HAWKSHEAD Brewery is gearing up to start work on a special tipple that will help celebrate The Westmorland Gazette's 200th anniversary.

Matt Clarke, head brewer at the Staveley-based business, will begin to make the 'Wezzy Gezzy' pale ale on Tuesday (March 20).

Mr Clarke explained that he had taken into account that the beer, which he will be using two hops to make, would largely be sold in the Gazette's patch.

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"We've gone for a four per cent pale ale," he said. "A nice lower ABV (alcohol by volume). It fits in well with the biking, walking and tourism around here. It's something nice to drink in the afternoon, not too strong."

It will take approximately two weeks for the beer to be made, of which there will be 3,200 litres - equivalent to 75, nine gallon casks and close to 6,000 pints.

Mr Clarke explained that the hops he was using would bring fruity, tropical flavours to the beverage.

"We're going to bring out summer with this hopefully," he said. "We could do with moving away from minus two.

"It's going to be accessible. It should be nice, not too much bitterness just something everyone can enjoy as much as they enjoy the newspaper."

Although it is anticipated that the beer will mainly be available in the Gazette's patch, it could well be that it finds itself in pubs and bars around the north west.

Started in 2002 in the barns of Hawkshead's Town End Farm by former journalist Alex Brodie, the brewery's first pint was sold at The King's Arms in the village.

Since then, the brewery has gone from strength to strength, employing 25 staff and most recently announcing that a £3million expansion plan would see a new state-of-the art facility built at an industrial site in Flookburgh.

"We're so passionate about where we are and the provenance that we have here," PR manager for Hawkshead Brewery Michelle Gay said. "And I think that's very much a part of The Westmorland Gazette too, we share that ethos.

"We are very passionate about where we are. It's so inspiring where we are."

The beer should be available to the trade market from Easter Monday (April 2) and so far is set to be on offer at The Beer Hall at Hawkshead Brewery, Kendal’s New Union and Masons Yard, the Station Inn at Oxenholme and Tweedies in Grasmere.