FARNHAM Beerex will celebrate its 40th anniversary this weekend, having raised almost £800,000 for charity since its inaugural event in 1977.

With more than 60 ales, stouts and porters to choose from, not to mention the ciders and perries, the Herald has picked out ten beers to try at this year’s festival:

* Frensham Brewery - Silent Flight (4.2 per cent abv): A red ruby ale brewed especially by invitation for Farnham Beerex’s 40th anniversary. A well rounded bitterness with a floral spice aroma and fruity hints.

* Hop Art, Blacknest - Ruby Ruby Ruby (4.4 per cent abv): Ruby red ale with a candied caramel sweetness and hoppy balance. Also brewed especially for Beerex.

* Swannay, Orkney - Scapa Special (4.2 per cent abv): CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain bitter silver medal winner. A good copy of a typical Lancashire bitter, full of bitterness and background hops, leaving your mouth tingling in the lingering aftertaste.

* Dancing Duck, Derby - Dark Drake (4.5 per cent abv, stout): Deliciously malty caramel liquorice flavours combine wonderfully in a smooth drinking velvety oatmeal stout with a freshly roasted coffee and tea finish. Won bronze at CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Britain awards.

* Little Beer Company, Guildford - Little Smooth (4.5 per cent abv, stout): A full flavoured milk stout. Aged in red wine barrels which adds a flavour reminiscent of a port stout.

* Langham’s, West Sussex - Lions Golden Pride (4 per cent abv): Specially brewed to celebrate 100 years of the Lions Club. A fabulously tasty, aromatic, generously hoppy, deep golden, cask-conditioned celebration ale.

* RCH, Somerset - Blackberry Slug (4.5 per cent abv, porter): A new version of the popular Old Slug Porter with added blackberry which shows up subtly in the finish.

* Charrington - Charrington IPA (4.5 per cent abv): One of nine beers on offer exhibited at the first ever Farnham Beerex in 1977. A pale copper colour with an aroma of earthy, piny and spicy hops balanced by nutty grain. Bitter hops dominate the palate with juicy malt and tangy fruit. The finish starts bittersweet but the finale is bitter and hoppy.

* Tiny Rebel, south Wales - Cwtch (4.6 per cent abv): Welsh red ale. Six malts, two US hops and weeks of love and attention go into making this beer. Champion Beer of Britain 2015.

* Binghams, Berkshire - Macchiato Stout (5 per cent abv): A mellow beer with dark malts that complement the coffee flavour.

Limited tickets are still available for the Thursday evening session, at the Farnham Maltings and online at farnhammaltings.com, but the remaining three sessions on Friday and Saturday are sold out.

In the words of the Herald’s advert in the original 1977 programme: "Your local newspaper wishes you good health and good drinking at Farnham Beer Exhibition. Get someone to drive you home!"