A TWO day ale-lovers extravaganza offering some of the best brews from across the borough is back as the much loved Bury Beer Festival returns.

The two day celebration of Bury's pioneering breweries is heading back to The Met this November, and organisers are promising this year's event will be bigger and better than ever.

More than 100 beers are expected to be available on cask, keg, bottle and can at the festival, including from craft breweries Deeply Vale and Silver Street Brewing Co from Bury, Brewsmith and Irwell Works from Ramsbottom, and Brightside Brewing from Radcliffe.

There will also be a specialist cider bar and a gin and spirits bar run by independent Silver Street shop Kwoff, offering unique spirits from around the globe.

Victoria Robinson, CEO at The Met, said: “We’re delighted to host Bury Beer Festival at The Met again this year.

“A lot of hard work goes into the festival, but it’s a brilliant way to get people to use and experience our building in a unique way.

“We want the festival to shine a light on the brilliance of our local breweries, who should be a real source of pride for the town.”

All of the festival's feature brewers from the borough began life as microbreweries and the passion projects of hardworking craftsman which have now seen their dedication pay off with their brews enjoyed far and wide across the country.

They will be joined by many other yet-to-be-announced guest breweries alongside a series of Meet the Brewer sessions.

Drinkers can put then put the ales to the test and vote for Bury's Beer of the Year ­— won at the last two festivals by Irwell Works' one-of-a-kind Marshmallow Unicorn Stout.

Festival organisers have also lined up an lively mix of music, DJs and entertainment which will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Food at the event will be on offer at The Met's own Automatic restaurant and the recently re-launched downstairs Wanderlust bar to keep festival goers fuelled throughout.

The festival will run from 12pm to 6pm on November 8 and 9 and advanced tickets are available now from themet.org.uk/event/bury-beer-festival-2019.