Shropshire ales are out in force at Shrewsbury Beer Festival

More than 70 beers will be on offer along with numerous ciders and perries – and organisers promise there will be something for every taste at the three-day event

For among the beers, which are all hand-pulled, will be several with strange ingredients – ranging from chilli to pumpkin.

Traditionally brewed beers from across the county will also be on offer, from the Shrewsbury-based Salopian Breweries Indian-influenced Kashmir, to Oswestry brewery Offa's Dyke offering of Grim Reaper.

Beers from Ironbridge, Bishop's Castle, Longden, Ludlow and Corvedale also appear. Norrie Porter, chairman of the Shrewsbury and West Shropshire branch of CAMRA, said: "This is the 23rd festival and we are expecting between 13,000 and 15,000 people to visit over the three days.

"The theme this year is local beers and London beers and we have invited as many of the local breweries as we can to come along including Joules from Market Drayton, Chapel from north Shropshire, Dickensian from Roden, Three Tuns in Bishop's Castle, which has supplied Cleric's Cure, Hobsons from Cleobury Mortimer, Wood's from Wistanstow near Craven Arms, Stonehouse from Oswestry and Rowton. We are really pleased with the number we have here this year.

"We have ciders too including two from Shropshire – Alan Renshaw Cider from Shrewsbury and Wylde's Cider from Shawbury." The festival, which opens at 11am and runs until Saturday, is being held at the Morris Hall, Bellstone, Shrewsbury. Entrance costs £2.50 or £1 for card holding CAMRA members. Commemorative glasses are available for £2.50 each.

• Star features writer and blogger David Burrows was one of the festival judges, find out how he got on here (hic!).