WETHERSPOON pubs in Worcester, Malvern and Evesham are taking part in the company’s real ale and cider festival this month.

Beer and cider lovers in the area will be able to sample a selection of specially chosen ales and ciders until Sunday March 25 at £2.19 per pint.

Some of them have been sources from International brewers in Greece, Italy, Australia, Canada, the USA, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Some of them have been brewed exclusively for Wetherspoon and this particular festival.

The overseas beers on sale are Old World New England IPA (Grapes & Gratification, Greece), Hot Night At The Village (Birrificio Foglie D’ Erba, Italy), 3 Bolt Pale Ale (Green Beacon, Australia), Talisman (Strange Fellows, Canada), Bru Red Ale (Bru, Republic of Ireland) and Lo-Res (Sixpoint, USA).

While the UK beers will include Monty Python’s Flying Circus (Black Sheep), Old Engine Oil (Harviestoun), Game of Stones (Wadworth), Twisted Edge (St Peter’s), Warlord (Purity) and Springfest (Otter).

The ciders include Snails Bank Rhubarb (Snails Bank Cider), Cockeyed Pear Mania (Cockeyed Cider) and Tempted Elderflower (Tempted Irish Cider).

The Postal Order manager Robert Deeming said: "The festival will give people the opportunity to enjoy a superb selection of UK and international beers as well as a choice of ciders.

"Many of the beers on offer have not been available in the pub beforehand and I am looking forward to serving them.

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

Customers will be able to sample any three of the real ales or ciders in special third-of-a-pint glasses for the price of a pint.

Tasting notes on all of the beers and ciders will be available in the pub and can be downloaded from https://www.jdwetherspoon.com/real-ale-festival/tasting-notes

Some of the drinks with a local connection are:

• Snails Bank Rhubarb, from Snails Bank Cider, in Herefordshire, which was established in 2008. This medium real apple cider is infused with tart rhubarb and blended with vanilla, resulting in a pleasing, smooth and complex flavour.

• Purity Warlord is a 5.0% ABV ale from Purity Brewery, near Alcester, which was established in 2005. This amber-coloured beer was brewed again especially for this Wetherspoon real-ale festival and has a wonderful aroma of grapefruit, pine and tropical fruits, leading to a full, complex, fruity flavour and pronounced, lasting bitterness. The hops used in this ale are Chinook, Galaxy, Pilgrim and Simcoe. People with allergies should be aware it contains barley, rye and wheat which all contain gluten.

• Grapes & Gratification Old World New England IPA is another 5.0% ABV ale and comes from Grapes & Gratification established in 2015 and located in Heraklion, Crete. The local connection is because Kjetil Jikiun, from the brewery, travelled to Banks’s Brewery, in the West Midlands, to brew this golden beer especially for this Wetherspoon real-ale festival. A fresh, fruity hop character is evident in both the aroma and flavour, with generous citrus and tropical fruit notes throughout, while the moderate bitterness is balanced by a full-bodied, multigrain malt base. The hops used are Galaxy and Nelson Sauvin. Anyone with allergies should be aware it uses barley, oats, rye and wheat, which all contain gluten.