LAST weekend, the Tatton Brewery headquarters were taken over by ale lovers across Knutsford as they piled in to celebrate a special anniversary beer festival.

On Thursday, Friday and Saturday last week, the brewery opened their doors for a three day celebration of five years in trade.

There was a wide range of beers on tap, curated by the brewers themselves and accompanied by a few specially selected guest beers.

For those less appreciative of ale, Cheshire crafted Gannon’s Cider made a comeback and there was also wine available.

Gregg Sawyer "The event was a big thanks to the guests - and all Tatton Brewery's customers and supporters.

“Clichéd though it may be, we certainly couldn't do it without them. We were delighted so many came out to enjoy our hospitality and chat about the beer."

There was food available to purchase, including freshly made and cooked samosas from Daxa’s Samosa’s, which flew out of the kitchen and a range of indulgent burgers from Manchester- based restaurant, Splendid Kitchen, which roused plenty of interest from festival-goers throughout the evening.

But the star of the show was a special anniversary beer made by the brewery, called ‘VIPA’.

Tatton Brewery field-tested the beer themselves before releasing it to the general public last weekend.

The ale was popular amongst attendees, but at 6.3%, the strong drink came with the warning not to over-indulge.

The night proved to be very successful, with more people appearing throughout the evening to claim their two free ales, which came as part of the £6 entry price.

The Tatton Brewery will continue to put on their well-attended evening festival sessions, which occur once a quarter.

For more information about upcoming events, visit http://www.tattonbrewery.co.uk/WhatsOn.html