BEER enthusiasts raised a glass to the creme of a bumper crop of locally sourced tipples at a packed Luton Beer Festival at the weekend.
Fans of all things made of hops and barley broke open hundreds of barrels of beer and supped a selection of ciders at the High Town Sports and Arts Centre from Thursday until Saturday.
This year’s festival saw 113 beers on offer to punters with 36 sourced from within 30 miles of Luton and all ciders on sale brewed in the area.
One of the most successful ciders this year, Hardings Three County Bounty, is brewed in Leagrave.
The festival, now in its 29th year, saw a variety of chocolates and truffles, with flavours that complement the beers on offer, on sale for the first time.
Festival organiser Mike Coombes said: “I thought the idea was bonkers but I was ensured that at other beer festivals it goes down a storm and true enough it does.”
CAMRA organisers also revealed the winner of this year’s South Beds Pub of the Year, which was picked up by Ampthill pub The Albion.
The Albion beat off stiff competition from closer to home boozers the English Rose and the Bricklayers Arms as well as The Globe and The Victoria in Dunstable.
> For Natalee Hazelwood’s video report log onto www.lutontoday.co.uk.