Brewery honours Rebus

Caledonian brewery is celebrating 20 years of Scotland's famous fictional detective Rebus by launching a beer with a secret ingredient. To honour the...

Caledonian brewery is celebrating 20 years of Scotland's famous fictional detective Rebus by launching a beer with a secret ingredient.

To honour the 20th anniversary of crime writer Ian Rankin's Inspector Rebus, a new brew, Rebus20, will be available in August. Deuchars IPA will also be branded "Rebus's favourite pint" in selected pubs in 2007.

Rankin and Caledonian head brewer Dr Robert Burton have added a secret ingredient to Rebus20 which they claim will confound most beer enthusiasts. The challenge to identify the ingredient will begin at the Great British Beer Festival at Earl's Court from 7 August.

"Like Inspector Rebus, I have been drinking Deuchars IPA for more years than I can actually remember," said Rankin. "I don't think I've ever had a bad pint of the stuff."

Caledonian head of marketing Chris Marsh said: "No small amount of craft and artistry go into brewing Deuchars IPA, so for a master like Ian Rankin to recognise its qualities and immortalise it in print is an honour."