BEER makers are brewing up a week of events to celebrate the growing revolution in local booze.

Oxford Beer Week kicks off today with festivals in Binsey and Witney followed by daily events in pubs across the county over the coming week.

It's been put together by the Oxford Brewers Alliance, a coalition of locally-based brewers including long-established names such as Hook Norton and Wychwood and new-comers Tap Social and Enstone's Oxbrew.

All 12 members have even pooled expertise to brew their own pint named 'Oxford Special Bitter' for the occasion.

This year's beer week is hoping to build on the success of the inaugural event last year and is the brainchild of James Clarke, of Hook Norton Brewery.

Mr Clarke felt Oxford needed a dedicated event to celebrate the diversity in the county's brewing scene and push the availability of pints made within a few miles of where they are being poured.

The Perch in Binsey will start things off with its annual beer festival, being held over all three days of the bank holiday weekend.

The pub's events manager Deirdra McAllister said they were hoping to better the attendance of last year.

She said: "It's shaping up to be a fantastic few days.

"All the beer is from local brewers and there's going to be a great selection.

"There are so many brewers in the county these days that it's impossible to represent all of them but we've given it a good go.

"A few of them will be coming down at various points over the weekend and, although they can be a little shy, people will be able to meet the people who made their pints.

"That's not something you can say very often."

Hook Norton Brewery has used wild hops grown in the Perch's garden to brew a special beer for the occasion and the pub will also be serving the keenly awaited beer week brew.

Pubs and bars including Cowley Road's Brew Dog, Botley's Tap Social, the White Rabbit and Seven Stars in Marsh Baldon will also host events while the XT Brewery in Long Crendon is hosting an open day next Saturday.

Adam Hall, manager of North Oxford's Rose and Crown which is hosting a 'host the brewers' day on Wednesday, said: "We've supported the alliance since it started and we're now noticing that more and more customers want to try beer brewed locally."