CROWDS are flocking to Knavesmire in York today as the city's biggest ever beer festival gets underway.

The 2014 York Beer and Cider Festival is opening to the public at 5.30pm today in a huge marquee.

Organisers from the York branch of the Campaign for Real Ale say the event boasts Britain's longest bar, at more than 100 metres long. The event, which runs until Saturday, includes more than 450 beers from around 150 breweries, including hundreds from all areas of Yorkshire.

It will be officially opened today by Gary Verity, from Welcome To Yorkshire.

The beer of the festival, chosen this afternoon after several rounds of judging, was Comfortably Numb, a pale well-hopped ale by the B.A.D brewery, recently launched in Dishforth.

It is the second win in three years for Paul Holden-Ridgway, who previously ran the Knaresborough Brewery, which won first place with Milk Stout in 2012.

He told The Press this afternoon: "We are over the moon about it. I was confident it had a chance but the competition has got so much better this year, compared to last year and the year before. This festival seems to get better and better - and we are very happy!"

Wallop by Brass Castle Brewery in Malton won second prize, and Rudgate Brewery's York Chocolate Stout won third. The top three beers all won their individual category contests, and other category winners included Hop Studio XP, Brass Castle Snow Eater and Daleside Monkey Wrench.

The York Beer and Cider Festival runs from 5.30pm to 11pm on Wednesday and noon to 11pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Admission for the public is £3 on Wednesday, £4 on Thursday and £5 on Friday or Saturday, with a £2 discount each day for Camra members.

As well as B.A.D, other new local breweries at the festival include Little Brew, based at Clifton Moor, and Ainsty Ales, which is currently brewing in Malton but which is looking to open west of York.