AN INDEPENDENT brewery in Cirencester has been named official beer of the year by Fairford and Lechlade Business Club.

Corinium Ales, run by Lucy Cordrey and Colin Knight, was set up in 2012 and has since won a plethora of awards for its range of real ales.

Now FLBC has named the brewery as its official beer of the year.

“We wanted to encourage a local business which was highly innovative, and achieving a high profile” said chairman of FLBC Andrew Pywell. “This seems like something that could benefit both the brewery and ourselves."

The brewery's new title will be displayed on its beer bottle labels. The beers and ales are available at Cirencester Farmer's Market and a number of local pubs and independent off-licenses in the area.

Lucy from Corinium Ales said she and Colin wanted to encourage beer consumers to be a little more adventurous. The pair have experimented in the past by creating an elderflower beer, a mulberry beer and a pumpkin beer.

"Beer doesn’t have to be bland," she said. "There are several beer styles to experiment with. So usually there is something for everyone."

FLBC members are due to taste Corinium Ales’ beers at a special pre-Christmas tasting on December 10 at Fairford Football Club, when the official beer title will be launched.