A RANGE of 140 real ales will be on offer to try at this year’s Hampshire OctoberFest.

New operators for this year, Destination Basingstoke, has North Hampshire branch of CAMRA, to source beverages from 38 breweries from in and around the borders of Hampshire to provide the tipples for this year’s event.

Held at the Basingstoke Sports and Social club in Bounty Road, OctoberFest showcases Hampshire breweries and gives people attending the event the chance to sample produce in a jovial atmosphere during this weekend event.

Alongside representation from 38 local breweries there will be a full range of beers from local award-winning brewery, and sponsor of the event, Andwell Brewing Company.

Adam Komrower from Andwell Brewing Company said: “Our ales have always been on offer at the Hampshire OctoberFest and so we are really pleased that we are able to get more involved to support it.

“Based so close to home it is great to celebrate some of the fantastic real ales that are produced locally.”

The festivities kick off on October 11 with the popular ‘Works Night Out’, where there will be live music across two stages as well as other entertainment, followed by a full programme of live music for Saturday catering for all musical tastes and giving a platform for some local bands to perform as well as others from further afield. S

Sunday will be a more relaxed affair with no live music on stage but expect action from Hook Eagle Morris Team.

For those non-beer drinkers Hampshire Wine Merchant, Caviste, will be running wine and gin bars, stocked only with Hampshire craft gins, so there is a chance to have some fun experimenting with different gins, tonics and mixers.

Each day the distillers will present to host a series of short masterclasses, and simply be available to talk about their gins.

For more information and tickets visit hampshireoctoberfest.co.uk.