REAL ALE lovers in Worcestershire will be able to pop into their local Wetherspoon pub to enjoy a host of different beers all brewed with only British Hop varieties.

The Postal Order, Foregate Street, and The Crown in Broad street, Worcester are just two of the pubs taking part in the 12-day autumn real ale festival being staged by the company from next Wednesday October 12 until Sunday October 23. All the festival beers will be £2.35 a pint.

The beers will come from across the globe and be served alongside 25 ales from the UK. The overseas beers have been sourced from brewers in Australia, South Africa, Italy and the USA.

The overseas beers are Hopsession (Afro-Caribbean, South Africa), Braddon Bitter (Bentspoke, Australia), Recreationale (Terrapin, USA), Hot Night at the Village (Birrificio Foglie D'erba, Italy) and Special Bitter (Ninkasi, USA).

A range of different hop varieties from across Britain are being used, including Fuggles, Challenger, Sovereign and Phoenix, and all of the beers, including those from the overseas brewers, have been brewed in the UK.

The majority of the beers have been brewed for the first time exclusively for the festival and the UK beers include Hip Hop Hooray (Cotleigh), Hope & Glory (Roosters), Coffee Milk Stout (Arundel), Old Crafty Hen (Greene King), Warrior Queen (Tring) and Return from the Ashes (RCH).

The Postal Order manager, Robert Deeming, said: "The festival is the perfect opportunity to showcase the wonderful range of British-grown hop varieties and support British hop farmers.

"It will give people the opportunity to enjoy a superb selection of UK and international beers, many of which have not been served in the pub before.

"The festival promises to be great fun and I am certain that my customers will enjoy themselves."

Customers will be able to sample any three of the real ales in special third-of-a-pint glasses for the price of a pint. Tasting notes on all of the beers will be available in each of the pubs.

Ali Capper from Stock Farm, Suckley, Worcestershire, representing the British Hop Association, said: “This is a resounding endorsement of British hops – and Wetherspoon is helping to lead the way in the increasing productivity and popularity of the British hop industry.

“British hops are popular for their distinct aromatic flavours. The UK climate is dull maritime, with warm (but not hot) summers, cool (but not cold) winters and even precipitation throughout the year, meaning that our hops ripen slowly, creating their mellow flavour, delicate, complex aroma and a significantly higher oil content than those grown overseas which ripen more quickly.

“The good news for the British hop industry is that, with the increase in craft brewing and in hop exports over the last few years, British hop-growers have now started increasing their growing potential again: overall acreage is up 24.71 hectares – an increase of 2.44% in the year.

“Hop development is a slow process – and new varieties can take up to 10 years to mature and become productive.”