THE battle to be crowned East Anglia’s best beer will be decided at Harwich and Dovercourt’s winter ale festival.

The award has been judged at the event inrecent years and festival organiser Richard Oxborrow believes it is a real coup for the tradition to continue.

“We are delighted that the judging for CAMRA’s Champion Beer of East Anglia is to take place at the Harwich Beer Festival,” he said.

“The beers have to be in prime condition for the judging and it shows that CAMRA is aware of how well the beers are looked after and presented at the festival.”

Judges will not know which beers have made it to the final and will blind taste the ales in front of the crowd at Kingsway Hall on Friday December 6 at 1pm.

The festival is open from 5pm until 11pm on Wednesday and 11am to 11pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and the theme is Harwich for the Continent.