Ale aficionados are transporting their wares to Aberdeen from as far away as Shetland and Sussex in preparation for the thirtieth Great Grampian Beer Festival.
The Campaign for Real Ale will host its most northerly event between Thursday, May 19 and Saturday, May 21 at Pittodrie where organisers are expecting to pour at least 14,000 pints.
The festival aims to allow drinkers to sample a wide range of beers with offerings from 70 different brands available during the three days.
The products range from darker stouts and porters to delicate milds, and from robust barley wines to light pilsner style ales as well as fruit and wheat beers.
The entry fee is £6 and includes a commemorative festival glass which can be taken in for later sessions.
The event runs from 3pm until midnight on Thursday, 2pm to midnight the following day and midday until 11pm on Saturday.
If, at any point during the event, people think they have over-indulged, they can hand in drink tokens which will be converted into cash and passed on to charities Befriend a Child and Instant Neighbour.
Richard Jones, festival organiser at Camra, urged people to drink sensibly and not to drive afterwards.
He said: “Although one of Camra’s most important campaigns is to highlight the variety of real ales available for consumers, we are also promoting responsible drinking and in particular the Don’t Drink and Drive message.
“We are delighted the local police have thrown their support behind our campaign and feel that printing the message on the glass is an easy but creative way of reminding people of the perils of drinking and driving.”