REVELLERS knocked back 13,000 pints of beer and cider as the Chappel Beer festival steamed into the East Anglian Railway Museum.
The five-day event featured more than 200 ales and ciders from across the country.
Organisers sold more than 2,700 tickets, with some sessions selling out.
This year's souvenir glasses featured the Class 309 Clacton Express train, which is being restored by the museum.
Brendan Southcott, of CAMRA and the East Anglian Railway Museum, said: "It's been much cooler this year, but the turn-out has been great and beer sales have been good so we're really happy.
"We've got 201 beers this year. The furthest away is probably from North Yorkshire and the Pennines, and Cornwall, but we've got a lot of local ones as well from East Anglia.
"There's been an explosion of small breweries in East Anglia. There's a huge range of beer styles, strengths and locations - it's great."
Chris Turley, from Earls Colne was at Chappel with pet pomsky Leia, dad Mike and Nigel Thomas.
Chris said: "We've been coming since Covid. It's Leia's fourth year here and she's really enjoying it."
It was a return to Chappel for Colchester pals Tony Bland and Scott Parker.
Tony said: "This is my first time since Covid."
Scott added: "I haven't been for a while but I used to come years ago."
Tony Payne, from Clare, and Terry Regan, from Maldon, were also enjoying the real ales at Saturday's session.
Tony said: "It's my first time here. I'm usually at the Great British Beer festival but that was cancelled."
Terry said: "I've been a few times before - it's always a good event."
Mates Wes Westcott, from Wickham St Paul, and Bart Hume, from Halstead, use the beer festival for their annual catch-up.
Wes said: "I've been doing the festival since I was in short shorts!"
Nina Crouchman's Rowhedge-based Pie and Pud stall was a big hit with festival goers, who could also enjoy picnics in the museum's Restoration Shed.
She said: "I've been sold out every day by 5pm. I just did Friday last year but it was so popular they wanted me back for the week.
"People have been really pleased to see me."
Clacton CAMRA's John Lucas was a volunteer at the festival.
He was joined by granddaughter Sarah Levy, who runs the Great Spoons of Ilford pub.
Sarah said: "I love it here - the venue's great. It's got an olde worlde feel and a nice atmosphere."
Alanna Rodrigues journeyed up from London to the festival.
She hit the cider bar wearing a pirate hat bought at a previous festival.
"I came with a friend - it's my third or fourth time here," she said.
"It's been a bit of a trek. I got the train to Witham, then the bus replacement service, and then the train from Marks Tey, but it's been totally worth it."
Beer buff Charles Leach, 69, from Braintree, has been keeping a book of the ales he has tasted since 1980.
He now has tasting notes on an astonishing 6,622 beers.
"There were 201 beers here and 42 I hadn't had before," he said.
"I've been here all week trying those, and my wife Wendy has done all 32 ciders.
"I write the beer name, brewery, strength and a rating out of 10 in my book.
"I don't drink lager or anything like that. It's got to be real ale - and the darker the better."
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