It's almost time for Dorchester Beerex - and this year the event is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

Real ale and cider fans will be heading to the Corn Exchange on Friday, February 2 and Saturday, 3 for the popular event organised by West Dorset Campaign For Real Ale (CAMRA) with Dorchester Round Table and sponsored by Palmers brewery of Bridport.

The main benefactor of this years charity will be the Dorchester social stroke club.

With lots of extra seating this year and the additional space of the Town Hall upstairs the event is ideal for an evening out. Saturday night is sold out but there are still Friday evening tickets for those who want to experience the full range of 85 beers plus ciders.

Beerex chairman Lee Turner said: "I’m really looking forward to this event and sampling probably one of the best beer ranges ever at the festival, with many breweries making their Dorchester Beerex début; with it being the 30th event and all beers and ciders sponsored this could be the best Beerex ever.”

He added his sincere thanks to all of the barrel sponsors and raffle donators.

“I’m particularly looking forward to letting my hair down with the party atmosphere on Saturday night with the band Black Water County.”

Beer highlights, subject to last minute changes, include the full Palmers range with their Champion Winter Beer of Britain finalist Tally Ho! , Orkney – Skull Splitter at 8.5 per cent, a strong barley wine from the northern Scottish isle of Orkney. A “Spot O Bother “Porter from West Yorkshire Old Spot brewery, Hare’s Foot brewery from Buckinghamshire with their Banoffee stout and Romney Marsh breweries’ Marsh Mellow a golden 3.6 per cent session bitter alongside local breweries the Brew House and Kitchen and multi award winning Cerne Abbas brewery.

For cider and Perry drinkers there will be the likes of Ham Hill, Early Drop from Somerset, Seacider from Sussex with their Marmalade cider and White Peach cider and Tom Putt from the Marsh wood Vale with 15 in total of different taste and style.

Rich Gabe, who orders the beer for the festival, said: "I have tried to order the most comprehensive selection ever taking into account everybody’s taste in beer so hopefully there should be something for all palates with a spectrum of Pale ales to Porters and Stouts not forgetting traditional Best Bitters; Beerex gives a fantastic opportunity to sample beers and ciders that are not usually available in Dorset.”

Tickets are priced at £10 each and include 3 halves of beer, a commemorative festival glass and programme. They are available from:

Goldie’s and the Bakers Arms pubs; Dorchester.

The Brace of Butchers, Poundbury.

Or online from www.camrawdorset.org.uk or by calling 01305 788939.

The festival is split into four separate sessions between 11am-3.30pm and 6pm-11.30pm.

For up-to-date information visit www.beerex.co.uk