The keepers of an ancient tradition in Warwick will be welcoming ale and cider drinkers to the town’s annual beer festival at Warwick Racecourse in July. 

Warwick Court Leet is once again staging this year’s Warwick Beer Festival, which will be bigger and better than ever before.

Around 2,500 festival goers are expected to attend the two-day event which will boast more than 75 beers and ciders from across the UK.

Tipples from local breweries including Slaughterhouse Brewery in Warwick, Church Farm Brewery at Budbrooke, Byatt’s Brewery in Coventry, Stratford-upon-Avon Brewery and Church End Brewery at Ansty will be available for tasting.

The event, being held at Warwick Racecourse on Friday, July 15 and Saturday, July 16, will also feature live music and hot food, with all proceeds going to Warwick charities.

Last year’s event raised more than £12,000, and £2,000 of this has recently been donated to Myton Hospice.

Warwick Court Leet was established in 1554 to uphold law and order in the town which involved making sure food and drink in the town was fit for local people to consume.

Warwick Court Leet’s Ale Taster still organises an annual ceremonial tasting at pubs in the town when landlords are presented with a certificate if their ale is declared fit to consume.

Alan Lettis, one of 24 jurors that make up Warwick Court Leet, said: “We are looking forward to staging this year’s beer festival which will be bigger and better than ever.

“This year will feature even more beers and ciders, with quite a few of the beers being CAMRA championship winners.

“One of the beers we will have is a barrel of Black Voodoo by Fernandes Brewery, in Yorkshire, which only brews 16 barrels a month. We are particularly proud of this year’s selection and reserve supplies will be on hand to ensure no one’s glass is left empty.

“We would like to thank everyone at Warwick Racecourse for their help and are looking forward to welcoming General Manager Andre to his first beer festival.”

Andre Klein, General Manager at Warwick Racecourse, added: “We are thrilled to be working with Warwick Court Leet to host this year’s beer festival.

“It is a very popular event which raises thousands of pounds for charity, and with a larger selection of beers and ciders than last year, we are expecting more people than ever to be in attendance.”

The festival will be open from 4pm to 10pm on July 15 and from 12noon to 10pm on July 16. Admission is £5 and includes a commemorative glass and copy of the tasting notes.

Advance tickets can also be purchased via our website.

For more information, visit click here.

Charitable groups in the borough of Warwick can bid for grants from the money raised at last year’s event here.