Today is International Beer Day, a global celebration of pubs, breweries and pints all over the world.

So, to mark the occasion reporter and piña colada connoisseur, Megan Carr, had high hops she could be swayed to the ale by some of Kent’s best brewery ambassadors...

I can’t lie, I am not a beer drinker. As a woman in my 20s I will always go for a fruity cocktail or gin and lemonade over a pint.

To many people’s disgust, I find beers, ales, stouts and bitters taste like manky pennies. Well, in vino veritas.

However, with today being International Beer Day I decided to bite the bullet and try to expand my taste buds.

And where better than in Kent – home to Britain’s oldest brewery, Shepherd Neame, and the first English hop gardens – created near Canterbury in 1520.

I decided to get a helping hand on my journey into beer via Sittingbourne’s biggest ale champions, its micro-pubs.

My first stop was The Paper Mill in Charlotte Street, run by Harvey Melia and his mum, Marianne.

The 31-year-old had promised their micro-pub, which has been running for nearly nine years, offers all kinds of crazy beers with all sorts of flavours.

He said if I couldn’t find a beer I liked at their place then it was safe to say beer wasn’t for me.

Filled with optimism, I was greeted by a very down to earth Harvey.

The micro-pub was filled with lots of fun memorabilia, awards and beer signs

Being just one room it also had a lovely intimate feel that made it feel very homely and comforting.

I knew straight away I’d come back another time, even if it was just for a glass of Coke.

Harvey said: “We sell fantastic local beers and even some from across the world.

“My mum and I started this when I was just out of university.

“We found this property at the right time. Its location means a lot of our customers are within walking distance.

“However because of the eclectic mix of beers we have, we do get a lot of people come and find us from all over the place, even America.”

Looking at the menu I could definitely see why drinkers were travelling from far and wide to sample the beer.

There was everything from Maidstone-based Goacher’s Silver Star Ale to Farm Yard Brew Pop-Up Pineapple Bomb pints from Lancashire.

The latter definitely sounded like something I could get behind, however it was the Vault City Dragon Fruit Calamansi, Huell Melon Hops that caught my attention.

Once Harvey poured me a half pint and the bright pink fizz touched my tongue I was obsessed.

It was absolutely gorgeous and tasted nothing like beer apart from a subtle hoppy after-taste – it was more like a fruity cider.

It seemed like a gorgeous choice for a warm summer’s day and I have to say I was rather impressed. The pint is definitely one I’ll be adding to my drinking list.

My next stop was The Yellow Stocks micro-pub along Sittingbourne High Street.

Landlady Sara Seabridge runs the business alongside her partner, Paul.

The 56-year-old said: “We’re very much about Kent.

“We only stock produce made in our county and that includes real ales and craft ciders, so there’s no sparkling or any gases involved.

“It’s all natural and that’s how we like it.”

The Yellow Stocks pub is another small establishment, brightly decorated with a comforting feel.

Sara was great fun and you can watch her pull pints through a glass door in the cellar.

However with more basic ales that have less of a fruity taste on the menu, I opted to try the Kent ciders instead.

Sara finished: “The atmosphere of a micro-pub is what gets people in.

"You might pay a little bit more, but you’re going to enjoy the beer and you’re going to enjoy the company.”

The final micro-pub I visited was Donna’s Ale House, another one in Sittingbourne, this time in West Street.

Run by Donna and James Hartridge, the free house opened almost five years ago.

James, 50, said: “We sell mainly Kent ales and buy from local Kent brewer groups with the occasional guest beer.

“Every beer is different, so although they look the same, the flavour and the taste will be completely different from one beer to another.

“So if you are out on International Beer Day and you want to come and try something different come and give us a visit.”

It was James and Donna who introduced me to the difference between pale ales, IPAs, blondes, stouts and bitters.

Who knew there was such an art to beer tasting?

After trying a Gadds’ HPA pale ale, a Brother Valley pale ale, a Wantsum Miller’s Mirth bitter, a Mighty Oak Brewery Gorgeous George bitter and a Wantsum Brewery Golgotha bottled stout, my decision was made.

Although these beverages weren’t on the fruity/floral side, I was much more appreciative of the flavour, and less repelled than I have been with mainstream lagers such as Fosters, Budweiser and Carlsberg.

My favourite were the pale ales. I can see myself quite liking something such as a Whitstable Blonde as well.

Surprisingly my next favourite was the stout. As it was bottled there was a slight fizz to it and the deep flavours gave it an almost smooth coffee after-taste.

My least favourite were the bitters – these were the ones that tasted most like the manky pennies I most feared!

Overall, I had a wonderful time getting out my comfort zone and trying drinks I wouldn’t usually touch on a night out.

If International Beer Day has taught me anything it is to try something new.

After all, Kent is home to Shepherd Neame and Mad Cat Brewery in Faversham, Goody Ales in Herne Bay, Curious Brewery in Ashford and many, many more.