DUNFERMLINE Beer Festival is ready to raise a glass after raising more than £200,000 for charity and securing Belhaven Brewery as the main sponsor.

Punters with pints have been drinking to good causes since the event started in 2004 and this year’s event is on Friday 2nd and Saturday 3rd October in the Glen Pavilion.

Organisers Dunfermline Roundtable and Dunfermline Rugby Club held a launch event at the Belhaven Brewery in Dunbar – where drink has been brewed commercially since 1719.

Gordon Muir, marketing manager for Belhaven, said, “Belhaven is delighted to be involved with the Dunfermline Beer Festival, which promises to be a hugely well-supported and successful event.

“Beer in Scotland is going through a real renaissance, with tremendous interest in the different styles and flavours that ales can provide. Craft beers and cask ales are leading the way.” The firm boasts cask ales such as Belhaven IPA and 80/- as well as keg products, including Scotland’s number one ale brand, Belhaven Best, while you’ll find their beers across the globe, exported as far away as Australia.

Gordon added, “By supporting the Dunfermline Beer Festival we are looking forward to giving drinkers from Fife and beyond the chance to sample a selection of our fine ales.” The beer festival, with the Press once again media sponsor, has been going strong for more than a decade with dozens of cask ales from across the country attracting a loyal following.

And if ale ain’t your thing, there’s also an increasingly large selection of wines and ciders meaning there’s something for everyone.

Both nights feature live music with local bands creating a great party atmosphere while the quieter Saturday afternoon session is a chance for beer connoisseurs to enjoy all the ales on offer and, this year, there’s an additional tasting event courtesy of Belhaven.

The event raises thousands of pounds for local charities and good causes and last year passed the £200,000 mark.

Craig Smith, the chair of Dunfermline Round Table, said, “We are very much looking forward to what we hope will be another successful beer festival this year and are delighted with the continued support of Belhaven as our main sponsor.

“We have been raising money for both local and national charities for over 10 years now and with the help of the public who come along in their droves to support this great event year after year, we really hope this will prove to be one of our best years for charitable donations yet.”