“IT’S MORE like a beer festival in a bar.”

Mikha Rai, the co-owner of Overdraft, believes the unconventional watering hole really stands out from the crowd.

It opened on Winchester’s Jewry Street last October.

He said: “We’re finally finding our feet.”

The Winchester bar is the second Overdraft, with the first opened by father and son team Mikha and Amrik Rai in Shirley, Southampton, three years ago.

Mikha said: “I got into real ale a few years ago.

“So when we went to the football on a Saturday we started having real ale instead of lager and would go to the Butcher’s Hook in Bitterne.

“We were inspired by the great community vibe and atmosphere, so we decided to try and do something similar but put our own spin on it.”

The Overdraft has a selection of 16 kegged beers, porters and ales, as well as two ciders, from breweries across the UK, plus a wide selection bottled beers and cans that change every three to four weeks.

“We wanted to have people try as many craft beers as possible, so we only have one regular beer as sort of a gateway, and they all cost about the same.”

This summer the bar is planning a series of ‘tap takeovers’ which will see breweries from across the UK showcase their range of ales in the bar.

As well as a wide selection of craft beer, the Overdraft also serves a range of Mexican street food including wraps and tacos, and has a big focus on live music, with DJs and bands regularly playing to help build the festival-in-a-bar vibe.

“We wanted live music to be a big part of it.

“To try and make a place where you can have a great night out and carry on the festival vibe.

“I think it’s gone down well.”