BEER festival organisers will be filling an historic fort with fine ales for the return of an annual festival.

There will be more than 60 real ales and 20 ciders to try at the Redoubt Beer Festival at the end of the month.

Now in it’s eighth year, the Harwich Brewing Company will be bringing an array of beverages for visitors to enjoy from Thursday until Saturday next week.

As well as beers and ciders, the company will be offering eight craft keg beers, Belgian bottles, and draught cherry and strawberry beers.

Harwich Town Brewing Company’s brewer Paul Mellor said this year’s festival should be bigger and better than before.

He said: “Interest has been high again this year and has been all over social media for six weeks or so and increased advertising should bring more people than ever.

“We are expecting around 1,200 over the course of the three days.

“All the beer will be lowered into the redoubt by the old hoist and it will take a team of eight of us around eight hours to set up.”

On Friday evening there will be live music from East Creek Union Band, who play traditional American Folk music, and on Saturday evening singer-songwriter Polly Haynes will be performing live.

Paul added: “Although running a beer festival in the Redoubt Fort is physically demanding, it is an absolute pleasure.

“It is such a wonderful venue offering magnificent views over historic Harwich and its harbour and 200 years of history.

“There can be few better places to enjoy good quality real ale.”

There will also be morris clog dancing on Saturday afternoon.

The beer festival will be open from 11am to 11pm each day.

Entry is £3 with a free half pint of beers on entry if visitors bring their own pewter tankard.

The event will once again be welcome to children and dogs.

For more information visit, www.harwichtown.co.uk/beer-festival.