Time for a Pint

Oktoberfest is reaching its midway point this weekend, for those of us not lucky enough to be joining in the beer-swilling celebrations in Munich, the UK has plenty of its own beer festivals happening this October. Here’s a selection promising a great variety of ales, beers and ciders, though we make no guarantees whether they’ll have oom-pah-pah girls!

1st – 3rd October – Ayrshire
There’s just time to pull up a pint at the Ayrshire Real Ale Festival, which ends tomorrow. The festival is held in Troon Concert Hall, 20 miles outside of Glasgow. As you would expect, there is a great selection of Scotland’s best beers available for tasting.
More info here

8th – 10th October – Eastbourne
The two days of sampling over 100 cask ales, international beers, and ciders that is the 2009 Eastbourne Beer Festival is happening in Eastbourne Winter Garden, in East Sussex. You can also sip on the wines available and join in the pub games.
More info here

21st – 24th October – Stoke-on-Trent
Held in Stoke-on-Trent’s Kings Hall Civic Centre, the three-day festival promises over 200 real ales and local ciders to try. Oh, and there will be plenty of live music to keep the beer-lovers entertained.
More info here

26th – 31st October – Norwich
Two hundred real ales – check. Draught and bottle beers – check. Local cider and perry – oh yes. The Annual Norwich Beer Festival has been a regular occurrence since 1978, with more than enough beer tasting to last the whole week.
More info here