The 5pm Dining blog is fond of a beer or two but we still find the thought of more than 170 different beers rather intimidating.

Beer fans who are made of sterner stuff will be flocking to the Scottish Real Ale Festival over the next three days to sample some 170 real ales plus a couple of dozen more ciders and perries.

Taking place at the Corn Exchange in Edinburgh, the CAMRA event opens today and keeps pouring until Sunday evening.

Entry is £6 (£4 for CAMRA members). This will get you a badged glass, souvenir programme and, for the first time, free admission to all subsequent sessions on presentation of your glass.

Beer from around Scotland

The festival offers beers from all corners of Scotland.

From Peebles in the Borders, Ale House Rock have brought Rock the Cas’bar bitter to the party while Wooha in Nairn are showing their 5%ABV Porter which is described as having a ‘sweetish chocolate smoky taste with a coffee background’.

As the craft beer craze has gained momentum, the beers on offer at real ale festivals have calmed down considerably on the wacky name front.

Where once the pumps were packed with names such as Sheepshagger’s Gold or Auld Jock’s Strap, the names now tend to be more descriptive.

Think along the lines of East Coast Pale or Tushkar Oatmeal Stout rather than anything that might make a schoolboy snigger.

Food and music

Having said that, out interest was piqued by the offering from the Old Worthy Brewing Co. Called Leither’s Cure for Scurvy, it is a whisky-infused marmalade pale ale from the Borders.

As always, there will be plenty of hot and cold food on offer along with entertainment from folk musician Andrew Gordon; the Caledonian Pipe Band and the Rab Howat Band.