KENDAL beer drinkers will soon be able to sup on a pint that has been made with hops grown in the garden of a popular local bar.

Ronnie Mullin of The Factory Tap grows the essential beer ingredient in the garden of his Aynam Road establishment.

Mr Mullin used to grow hops in the Winster Valley but relocated to the garden three years ago.

The flowers, which include Goldings, Fuggle and Hallertau, are used by Bowness Bay Brewing to create the Swan Verdi beer.

"We will probably be picking the hops a week on Sunday and they will go straight up to Bowness Bay Brewing and Richard will brew the same day because it's important you get the green hops nice and fresh."

Mr Mullin anticipates that they will get about 18 nine gallon barrels from the five kilos of hops.

"We get a group of our customers together and they pick the hops and they can taste the results about a week later," he said.

He said that it was 'very unusual' to grow hops 'this far north' because the climate was not idea but they had been successful.

The beer will be on sale from September 28 at The Factory Tap and Mr Mullin anticipates that it will sell out within a fortnight.

"It's best described as a fresh green apple type flavour," he said. "It goes down really well."