Prepare for an ale and hearty party

Coastal companies will provide the bulk of beers on tap at Rotherham Real Ale and Music Festival, which kicks off this week.

Newport’s Tiny Rebel and Bristol-based Left Handed Giant are just two of the producers making their Magna debut from Thursday night.

The festival menu also features two new drinks to please the sweet-toothed drinker.

Mead is an ancient drink of fermented honey, while Berliner Weisse is a rare German beer served with a shot of green or red syrup.

The Magna booze bonanza — still the biggest in northern England — will again host 250 different real ales, ciders, world beers and more.

And the annual Yorkshire beer championships will again crown the region’s best beer, picked by drinkers and industry experts.

Organiser Steve Burns said: “Each year the festival aims to celebrate the best of Yorkshire brewing, but we also like to offer something different and unusual for our regular visitors.

“This year will some particularly interesting and unusual beers available in South Yorkshire for the first time.”

He added: “Many of the ales featured at the festival are not commonly known or readily available here, which means we can give real ale lovers a taste of the best beers from around the country.”

Proceeds from the seaside-themed ale event will support the work of four South Yorkshire charities — Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice, Weston Park Cancer Hospital, Rotherham Hospice and the Magna Education Trust.

The festival has raised over £150,000 for good causes since it relocated to Magna in 2011.

Kegs will be tapped tomorrow night, with the taps flowing until Sunday afternoon.

This year’s musical line-up features blues virtuoso Tom Killner, swing diva Nicola Farnon and top Madness tribute Badness.

For tickets and more information visit www.magnarealale.co.uk.