Sheffield is preparing for an influx of brewers, licensees, beer lovers and brewing suppliers next week when the city hosts SIBA’s first-ever BeerX, a celebration of British beer.

One week ahead of the start of BeerX on March 13, a total of 600 industry delegates have signed up for the event. They include brewers attending the SIBA AGM and conference, suppliers exhibiting at the associated trade show, licensees and industry colleagues, as well as the speakers addressing the conference on Industry Day (March 15).

SIBA has invested in a major marketing programme for the BeerX Festival of Beer, which runs from March 14-16. Extensive coverage in local press and CAMRA magazines, advertising on bus shelters and beer mats in hundreds of pubs have put the event on the map with beer lovers in and around Sheffield.

Live music from well-known local bands has also proved an attraction, and around 500 advance tickets have been sold so far.

The BeerX Festival of Beer will be the biggest in the UK to serve keg as well as cask and bottled beers, offering an extensive range of styles. All the beers in SIBA’s National Beer Competition Finals will be available in Sheffield, with the announcement of the winners taking place at the event.

Julian Grocock, SIBA chief executive, said: “We’re delighted with the way BeerX is looking. We have an outstanding speaker programme for Industry Day and a series of interesting, informative seminars for Members’ Day. Coupled with the opportunities it affords for networking with other brewers, licensees and suppliers, this promises to be the best-ever SIBA Conference for our members.

“The BeerX Festival of Beer, a new element for this year, looks set to be like no other beer festival, thanks to the diversity of beer styles that have been offered by SIBA brewers from all over the country. We’re delighted that we have been able to translate our very successful regional beer competitions and festivals into this national event.

“We are confident that BeerX will deliver on our vision for the event when we first decided to hold it, over a year ago — a celebration of British beer that captures the diversity, passion and innovation of the UK’s local brewing industry.”

SIBA BeerX runs from March 13-16, at Ponds Forge in central Sheffield.

This blog post is not by Wobbly Wallet but originally appeared on Beer Today: http://beertoday.co.uk/?p=12713