THIRTY-ONE varieties of cask ale kept 600 drinkers refreshed at the Wantage Beer Festival.

The event at the Masonic Hall on Friday and Saturday featured a number of locally brewed beers, incuding Penelope, from Grove, Dr Hexter’s Healer, named after the landlord of Wantage’s Royal Oak, Paul Hexter, and Old Lech, brewed just over the county boundary in Lechlade.

Neil Crook, the festival’s organiser and chairman of the White Horse branch of the Campaign for Real Ale, said: “It’s a great little event where the discerning ale lover can have a drink, enjoy the ale and realise how much of it is brewed locally.

“It has been a huge success, has brought a lot of people to Wantage and given brewers the chance to show off their goods.

“We’re already looking forward to next year.”

The event started last year, following the formation of the Camra branch.

The owner of Grove’s Pitstop brewery, Peter Fowler, said: “I think it’s wonderful to show exactly what’s brewed locally.

“People are often shocked at just how much hails from these areas.”