MORE than 150 beer and cider drinkers attended the 2nd Kennet and Avon Brewery Beer and Cider Festival on Saturday.

They enjoyed a wide range of 14 different beers and 10 different ciders at the brewery behind Victoria Motors at Melksham.

Brewery manager Malcolm Shipp said: “We were very busy and the festival went extremely well. We had a full range of beers and ciders on tap, plus guest ales, and brewery tours.

The event also featured a pop-up pizza station and live music from acoustic blues player Ian O’Regan, and local musician Jamie R Hawkins.

The Kennet and Avon Brewery, established four years ago, relocated to its present home opposite the Asda store in Melksham twoyears ago.

It brews a wide range of beers, ales and stouts for clubs, pubs, farm shops and cafes within a 60-mile radius.

Head brewer Dave Martin produces up to 5,000 pints a week, including the popular Pillbox, Brassknocker, Foxhangers and Crofton IPA.

Other beers in the Kennet and Avon Brewery range include Bruce, Caen Hill Hop, Dundas, Rusty Lane, Savernake Stout and Wilcot Wide.

Malcolm also co-owns The Vaults public house in Devizes and the brewery is hoping to expand its pub chain with further local acquisitions.

“We’re always on the look-out for more pubs and are in the early stages of talks to acquire another one,” said Malcolm.

The rest of the team at the brewery includes his fiancée Karen Davis, and Ian Johnson, who works part-time.

The brewery supplies outlets as far afield as Reading in Berkshire, Gloucester, and Somerset.

It is currently operating a crowd funding appeal to raise £25,000 to buy more equipment, including a cask washer and conditioning tanks. So far, they have raised more than £10,000.

Anyone who wishes to support the brewery’s appeal should log onto www.crowdfunder.co.uk/kennetandavonbrewery