THE brewers' art is providing plenty to tempt the palate at the Great Yarmouth Beer and Cider Festival, which starts today.Drinkers can savour the best in locally produced beers and ciders throughout the eagerly anticipated three-day festival at Yarmouth's historic Priory Centre.

THE brewers' art is providing plenty to tempt the palate at the Great Yarmouth Beer and Cider Festival, which starts today.

Drinkers can savour the best in locally produced beers and ciders throughout the eagerly anticipated three-day festival at Yarmouth's historic Priory Centre.

The casks are set to be uncorked and the bottles ready to be cracked open in a celebration of the real ale renaissance.

Leading the revival is Yarmouth's very own Blackfriars Brewery, which is organising the festival, now in its second year.

Blackfriars beers have achieved a reputation for excellence since rolling out its first barrels back in 2005.

Exciting times lie ahead with the brewery's move to

new premises close to Yarmouth seafront later this year.

As well as expanding production, it is planned to open a visitor centre and brewery tap at the former fish works in Main Cross Road.

The full range of the Blackfriars award-winning ales and bitters are being showcased alongside other leading independent brewers at the festival.

The line-up includes Yarmouth Bitter, voted champion beer last year, and super strength Audit Ale, alongside others debuting at the event.

New this year are refreshing citrus flavoured Spring Tide; Twos, a combination of bitter and mild peculiar to Yarmouth, St George's Ale, given its smooth slightly sweet taste by an infusion of Norfolk honey and coriander and orange flavoured Charter Ale.

Blackfriars owner Bill Russell said: “Spring Tide was something of a happy accident; our assistant brewer Sean Junker ordered the wrong hops for Yarmouth Bitter. We were all ready to throw it away and then realised how good it tasted.

“I am very excited about the festival, it is a great opportunity for local brewers to show off their skills and wares.

“It is very much in keeping with the growing popularity of locally produced food and drink and we source as many of our ingredients from Norfolk as possible.

“My aim is to try to make the festival something different and attract as wider a range of people than would normally attend events like this.”

There is musical entertainment today, tomorrow and Sunday evening and Monday lunchtime.

Tasty snacks, including burgers, hot dogs, pies and jacket potatoes are being served at the Priory café throughout the festival.

Session times: Today - 4pm-11pm; Saturday - 11am-3pm and 5pm-11pm; Sunday - noon to 4pm and 5pm-11pm; Monday 11am-4pm.

Tickets are available on the door and cost £3 for afternoon and £4 for evening sessions.