THE 27th Newcastle Beer Festival will be serving up over 100 varieties of real ale and cider later this week.

Beers from High House Farm Brewery, in Matfen, Northumberland, will be launched at the festival, staged at Newcastle University Students' Union.

Festival spokesman Martin Ellis said: "The festival is one of the biggest and most successful in the country."

Opening times are: Wednesday, 6pm to 10.30pm; Thursday and Friday, noon to 10.30pm and Saturday, noon to 7pm. Admission is £2.50 lunchtimes and £3.50 evenings.