REAL ale buffs flocked to Minehead’s Duke of Wellington pub for the launch of its 12-day beer festival last Wednesday (March 6), which is now offering a range of 15 real ales, including five from overseas brewers.

The 12-day festival, which ends on March 17, showcases brews from Germany, USA, Belgium and Italy, as well as vegan beers and several brands brewed especially for the event.

As well as featuring a range of different malt and hop varieties from around the world, there are also beers that include chocolate and vanilla in their ingredients…. and all at a bargain price of £2.49 a pint.

Connoisseurs are enjoying a line-up which includes Spring Frenzy (Daleside Brewery), Grizzly Bear IPA (Shepherd Neame), Disco Macaw (Redpoint Brewing, Taiwan), Crafty Fox (Hook Norton Brewery), Bite the Bullet! (Oakham Ales), and Bingo Lady (The Lost Abbey Brewing Company, USA).

Also on tap are Chocolate Ale (Leikeim Brewery, Germany), Parts and Labour (Rooster's Brewery), Germain (Brouwerij De Bock, Belgium), Roasted Nuts (Rebellion Brewery) and Falstaff (Birrificio Gregorio, Italy).

Pub manager Nathanial Leader said: "The festival is a great celebration of real ale.

"It is allowing us to showcase a selection of superb beers, including those from overseas, over a 12-day period, all at great value-for-money prices.

"We are delighted to provide our customers the opportunity to enjoy beers which have not previously been available in the pub, as well as those brewed specially for the festival."

Three third-of-a-pint tasters are also now available for the price of a pint.

Tasting notes on all beers are available in the pub as part of the festival’s magazine - a digital version can be found on the Wetherspoon app and website - and all ales are now available to order at the bar or via the Wetherspoon app.