EXETER'S annual Festival of Winter Ales is taking place on Friday, January 16 and Saturday, January 17.
This year, due to a surge in popularity, more ales have joined the line-up, more space has opened up, and there are two bars, one with live music, the other left quiet for conversation.
The annual celebration of real ale is organised by the Exeter and East Devon branch of the Campaign for Real Ale group.
The 26th event is once again being hosted at Exeter City Football Club.
Such was the popularity of last year's bash, which attracted around 1,400 enthusiasts, that the barrels had almost run dry by the end of the first day last year, so this year the number of beers have been increased from 65 to 76 from 73 different brewers.
All the ales are winter only brews.
There will also be 10 Westcountry ciders, perries and a ginger beer.
Rowland Honeywill, one of the event organisers, said: "As usual, there is a preponderance of mid-brown to dark ales and Porters.
"But we do have a reasonable range of light and golden beers.
"They come from 15 Devon brewers, six from Cornwall, eight from Somerset, 11 from other Westcountry counties, eight from the Southern Counties, 12 from the Midlands and 16 from the North – east and west of the Pennines.
"We will have a range of strengths, from 3.6 per cent and upwards, many at four to five per cent, with six in the six per cent range, eight in the seven per cent range.
"The top two are both from Devon brewers – the Devil's Walkabout at eight per cent from Topsham and Imperial Russian Porter from Teignworthy at 10 per cent."
The event is to be opened by BBC Spotlight home affairs correspondent Simon Hall.
Live music will be provided by Stompin' Dave on Friday from 7.30pm and Julian Piper on the Saturday, from 7.30pm.
Organisers are keen to encourage sensible drinking with ales served in third and half pint measures.
"We're anticipating it being as popular as always this year," added Mr Honeywill. "The real ale scene is really buoyant and three breweries which opened in the last 12 months in Devon have ales featuring in the festival."
The event is open from 11am until 11pm. Entertainment will be provided by Stompin' Dave from 7.30pm on the Saturday evening.
Entry is £10, or £7 for Camra members, to include a festival tankard and £4 of beer tokens.
For more information visit www.exetercamra.org.uk, email chair@exetercamra.org.uk, or phone 01392 223212.
