The Ship in Kirby-Le-Soken is shaping up for a beer and cider festival this week.

A dozen ales and six ciders will be served from 6pm Thursday (June 30) until Sunday.

The Harwich Brewery will be supplying Crouchvale Amarillo, Red Fox Coggeshall Gold, Mauldon’s Midsummer Gold, Brentwood Blonde, Dominion Woodbine Rover, Greenjack Trawlerboys, Farmers Drop of Nelson’s Blood, Wibbler’s Applause. Billericay Zepellin, Mighty Oak Oscar Wilde and Dark Star Expresso Stout.

There will also be bag-in-box ciders including Glebe Farm strawberry cider from Cambridgeshire, apricot cider from Duddas, Kent; perry from Abrahalls of Hertfordshire and a sweet cider from Hallet’s of Caerphilly. Traditional ciders include Harry Taylor’s Thown Hat from Once Upon a Tree of Hertfordshire and the 8.2 per cent Camra winner Trip Hazard from Potton Press, Bedfordshire.

Pub landlord Anthony Benstead said this is the first beer festival he has organised and having been to some himself, he has always wanted to organise one. But he left it to the Harwicxh Brewery to supply the beers which have a strong local emphasis.

On Friday, there will be music from saxophonist Danny Sax and on Saturday, there will be a singer and guitarist, the Karma Duo. BBQ food will be served on Friday and Saturday, in addition to the usual pub menu.