BEER and cider lovers from across the region will be gathering at Ipswich Corn Exchange next week for the 19th Ipswich Beer Festival.The festival, which runs from Tuesday to Saturday, will feature 140 different brews and promises to have something for all tastes.

By Paul Geater

BEER and cider lovers from across the region will be gathering at Ipswich Corn Exchange next week for the 19th Ipswich Beer Festival.

The festival, which runs from Tuesday to Saturday, will feature 140 different brews and promises to have something for all tastes.

As well as beer there will also be "real" cider and perry – made from pears – on offer.

And Suffolk County Council will be using the festival to launch a new leaflet whosing how the county is one of the main centres in Britain for independent real ale breweries.

The festival, organised by Ipswich & East Suffolk CAMRA (Campaign for real Ale), takes place at the Corn Exchange from Tuesday 25th to Saturday 29th September.

It is an ideal time to taste the variety of styles produced by traditional craft brewers and this year the festival will feature a selected range of beers from parts of the country that have suffered from foot and mouth disease which has hit the trade of local breweries.

Music has been arranged for three evenings of the festival with the Blind Poets on Wednesday evening, the famous TV Smith on Friday evening and popular local band Cat an'around to play the event out on Saturday evening.

Opening hours: Tue: 6pm till 11pm, Wed and Thur: 11am - 2.30pm and 5pm to 11pm, Fri and Sat: 11am to 11pm.

Admission prices: Tue - £1.60, Wed eve - £1.80; Thur - eve £2; Fri eve - £2.50; Sat eve - £1. Lunchtimes - £1 and reduced admission till 7pm for all evening sessions.

Free admission to all CAMRA card-carrying members. Free admission at lunchtimes for OAPs.