An amateur brewers club is kick-starting its festival to raise money for staff of the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH).

Norwich Amateur Brewer's (NAB) annual festival is back once again after two years away due to Covid.

Ashley Carr, one of the founding members of NAB, said: "We're really pleased we can start up the festival again.

"The club was disappointed about the last couple of years - we were raising money for hospital staff and the incredible job they did during Covid.

"Thankfully we can now raise the money while also showcasing how good homebrewed ale can be."

Mercy Kaggwa, fundraising co-ordinator, said: "Any fundraising received from the beer festival will be allocated to support staff welfare, which could include building works, soft furnishings, equipment etc."

The NAB's festival is an annual charity event with food, entertainment and, most importantly, beer.

The event is being held at the Coachmakers Arms, in St Stephen's Road and is sponsored by Wild Craft Brewing, based in Coltishall Road.

Ashley added: "You buy a ticket to cover the event and it gives you access to our wide range of beers and ales on offer.

"You can try up to a third of a pint for each and get an opportunity to taste how good home brewing beer can be.

"We brew with all the same grain as the major labels so I don't think people will be disappointed."

With the event due to be held on June 11, things are starting to ramp up now for Ashley and his club cohorts.

He said: "This is a big event for us because of the last two years so we're really keen to maximise our efforts.

"The beer-making scene is wildly respected in Norfolk and has helped us grow the club to around 60 members - something we're very proud of.

"When making the beer yourself you understand the subtleties of how things work.

"It's something I'm really keen to get back after a couple of years away and we're looking forward to people who may have missed out before getting an opportunity to see us."

Want to try homebrewing? Here's some tips and tricks.

* Buy a good home kit - they've come a long way since homebrewing began and good ones can be from around £20.

* Cleanliness is key - when making beer, everything has be clean and sterile, otherwise the beer could become infected and is then no good to anybody.

* Looking after ingredients is essential - keeping things like malt in airtight containers and making sure everything is being kept at the correct temperature will help keep the beer crisp.

* Always have an extra sachet or two of dried yeast that can be used on a moment’s notice if the first pitch of yeast fails. If there are no signs of yeast activity within 48 hours then it has likely not worked.

* Keep it simple - find a few recipes that are appealing - whether that's through books or just by looking on the internet.