FROM microbreweries in Cheshire to craft beers from New Zealand and Australia, there is a pint for every palate at Oktoberfest.

Warrington Rotary Club’s beer festival will be held at the Parr Hall from Thursday to Saturday with more than 70 ales and ciders from across the UK.

There will also be a bar serving bottles of international beer including Steinlager from New Zealand and Coopers Sparkling Ale from Australia.

Last year the event raised almost £20,000 for Rotary charities which the club credits to the revived interest in cask ale.

“More and more people have started drinking them,” said Brian Spooner, a Warrington Rotary Club member and one of the organisers.

“I think it’s evident when you look around at the number of craft ale establishments that are opening.

“I think it’s simply because of the variety. A lot of places you go tend to offer drinks from national companies.

“But a lot of these beers are from microbreweries and made by people who have been in the industry for many years and adapted their talents.

“They are producing some absolutely fantastic ales. The selection is superb.”

Rotary Club member Cliff Houghton, a former master brewer at Burtonwood Brewery, came up with the idea for the festival in 1996 and selects the beers each year.

The Warrington Guardian is sponsoring Windswept Brewery’s Wolf ale.

Oktoberfest is now in its 18th year and is expected to attract 5,000 people across the three days.

There will live music on each day including a performance by Warrington's British Sign Language Signing Choir.

Brian, aged 72, from Stockton Heath, added: “It’s lively. There’s a lots of music, lots of chat and, for many, it’s a chance to catch up with old friends as we have regulars who have been coming for years.

“Over the years it’s expanded. At the start it was a very local event. We’re now getting people from all over the north west.

“In fact, a couple of years ago we even had a guy who was over from Germany which is not bad for an Oktoberfest when you think about it.”

Since 1996, Warrington’s Oktoberfest has raised more than £220,000 for charity.

Brian, a retired corporate affairs manager and Rotary Club member for five years, said: “Rotary Club’s motto is service above self and that is probably why I joined because what it allows us to do is help other people.

“The Rotary Club helps out hundreds if not thousands of charities every year.”

- Oktoberfest takes place on Thursday and Friday from 5.30pm to 11.30pm and on Saturday between noon and 4pm and 6pm and 11.30pm. Entry is £5 Charities that will benefit from Oktoberfest this year St Rocco’s Active Hope The Canal Boat Adventure Project Life Education Centres North West Music in Hospitals Warrington VIP Centre Girls’ group at Warrington Youth Club Disaster Aid UK Village Water