I felt it appropriate this week to swerve the usual beer review and instead showcase a few beers on parade at next week’s Burnley Beer Festival (September 5-7) I have selected a quality, quaffable quintet for you to sample at the festival – three local brews and two excellent tipples from outside the locality which you may not have had the chance to sample.

Blackburn brewer Three B’s Knocker Up porter is exceptional. Smoothly rich, roasted flavours, with subtle chocolate notes. Full, deep flavoured and finely balanced – it ticks all the boxes!

We now head east to the Burnley-based Worsthorne Brewing Company. Colliers Clog is the selection – and it is appropriately named! Plenty of ‘clog’ here. A strong 5.5% pale ale,with a good depth of citrus flavours. Robust, zesty and thirst quenching. A well balanced ale, with a light, bitter hopped finish.

Over th'hill we go now, in order to complete the local treble, to Rossendale Brewery. Their 'Sunshine' golden ale is the 'full monty', in my opinion. Lightly hopped, it has a consistent citrus flavour. It is robust and refreshing and has a long, dry finish and a mildly spiced aftertaste.

I felt I had to mention my favourite beer of the 2012 festival – and it came from north of the border. The Stewart Brewery 'Edinburgh Gold' is not to be missed. Full-flavoured excellence from this refreshing, gold coloured ale. Fruity smooth citrus flavours are in charge here, and it has a subtle bitter hopped finish.

Finally, it's nice to conclude with a good old, full-flavoured, strong bitter. Step forward, the Goose Eye Pommies Revenge. It's a Premier League slurp in my opinion, straw coloured, mildly sweet and malty smooth. Quite zesty for a robust beer, with a subtle tainted, citric aftertaste.