A REAL ale festival, celebrating the ‘Big 14’ beers produced at a microbrewery, takes place at Durham’s ‘Country Pub of the Year’, at the weekend.

The Three Horse Shoes, at Leamside, near West Rainton, which regained the country pub title in the Durham branch of Camra’s annual awards, is staging its own festival, featuring the full stable of beers ever produced at the in-house Working Hand Brewery.

Head brewer Matthew Booth, who is behind such ales as More Choke Jackie, Dr Kelly’s Sicknote and Collier’s Shivering Whippet, is busy producing the 14 beers in time for the festival, which runs from Friday to Sunday.

There will also be up to six guest ales available.

It begins on Friday evening with the presentation of the County Pub of the Year award, with food and live entertainment on offer.

Saturday’s activities begin at 12-noon and see the pub menu turning Hellenic, with Stathis’ Greek Kitchen, plus music from Charlie Whyte, from 3.30pm, while Sunday is ‘wind down day’.