Island hops on beer festival bandwagon

Organizers oftheprovince's new beer festival hope todebut a beer using Island-grown hops.

The first annual Prince Edward Island Beer festival is scheduled for Sept.24,featuring more than 50 brewsincluding a number from the region.

Campbell Webster, organizer of the festival, says a new beer from P.E.I. should be readyin time for the event.

"We're talking to a group that's developing a new beer with hops grown here. So they've been working with great care over a fair number of years getting ready to launch a new beer," Webster said.

Patrons will be able to choose fromtwo tasting sessions, he said,featuring regional, national, international and micro-brewed beers.