PINTS were sunk and stories shared by hundreds of drinkers at the inaugural Kelsall Beer Festival.
About £5,000 was raised as villagers were joined by coachloads of real ale enthusiasts at the village’s community centre.
Locally produced brews and speciality beers were on tap with festival organiser Alan Durbin’s ‘Vicar’s Light Ale’ and ‘Teacher’s Pet’ being among the fastest selling.
The Rev Ian Enticott was among a large group of volunteers from the beer festival committee to provide bar service to more than 400 people who attended the event.
Funds raised will be donated to Kelsall Primary School and St Philip’s Church.
Beer festival committee member John Gray, who also sits on the village’s parish council, said: “It was absolutely wonderful. Many of us are beer festival virgins so we didn’t know what to expect and it certainly took a lot of planning and hard work. Alan and Margaret Durbin were the only ones experienced in these events.
“But it was a fantastic couple of nights. The areas around the bar were crammed on both Friday and Saturday night and people were heard saying as they left: ‘Are you going to have another one next month?’
“It was great success, not only because we made a lot of money but also because the people that came enjoyed it so much.
“I have to add that the bar staff, who were all volunteers, were just fantastic.”
