Dorchester's incredible brewing history will be celebrated this month in a week-long festival.

From Friday, February 18 to Sunday, February 27, the Dorchester Brewing and Distilling Festival will take over the town with a series of tastings, exhibitions, talks, poetry and drinks, launching with a weekend celebrating women in brewing and locally brewed drinks.

Dorchester has strong links with brewing dating back to the 18th century. In 1760, traveller Emmanuel Bowen noted that Dorchester was famous for "brewing the best and finest beer in England, whereof great quantities have been of late years exported and consigned to London".

For more than 100 years, the imposing Eldridge Pope brewery was one of the most important buildings in Dorchester and at the centre of the town's economy. The distillery closed in 2003, but brewing is once again thriving in Dorchester thanks to innovative new breweries, micro-breweries, pubs and distillers.

Award-winning brewster Emma Davies of Curious Kombucha, Fordington Gin's creator Ros Nelmes, and Ann Buckton from Copper Street brewery, will be hosting events and sharing their knowledge. Veteran news reporter, author and broadcaster, Kate Adie, is giving a talk, 'Women, War and the Pub.' It will look at how the face of the local pub changed in the First World War when they were run by women and when women were welcomed as customers.

Matilda Manley, of Dorchester Town Council, said: "This is not a traditional beer festival but a more modern celebration of brewing. There's a very fresh and creative drinks-making scene here with women at its core. And it's great to be able to shine the spotlight on them, hear their stories and sample their fantastic drinks."

Highlights of the week include:

• Tastings at Copper Street Brewery. Ann and Anthony Buckton established Copper Street Brewery in Dorchester in 2018, bringing brewing back to the town. Their family-run brewery, bottle shop and tap room is in the heart of Brewery Square

• Fordington Gin's creator, Ros Nelmes, will host Drinks in the Clinks at Shire Hall. Sample award-winning gin whilst exploring one of Dorchester's most historic buildings as Ros shares her expertise on gin

• Award-winning brewster Emma Davies worked for various Dorset microbreweries before her love of bold flavours, interest in foraged ingredients and fermentation led her to turn her knowledge of brewing to creating kombucha for her family. She'll be sharing her story and samples of her award-winning brand, Curious Kombucha, at Tom Browns pub

• There will be special temporary exhibitions at Dorset Museum and Keep Military Museum

• Those with an interest in poetry will be well-served at the Convivial Rabbit Micropub where, alongside sampling the excellent selection of local ales, they can also hear beer-related poems written by Dorset poet William Barnes

• Nostalgia buffs should pop along to Brewery Square to see the vintage Eldridge Pope Dray Van and join in with the brewery tour

A full list of events can be found here.

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