IN less than two weeks’ time you can Hop Forth and Guzz Ale in an Intergalactic Sin Bin while having fun and raising cash for charity.

With more than 55 beers on tap, you’d have to be Bonkers Conkers to miss this year’s Dunfermline Beer Festival, whose bar will be ready to open on Friday, October 6.

These are just some of the quirky and strangely-named ales that will be on offer at the annual event, backed by the Press as media sponsors and now in its 13th year.

Organised by Dunfermline Rugby Club and Dunfermline Round Table, proceeds from the festival are split in aid of the rugby club’s youth section and the Round Table, whose share is distributed to charities and good causes at a Dragon’s Den-style event every March.

With the popular event fast approaching, those behind bringing brilliant beers from around the country to the Glen Pavilion paid a recent visit to the Belhaven brewery, who are again backing the festival, to sample their offerings.

Dominic Collings, of Dunfermline Round Table, said: “Belhaven have been very good to us this year. They’ve donated dozens of beers in both barrel and bottle form.

“At their Dunbar facility, we got a great tour from Simeon Stewart, who showed us how Belhaven had perfected the process in making really cracking beer, and it’s amazing how enthusiastic all the backroom staff are about the brewing process. We even got to try a few samples at their on-site hospitality bar!

“Just like when picking a horse for the Grand National, people are always drawn to quirkily-named beers, so it’s great that Belhaven have beers such as ‘Bonkers Conkers’, and they’ll have some tester bottles of their new bottled beer ‘Intergalactic’.”

Not to be outdone, sponsors Broughton Brewery will be bringing the superbly-named ‘Hopopotomous’ and ‘Sin Bin’ ales, as well as a specially-brewed one in memory of former Round Table chair Brian Headrick.

As revealed in last week’s Press, they have produced the special edition beer to honour the “local legend” who played a big part in the festival, and glasses of ‘Brian’s Honky Tonk Ale’ are set to be raised in his honour.

Local brewers will also have the chance to showcase their beers to real ale fans, potentially for the first time, which represents an important opportunity in trying to break into the real ale market.

Among them include Rosyth’s Kingdom Brewery, which will offer its intriguingly-named ‘Hop Forth’ ale; the Craft Originale Brewery at Markinch, which will have its brew ‘Guzz Ale’ on offer; and the Fallen Brewery, based in Kippen, which will look to tingle tastebuds with its ‘Chew Chew’ and ‘New World Odyssey’ offerings, the latter of which is said to have a “fruity aroma and slightly spicy, citrusy flavour”.

If beer’s not your thing, then there will be 20 varieties of cider – including a Vimto and Irn-Bru-flavoured concoction from Waulkmill – available to try, as well as several wines.

Preparations for the much-publicised gin bar, in collaboration with the Eden Mill Brewery of St Andrews, are also nearly complete and Dominic added: “When we decided to do a gin bar we wanted to do it properly, so we’ve put a lot of time and effort into getting the set-up right.

“Different gins require various recommended fruit, of course ice and a quality tonic. This won’t be a half-hearted effort at a craft gin bar by any means!”

This year’s festival includes entertainment from Big Time, Sphere, The Silver Kings and Sid’s Garage.

Doors open from 5pm-1am on Friday, October 6, and from 12-4pm, and 7pm-1am, on Saturday 7.

With tickets selling fast – online sales alone have already passed the £4,000 mark – this year’s festival is shaping up to be one of the best and organisers are urging those interested to buy soon to avoid disappointment.

Tickets cost £10 and can be bought online at www.ticketweb.co.uk. or from a list of local businesses that can be found on the event’s Facebook page.