ALE enthusiasts will be raising a glass to their favourite tipples at a 19-day beer festival in Wyre Forest.

The beers on offer at Ye Olde Crown Inn in Bridge Street, Stourport and The Penny Black in Bull Ring, Kidderminster, will include five brews from overseas, as well as award-winning ales, fruit and wheat beers and several brewed exclusively for the festival.

Among the more unusual tipples on offer will be Stone California Double IPA from the USA and Yo-Ho Tokyo Black from Japan.

Both beers are being brewed exclusively in England for the festival and have not previously been sold in British pubs.

Namyslow Original Plum Beer, from Poland, Ecaussinnes Cookie Beer, from Belgium and St Georgenbrau Keller Bier, from Germany, will also be available for the connoisseur drinkers.

Other beers on sale will include Caledonian Chocolate Drop, Batemans Spring Goddess, Wychwood Mad Hatter, Highgate Highland Whisky Ale, Harviestoun Old Engine Oil, Roosters Boneshaker IPA, Weltons Old Cocky and Mauldons Black Adder.

Jayne Bick, manager of Ye Olde Crown Inn, said: "The beer festival will have an international flavour and will give people the opportunity to enjoy a superb selection of beers, which are not normally available in the area.

"It promises to be a lot of fun and I am looking forward to welcoming customers to Ye Olde Crown Inn during the festival."

Customers will be able to sample any three of the real ales in special third-of-a-pint glasses for the price of a pint during the festival.

Tasting notes on all of the beers will also be available. The festival will run from today until April 14, with beers priced at £1.45 a pint.