The Ipswich Beer Festival returns to Ipswich Corn Exchange next week, for the first time in nine years.

Ipswich Star: Punters enjoying the beer festival at the Corn Exchange in 1983. Picture: PAUL NIXONPunters enjoying the beer festival at the Corn Exchange in 1983. Picture: PAUL NIXON

The festival is being organised and sponsored by Hopsters, the beer and spirits retailer, which has shops in Ipswich and Chelmsford.

There will be real ale, craft beers, cider and street food - around 9,000 pints of beer.

Organiser Ed Barnes, of Hopsters, said: "Ipswich Corn Exchange is the right place for the Ipswich Beer Festival to be, but it is nine years since it has been there, and four years since there was an Ipswich Festival.

"It used to be organised by the local branch of Camra, the Campaign for Real Ale.

Ipswich Star: Drinkers enjoying the selection of beers on offer at the Beer Festival at the Corn Exchange in 1994. Picture: RICHARD SNASDELLDrinkers enjoying the selection of beers on offer at the Beer Festival at the Corn Exchange in 1994. Picture: RICHARD SNASDELL

"We thought, why not have it again, rather than having to go to London? We went down to a festival in London and the tickets were £25, it was £40 on the train, but we missed the train and had to pay another £50. It was a very expensive day out.

"So we decided we would bring it back here."

Ipswich Hopsters shop had been open nearly two year in St Nicholas Street, with the Chelmsford store celebrating its first year,

"We are now looking to open our third shop."

Ipswich Star: Ed Barnes of Hopsters in St Nicholas Street, Ipswich, who is bringing the Ipswich Beer Festival back to Ipswich Corn Exchange, after a gap of 9 years, from September 19 to September 21, 2019.Ed Barnes of Hopsters in St Nicholas Street, Ipswich, who is bringing the Ipswich Beer Festival back to Ipswich Corn Exchange, after a gap of 9 years, from September 19 to September 21, 2019. (Image: Archant)

They would be setting up on Wednesday for the festival, running from Thursday September 19 through to Saturday September 21.

"We will have hard racking for 40 cask ales and as well as key kegs and eight brewery bars will be there too.

"They include Burnt Mill from Stowmarket, Ampersand from Bungay, Krafty Braumeister from Leiston, Time & Tide Brewing from Kent, Calvors and Adnams and Big Drop from Ipswich. We want to support our local brewers.

"Admission will be £8 for Thursday and afternoon sessions, and £12 on Friday and Saturday nights when there is live entertainment. We think that is important.

"We have Mark Morriss from the Bluetones on Friday and Lewis Floyd Henry on Saturday evening. We are really looking forward to it.

"We hope this will be the first of many,

"We have already booked the dates for next year.

Advance tickets were going very well, he said, with attendance limited to 600 on Saturday evening.

www.ipswichbeerfestival,comn