Cheers to the beers as Eastbourne's Beer and Cider By The Sea festival countdown begins

Take a mouth-watering pint of Firecracker ESB, Lemon Dream or Scaramanga, mix with live music and great company and you have the perfect ingredients for a fantastic night out at Eastbourne’s Beer & Cider by the Sea festival.

The three-day event returns to the Western Lawns between Friday May 19 and Sunday May 21 with a superb selection of more than 100 real ales, ciders and perries expected in a sensational sampling menu.

This year sees the addition of craft beers to the ale line up, as the popularity of these independently brewed beers continues to soar.

The list of breweries taking part draws in many across Sussex including the award-winning Long Man at Litlington, Gun at Chiddingly, Route 21 in Eastbourne and Only With Love in Uckfield. Brewers across the UK will also be on offer from Sheffield’s Little Critters and Bristol Beer Factory to Marble in Manchester and Tiny Rebel in Gwent.

Real ale fans will be able to choose from a range of uniquely named brews across the festival such as Bark at the Moon, Oppenchops, Chummy Bluster and Challenge Accepted, as well as a new range of KeyKeg craft beers including Stoutzilla, Spend Your Wishes and No Day for a Do.

It’s not just all about the beer though as cider and perry producers from across the country will be joining the line-up. Among them are Bignose & Beardy, Merry Moon and SeaCider with ciders such as Dark Cider the Moon, Raspberry Ripple, Sweet Maid in Devon, The General and Silly Moo.

With fine ales and cask ciders kept in the best cellar conditions, along with bottled beers of the world, wines, Prosecco, Pimm’s, cocktails and gins, this year’s extravaganza promises to be bigger and better than ever.

Eastbourne Borough Council Lead Cabinet Member for Tourism and Culture Councillor Margaret Bannister said, “This is the perfect refreshment to your weekend – sensational ales and tantalising ciders, all washed down with a superb line-up of entertainment. Whether you are a real ale aficionado or a live music fan, the festival is always a sure-fire winner for a great afternoon or evening out.”

CAMRA volunteers will be on hand throughout the festival to offer advice and tips for a perfect beverage, and there’s plenty of seating and a warm welcome guaranteed. This year festival organisers have also introduced reusable festival pint cups, included in the ticket price, to reduce waste and provide a souvenir to take home.

The live music line-up throughout the weekend sees Rewind 45 and Hot Detroit on Friday evening; Stray Dogs and The Pat Butchers on Saturday afternoon; The Do Theys and Fat Freddie & The Queens on Saturday evening with Stage Door Jazz, Andy T King as ELVIS and Brotherhood taking to the stage on Sunday.

Sessions times are 5pm-10pm on Friday; 11am-4pm and 5pm-10pm on Saturday and 12pm-5pm Sunday and Tasting Notes are now available online to peruse in advance of the event.

Tickets are available from £8.70 per adult, £7.70 for CAMRA members and £3 per child at EastbourneBeerFestivals.co.uk Children’s tickets are available for afternoon sessions only.

Festival goers can also enjoy a ride on Eastbourne’s Big Wheel, also located on the Western Lawns.

The Big Wheel, standing 160 feet tall with individual pods and offering the best panoramic views of the town, nearby downland, and stunning Sussex coastline, is open daily from 11am-6pm.

For more information visit eastbournewheel.com