Every working Scottish brewery will be represented at Stonehaven’s real ale festival next month.
It is the town’s second celebration of Scottish ales and has grown a Celtic fringe plus an extra day.
It is spread over three days instead of last year’s two and the fans who organise the event have pledged to bring in the finest ales they can get their hands on from Wales, Cornwall, Ireland and even the Isle of Man.
Organiser Robert Lindsay said, “The first festival last year exceeded all of our expectations.
“We had more than 1400 people through the doors of Stonehaven town hall over two days and they drank us dry.”
He added, “We wanted to make this year’s bigger, so in addition to the 50-plus Scottish beers on offer it’s rare to find them all under one roof we will be adding some fine ales from our Celtic cousins.
“These are the sort of ales you rarely find here, so it will be a bit of a treat.”
The event will be held in the town hall from November 4-6.
Robert said, “Everyone enjoyed the live music we staged last year which gave local performers a chance to shine, so that will be back.
“The big screen will return and there’s a good chance we’ll see the return of a certain Scotland v England football match.”
Again organisers will be brewing up a festival ale.
The details are being kept under wraps but Robert, owner of the town’s Marine Hotel and a master brewer, promises it will be a tribute to Stonehaven’s heritage.
A not-for-profit event, the festival will give its proceeds to the Maritime Rescue Institute, which runs the town’s lifeboats.
Robert said, “These volunteers save lives and help people a fact reinforced during last year’s terrible floods.”