ALE enthusiasts and beer buffs sunk close to 4,000 pints at a beer festival in a Napoleonic Fort.

More than 900 visitors flocked to the Harwich across all three days of the fifth annual Redoubt Beer Festival despite interchangeable weather.

The event has become a firm favourite with visitors and residents and this year more than 60 real ale and ciders on offer.

Organisers the Harwich Town Brewing Company sold 3,200 pints of cask ale, 400 pints of cider and 150 pints of Kriek – a cherry flavoured Belgian beer.

More than 300 bottles of foreign beer were also snapped up with Odell St Lupulin – a 6.2 per cent blonde heavily hopped American tipple proving the most popular.

Spokesman Paul Mellor said: “Setting up a beer festival in Harwich’s Redoubt Fort is a big challenge but it is well worth it.

“The initial set up took 57 hours and knock down took 32 hours which is a lot of time considering the location is only a two minute drive from the brewery.

“Friday’s weather was appalling but a few brave souls stuck it out, Thursday was steady all day and Saturday afternoon was very busy indeed.”