Britain’s premier beer festival will be returning to Olympia London from 2-6 August 2022 following a two-year hiatus due to social distancing measures and crowd restrictions during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The Great British Beer Festival (GBBF), now in its 45th year, will once again feature live beer from across the British Isles. New breweries will join stalwarts of the brewing industry in a collaborative effort to celebrate and showcase the very best live beer, cider and perry that Britain has to offer.

This year visitors can also sample some of the very best brews America has to offer, thanks to a cask beer exchange set up between the festival and the New England Real Ale Exhibition. This makes GBBF the sole destination to find cask-conditioned American beers – a rarity even in the United States itself, where keg is predominant.  

Tickets go on sale on next week. Entry is £20 and visitors will receive a souvenir glass, programme and two half-pints to kick off their day of beer tasting. VIP and corporate ticket packages are also available. 

Organiser Catherine Tonry said: “Circumstances outside our control have seen hundreds of beer festivals cancelled across the country over the last two years, so the return of the Great British Beer Festival marks an incredibly positive turn for the beer industry and beer drinkers alike. I think we can all raise a glass to a new chapter of great beer and comradery in a post-pandemic world.” 

She added: “Regular visitors to the festival may notice some small changes to the layout this year due to ongoing improvement works at our venue, Olympia London. Our organising group has worked incredibly hard to put on a good show this year, and we are confident we won’t disappoint!” 

Find out more at gbbf.org.uk