Jaggy Thistle, Slack Alice, Pigswill, Merry Monkey and Boxing Dog are names of just some of the ciders available at this year’s Great Yarmouth Beer and Cider Festival which opens next Thursday at St George’s Theatre and Pavilion.

Cider has proven to be very popular at previous festivals and the challenge is to find new and interesting flavours for festival goers to try. Organisers hope these and other ciders being ordered for the spring bank holiday weekend event will be enough to please the tastebuds of most cider enthusiasts.

Equally important will be the range of beers and ales on tap at the festival, and, with over 50 different brews available from the light amber ale of Tombstone Brewery’s’ Arizona to S&P Brewery’s Darkest Hour Irish stout and everything in between, there should be an ale to please everyone.

Some of particular note includes Woodforde’s newest brew, Norfolk Craft Lager, a continental style lager brewed using Norfolk grown lager malt and Beestons On The Huh, a Champion Beer of Britain winner in 2013, borrowing it’s name the from the Norfolk colloquialism meaning a bit wonky or not quite straight.

This may be the way that the world will appear if drinkers fail to watch out for the ABV (alcohol by volume) of the beers they sup as although the strength of the majority of ales fall within the 4 to 5 ABV range there are one or two a bit more potent including Green Jack brewery’s Ripper, a regular favourite at the festival but at 8.5ABV it must be enjoyed in moderation!

For those wishing to soak up the beer with some delicious food there will be a special Beer Festival menu in St Georges pavilion throughout the weekend with a great selection of munchies including rolls, baguettes, chilli, soup and for the lunchtime session early birds, bacon butties.

The festival is open for a number of lunch and evening sessions starting with the opening on Thursday, May 22 at 5pm, a lunchtime (11am to 3pm) and evening (5pm to 11pm) sessions on both Friday and Saturday, May 23 and 24, finishing with a lunchtime session (noon to 3pm) on Sunday, May 25.

Advance tickets for all sessions are still available through the St Georges Theatre booking office with prices varying from £3 to £5 depending on the session attended and all advance ticket holders will also be entered into a prize draw to win 365 pints of Lacons beer, which will be provided to the lucky winner in five x 72 pint pins as and when he or she requires it.

The draw is only open to over 18’s however this also applies to the Beer and Cider Festival entry. For more information go to www.gybf.co.uk