More than 70 real ales and ciders on offer as Dudley's popular beer festival returns
There will be a choice of more than 70 real ales and ciders on offer when a popular beer festival returns to the Black Country.
The Dudley Winter Ales Fair returns to Dudley Town Hall from November 27-29, with an emphasis on beers from across the Black Country and Staffordshire.
Winter favourites, such as Sarah Hughes Snowflake - judged the second-best beer in the country at this year's Great British Beer Festival - Batham's XXX and Enville Blizzard, will be joined by a selection from the east and west of the country.
Festival-goers will get the chance to own a piece of brewing history as the first bottle of beer brewed by Sedgley's Sarah Hughes Brewery will be among the prizes in a charity raffle.
The event is organised by the Dudley and South Staffordshire branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra), with free admission for members of the organisation.
Commemorative festival glasses, featuring a logo celebrating the 200th anniversary of Dudley's Grade II-listed Priory Hall, and the Black Country's proud history of boxing, including the Tipton Slasher, are being sponsored by Batham's Brewery in Brierley Hill.
Two categories of the West Midlands Champion Beer competition will be judged at the event: strong milds and barley wines and strong ales.
Tickets are available now at www.dudley.camra.org.uk.
The festival opens at 1pm on November 27, closing at 10pm, and is open from 11am-10pm the following day. Tickets for non-members are £14, including £10 worth of drink tokens, on the opening two days, with Camra members just having to buy £10 worth of tokens.
There is free admission for all on the closing Saturday, from 11am-8pm.
Camra members who wish to get involved in the festival are invited to a meeting at the Britannia pub in Upper Gornal on October 14 at 7pm.
Members can also volunteer to help through the branch website.
