Oldest Brewery to go interactive at Earl's Court

Britain's biggest and best beer festival goes interactive next month at Earl's Court when the oldest brewers in the UK, Shepherd Neame, bring their brewing beer exibition to the great British Beer Festival.

Visitors, guided by staff from Shepherd Neame's visitor centre, will be able to touch, taste and smell the raw ingredients which go into beer. You'll be able to see the difference in colour, taste and aroma of the different malts - and find out the effect they have on the beer.

Shepherd Neame, famous for its Kentish hops, will be bringing hop bines from its home county and planting a mocked up hop garden, so people can see how these vital plants grow - as well as learn about the process of harvesting, processing and final use in making beer.

A special clear fermentation tower will also let visitors see how yeast works in the wort.

Shepherd Neame have come up with the fantastic idea of putting a glass viewing window on the end of a cask, which will let beer fans see exactly what happens inside a live barrel of conditioned beer as it settles out. The privacy of a beer engine has been similarly ignored and a cut-away version will show just how beer gets from the barrel to the bar.

Great British Beer Festival 2009, Earls Court, London, August 4^th-8^th

FESTIVAL OPENING TIMES

Tue 4th August: 5.00pm to 10.30pm
Wed 5th, Thu 6th and Fri 7th: 12noon to 10.30pm
Sat 8th: 11.00am to 7.00pm

FESTIVAL ADMISSION PRICES

Tickets can be purchased from the See Tickets hotline (0844 412 4640) or from the GBBF website at gbbf.camra.org.uk/tickets

Advance Day Tickets, £6 (CAMRA members) / £8 (Non-CAMRA members)

Advance Season Tickets, £20 (CAMRA members) / £23 (Non-CAMRA members)

Tutored Tastings, £11 (CAMRA members) / £12 (Non-CAMRA members)

Day Tickets (on the door), £8 (CAMRA members) / £10 (Non-CAMRA members)