There's nothing like a good honest British pint…especially one with a few oysters thrown in.

The Kent Beer Festival kicked off near Canterbury on Thursday, with more than 130 real ales and ciders from Kent and beyond on the menu.

But amongst the bounty of golden beers and robust brews on offer, there will be – as always – a few bizarre concoctions to tickle alternative fancies and ruddy the cheeks of even the most seasoned drinker.

For more on the beer festival visit www.kentbeerfestival

The top contender for strangest beer of the festival must be Shepherd Neame’s oyster stout, a 3.7 per cent dark brew made with real Whitstable oysters.

But don’t let the name send you running to the nearest Yates – festival organiser Gill Keay assures buyers won’t find bits of fish floating in their pint.

“The oysters are added to the stout at boiling stage, but it is obviously the fish is filtered out. Apparently it was the ‘Kentish’ way of making beer that went well with a meal of oysters.

“I’m assured it doesn’t taste fishy at all!”

Along side the sea-themed stout will be a pint to keep drinkers merry while helping them stay alert – coffee beer.

Brewed at Dark Star in Sussex, the 4.2 per cent Espresso beer is has freshly ground coffee beans thrown into the mix as it boils, and samplers testify to its distinctive taste.

“Once you’ve tried it, it’s difficult to go on to another beer,” said Ms Keay.

“It’s beautiful, very addictive.”

Hard drinkers won’t want to miss the challenge of the strongest British beer at the festival – the appropriately named Last Rites, which comes in at a skull-cracking 11 per cent.

There will also be the usual array of fruity libations to tempt non-beer lovers, including ginger beers, several honey brews, a raspberry offering and a refreshingly different lemon beer.

Ms Keay added: “We will have some foreign beers from France, Belgium, Germany, Poland and Czech Republic, and others from around the UK, but virtually all the beers will be coming from Kent’s 10 breweries.

“We sold out tickets for Friday night on July 3, but people are welcome at the rest of the session on Thursday, Friday daytime and Saturday.”