Pub owners are gearing up for Carlisle Beer Festival, which starts today.

The festival is running for 10 days across nine different pubs.

The Boardroom, The Joiners Arms, The Sportsman Inn, The Howard Arms and The Apple Tree are all taking part.

The King's Head, The Milbourne Arms, 301 Miles and The Griffin are also involved.

The event is centred around real ale, which all pubs are selling.

Many of the pubs are introducing new beers for the festival.

Amanda Picken, licensee at The Sportsman Inn, is excited.

She said: "Hopefully we get some more people in. We’re advertising it, we’ve got some more beers, hopefully we get some people in to taste them.

"I’m putting on Oakham Ales’ Inferno. It’s a pale ale, a hoppy blonde ale with an aroma of grapefruit.

"Hopefully it will go well, it’s the first time we’ve tried it."

The Sportsman Inn will also be selling Timothy Taylor's Landlord and Wainwright's The Golden Beer.

They usually have Wychwood's Hobgoblin Gold Beer, but the Inferno will be taking its place for the duration of the festival.

The festival usually takes place in one venue, with lots of different beers on offer.

Due to the pandemic, the usual organisers, Solway Campaign for Real Ale, decided to encourage people to visit pubs instead.

Dianne Irving, landlord at The Howard Arms and The Milbourne Arms, liked the new set up.

She said: "I think it’s a great idea. I think it’s fantastic that they’ve actually put it into pubs this time.

"Given the last 18 months that’s a recognition of the fact that pubs still need that little bit of help and a boost.

"We’re delighted to be taking part and are delighted that they’ve organised it in that way."

She thinks that it will be quite popular.

"There’s a growing interest in craft ales and real ales throughout the country. I think people can see what we’ve got on and that all the pubs have gone out the way to put something a bit different on, out of the ordinary."

The Milbourne Arms is taking advantage of the festival to provide some new options for potential customers.

Dianne said: "We’re also starting to stock a lot of craft ales, very different craft ales. We’ve put in a new fridge just for that.

"On Thursday November 5, we have a food and beer pairing night too."