to the table and that’s why you’ll find lots of exciting limited edition products across the weekend.
“From brand new never-before-tried beers, to Easter-themed chocolate brownies, gin slushies and Prosecco on tap in a cute little van, it’s all there.
“We pride ourself on showing off out the best food and drink on the scene and we have a waiting list of food and drink producers looking to showcase at North Hop. We champion grassroots brewers and makers and it’s our proud boast that you won’t find food and drink at North Hop which is commonly available in supermarket aisles.
“The brewing and distilling scene in Scotland is buzzing right now and every edition of North Hop gets more and more diverse.
“Aberdeen’s award-winning Fierce Beer have come up with an inspired festival brew for us called Serial Thriller which is a grapefruit pale ale.
“Ellon-based LoneWolf have created a floral take on their classic LoneWolf Gin for our limited-edition Festival Gin while Dunbar’s Thistly Cross cider maker’s Farmhouse Festival Cider provides a middle step between Thistly’s Traditional and Jaggy Thistle Scrumpy.
“And we are absolutely delighted to welcome newly-launched 71 Brewing, from the city that brought you jam, jute, journalism and Grand Theft Auto – Dundee – to this year’s festival.”
This year’s North Hop Aberdeen also features Scots Bake Off star turned brewer, James Morton, who will be chatting to visitors and signing copies of his new book, Brew at their Out of Town Brewing bar.
Graffiti artist Craig Fisher and Fierce Beer Festival Brew artist, Stu Allan, will also be on site creating a piece on live art over the course of the weekend. The completed work will be auctioned at the closing session on Saturday evening session in aid of North Hop’s charity partner Me Too!
Since the first North Hop took place in Inverness in the summer of 2014, this travelling festival has popped up in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aviemore and Aberdeen. The latest edition, which took place in Aviemore in February, was a sell-out.
For North Hop Aberdeen, the festival’s popular Hop Sessions will offer discerning food and drink lovers short tastings delivered for small groups held during the main festival sessions in an additional room.
Festival favourite, Nicola McAlley, better known as STV’s Highland and Islands news correspondent, will act as MC, guiding visitors through the North Hop Aberdeen experience.
TAKING PART IN NORTH HOP ABERDEEN:
Breweries:
Thistly Cross Cider (Dunbar)
Fierce Beer (Aberdeen)
Spey Valley Brewery (Keith)
St Andrews Brewing Co (St Andrews)
Out of Town Brewing (Glasgow)
Brewgooder (Edinburgh)
71 Brewing (Dundee)
Bars:
10 Dollar Shake (Aberdeen)
Porter’s Gin (Aberdeen)
Inshriach Gin (Nr Aviemore)
LoneWolf Spirits (Ellon)
Poco Prosecco (Edinburgh)
Food:
FreshMex (Aberdeen)
Fresh Revolution (Edinburgh)
The Bay on the Road (Stonehaven)
Melt (Aberdeen)
The Pantry Tuck Truck (Edinburgh)
Foodstory (Aberdeen)
Market Traders:
Esker Spirits (Royal Deeside)
Linton & Co (Roving)
Aelder (Edinburgh)
Pop-ups:
Dapper & Coo (Fri evening)
Juniper Press (Sat afternoon)
Whimsical Lush (Sat evening)
North Hop Aberdeen music acts and stage times
Friday evening session:
7.45pm – Acoustic – The Sea Atlas
8.45pm – Acoustic – Craig John Davidson
9.45pm – Acoustic – Hugh Kelly
10.45pm – Band – Nicky Aiken and The Temple Sons
Saturday afternoon session:
12.45pm – Acoustic – Willson Gray
1.45pm – Acoustic – Daniel Mutch
2.45pm – Acoustic – The Harmonica Movement
3.45pm – Band – The Deportees
Saturday evening session:
7.45pm – Acoustic – Katie Mackie
8.45pm – Acoustic – The Great Bear
9.45pm – Acoustic – The Capollos
10.45pm – Band – The Little Kicks
ENDS
Contact details:
WEBSITE northhop.co.uk
FACEBOOK facebook.com/northhop
TWITTER @northhop
INSTAGRAM instagram.com/northhop
HASHTAG #northhopabz
Notes to editors:
Friday 14th April 2017 – evening session – 7pm till 12am
Saturday 15 April 2017 – afternoon session 12pm til 5pm
Saturday 15 April 2017 – evening session – 7pm till 12am
Wristbands will be issued to allow re-entry during sessions.
All bars and stands at the festival will be worked on a cash (some may have card facilities) basis and no token system will be in place. Strictly over-18’s only.
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Website: http://www.northhop.co.uk
