Suffolk brewer Adnams has secured a deal to export its beers
Also, from February 2004, Adnams Broadside Original will be stocked in outlets of Systembolaget, the Swedish state liquor monopoly that controls the off-trade market.
Adnams' export advisor Peter Bannister remarked: "Broadside Original scored seven out of 10 in the Systembolaget tender, two points above the nearest contender.
This was an extremely high score and reflects the excellent quality of our beer, packaging and our strong sales story.
Our aim is to build a long-term sustainable and profitable export business in key markets around the world and we're absolutely delighted to have broken into the Swedish market in this way."
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Cains has received a special award from California raisin growers for using their produce in the Liverpool brewer's new Fine Raisin beer.
The California Raisin Administrative Committee has made Cains the first recipient of the California Raisin Innovation Award and cited the beer as an excellent example of how raisins can be used in food and drink manufacturing.
The citation reads: "Cains' labelling of the product makes it clear that they have chosen to include Californian raisins specifically because of their reputation for quality and taste as a major selling point, and that is fantastic news for us."
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Three pubs in Denmark have entered Marston's record books as being the only outlets to currently sell its cask ales outside of the UK.
As a direct response to customer demand, substantial volumes of Pedigree, Old Empire, Banks's Bitter and Original, Mansfield Bitter and Sweet Chariot have been shipped to the three bars.
Ian Russell, who runs two of the pubs, which are also Cask Marque accredited, wrote to WDB Brands pleading for the beers.
He wrote: "Marston's brews the finest cask pale ales in Britain.
Old Empire is the best IPA to come out of British brewing since the end of the Raj and I would just like to buy some for my customers please!
We have invested a small fortune in developing the technical side of storing and serving cask ales and have patented our inventions, so we are serious about the products we sell."
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Lakeland brewer Jennings has brought out a new winter ale Redbreast.
Head brewer Peter Laws has created the 4.5% abv ale using two English whole cone hops and natural coloured malt to give the beer its chestnut hue.
The brew was inspired bythe work of poet William Wordsworth, who was born in Jennings' home town of Cockermouth.
Sales and marketing manager Des Gallagher explained: "The robin is a common subject of Wordsworth's writings, in which it is often referred to as the Redbreast, and Jennings wanted to capture that character in the new winter cask ale."
* * * * * Indian beer brand Cobra has been used to create a spicy cod dish.
The dish, Punjabi Spiced Cod, is the work of chef Vivek Singh of the acclaimed Cinnamon Club in London and involves marinating cod fillets in a variety of spices and then lightly frying them in a batter made from Cobra beer.
The dish can be served with chips or a mint dip.
Singh commented: "Cobra works particularly well with dishes with full-on spicy flavours because its body can more than keep pace with these strong tastes."
Cobra's chief executive Karan Bilimoria added: "Bars and pubs are realising the importance of offering diverse menu items and emphasising the role of beer at the dining table."
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Brakspear has announced its winter cask ales programme.
Two brews are on offer Hop Demon and Oh Be Joyful.
Hop Demon is a 4.2% abv ale brewed with Maris Otter Pale malt, Crystal malt (for colour, body and toffee-flavoured sweetness), and Goldings hops, which are added three times.
Oh Be Joyful, which will be available in December, is a 4.8% abv ale made from Maris Otter Pale malt, Crystal malt and Black malt (for colour and complexity) and three varieties of hops Goldings, Fuggles and Styrian.
It is described as having wonderfully complex biscuit malt flavours and a tang of citrus fruit with a final dusting of bitterness.
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* Budweiser Budvar is reporting an increase in the number of enquiries by retailers in stocking continental oversized glasses.
The Czech brewer believes the interest has been stimulated by recent trade press reports that highlighted consumers' preference for the glasses.
Budvar offers half-litre and one-third of a litre glasses as standard.
UK operations manager Tim Marks remarked: "Until we introduced our new head keeper glass recently, all branded Budvar glasses used in 53 countries to which the brewery exports were made in one factory in the Czech Republic.
"This offered obvious economies of scale and, anyway, most of the countries involved were metric.
