The popular Ipswich Beer Festival is set to make a welcome return this week after nearly 10 years away.

Ipswich Star: The Ipswich Beer Festival returns to Ipswich Corn Exchange, in King Street, from Thursday September 19 to Saturday September 21, 2019, organised and sponsored by Hopsters. Helping get the beers in are Al Bowman from the Fat Cat, Ed Barnes of Hopsters and Robert Pyke of The Briarbrank BrewThe Ipswich Beer Festival returns to Ipswich Corn Exchange, in King Street, from Thursday September 19 to Saturday September 21, 2019, organised and sponsored by Hopsters. Helping get the beers in are Al Bowman from the Fat Cat, Ed Barnes of Hopsters and Robert Pyke of The Briarbrank Brew (Image: Archant)

The event at Ipswich Corn Exchange opens at 6pm on Thursday, September 19.

There will be dozens of real ales, craft beers and ciders on offer, with around 9,000 pints set to be consumed over the three days.

They range from porters and stouts to bitters and lagers, as well as even German-style brews.

The new festival is being organised and sponsored by Hopsters of Ipswich and features beers from Suffolk craft breweries and right across the country from the Channel Islands to Scotland.

Ipswich Star: The Ipswich Beer Festival returns to Ipswich Corn Exchange, in King Street, from Thursday September 19 to Saturday September 21, 2019, organised and sponsored by Hopsters. Helping get the beers in are Al Bowman from the Fat Cat, Ed Barnes of Hopsters and Robert Pyke of The Briarbrank BrewThe Ipswich Beer Festival returns to Ipswich Corn Exchange, in King Street, from Thursday September 19 to Saturday September 21, 2019, organised and sponsored by Hopsters. Helping get the beers in are Al Bowman from the Fat Cat, Ed Barnes of Hopsters and Robert Pyke of The Briarbrank Brew (Image: Archant)

Ed Barnes, from Hopsters, said: "It is really coming on.

"We have had a lot of support. I think people are really pleased to see the beer festival back at the Corn Exchange after all this time.

"Advance ticket sales have been good. It has been a really good response. There is a lot of enthusiasm for it, it seems. We are promoting other local businesses at the festival."

The festival includes promotion for the Sound City Ipswich live music project, he said, with live entertainment on stage at the Friday and Saturday night sessions too.

Advance tickets are available from Hopsters in St Nicholas Street.

On the door Thursday evening, Friday afternoon and Saturday afternoon admission is £8.80, Friday and Saturday evening sessions are £13.75.