It might be dry January but a Farnham group is draughting up plans to roll out the barrel in spring.
Preparations for the 47th Farnham Beerex are taking shape with the first pint of the three-day event being pulled at the Maltings on April 10.
Farnham Lions and Camra are joining forces to convert the venue into a temple of booze with the event featuring more than 80 real ales and ciders.
Around 60 keg beers, pilsners and lagers will also be available along with a selection of low and no-alcohol drinks and plenty of street food options including vegan and vegetarian options.
Wunderbar! These 2024 Beerex punters got lost on their way back from Oktoberfest… (Farnham Lions)
The final list is subject to change but visitors will find local favourites from the likes of Hogs Back and Tilford breweries along with tipples from afar as Cornwall and the Scottish islands.
Feedback from last year’s event was “universally good” according to Phil Williams with the Lions and their drinking buddies deciding not to tinker with a winning formula.
He said: “It’s pretty much the same festival with more than 80 real ales and 60 keg beers as that’s proved very popular during the last three years.
“It’s a work in progress but we’ve got beers coming in from all around the UK, all the way from Wales and Orkney.
“But there are local favourites like Hogs Back and Tilford and you have to have them because they do phenomenally well – we sell more Hogs Back TEA than anything else.
Farnham mayor, Brodie Mauluka, made his debut on the stage at Beerex with band Brobed Stils in 2024. (Farnham Lions)
“We start off with a list of 120 to 130 beers and then start to whittle them down because not everything is available and things change. But one proviso is that is has to taste good.”
Beerex not only provides real ale drinkers with an outpouring of joy, but it’s also the toast of many local good causes as it’s has raised more than £1million for charity since 1977.
It’s also becoming something of a hot gig for local bands with demand skyrocketing for a place on this year’s bill.
Local favourites the Farnham Brass Band (FABB) and Something 4 The Weekend are returning this year for the Saturday afternoon and evening sessions, respectively, while TR5’s and Sleeping Dogs will make their bow on Thursday and Friday.
“We’ve been inundated with people saying ‘can we play?’ and we even had a call from a guy in Kent recently,” added Mr Williams.
“We’ve added him to the very long list for 2026, but I don’t think we’re going to struggle to get acts any time soon.”
Organisers have already sold plenty of tickets to megafans with some claiming to have been ever-presents since the first pint was pulled amid a year of jubilee celebrations and punk.
Early bird tickets for the 18-plus event are now available but are selling fast for the Saturday evening slot.
Sessions will take place from 6 to 11 on all three nights with 11am to 3.30pm slots on Friday and Saturday, for tickets and more details visit www.farnhambeerex.org.uk