More than 1,300 turned out to enjoy the 33rd Dorchester Beerex and raise around £18,000.

The incredibly popular event had people queuing down High East Street when it returned to the Corn Exchange at the weekend.

Organisers, West Dorset Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) and charity partner Dorchester Casterbridge Rotary Club, decided to support Dorchester Youth and Community Centre as the festival's principle charity, which also benefits from £2,090 from the on-going raffles over the weekend.

From the festival's inception in 1988 to date, more than £225K has been raised.

Ellis Ford, Dorchester Beerex committee chairman, said: "After a year with no Beerex, we didn't know how successful the event was going to be. It's been a tremendous success and we are very pleased with how well it's gone.

"We are grateful for all the support from local businesses in these difficult times and looked forward to Beerex 2023."

More than 1,300 customers, barrel sponsors and volunteer staff attended the weekend festival over four sessions, sampling 80 cask ales and 21 ciders and perries, with representatives of Palmers Brewery in Bridport, the festival's main sponsor, in attendance.

This year's entertainment came from local musician Jack Daniels with an accompanied acoustic set on Friday night, while Saturday night welcomed Dorchester/Weymouth band Fluke.

This year's customer voted beer of the festival was won by Christchurch brewery Drop the Anchor, which took the vote with its rich, smooth, hazelnut and chocolate flavoured Breaking Glass Porter.

Neil Hodgkinson, owner and brewer at Drop the Anchor, said: "This is amazing news and really means a lot to me after the past few months, I'm really made up."

Following in a close second was the collaboration brew from Cerne Abbas and Copper Street Brewery with their un-hopped Old English ale recipe.

Rich Gabe, of Dorchester Beerex, said: "It's always a fantastic credit to local brewers when they win awards and in these changing times, it's great to see public acknowledgement to local breweries and small businesses."

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