A BEER specialist is toasting its first birthday with a one-off beverage brewed for the big occasion.

10 Beer Bottles, in High Street, Wivenhoe, marks its landmark date on Saturday, and is set to celebrate in style.

The bottle shop, which specialises in beers and ciders from Essex, East Anglia and from elsewhere in the UK, has teamed up with Ipswich’s Briarbank Brewery to brew a special beer.

It provides masses of different beers for all pint-lovers to sip and enjoy in the town centre.

The new beverage, entitled Wivenhoe Trail Pale Ale, is a classic English golden ale based on the pale ale recipes Ken Shales provided in his iconic Brewing Better Beers book from the 1960s.

Sammie Ife, of 10 Beer Bottles, said: “We have used a trio of fantastic English hops - Harlequin, Jester and Olicana - to give a balanced malt body with a fruity finish.”

“We will have it in bottles from this weekend.”

The beer will be available to buy on tap at the High Street shop for this weekend only, but can also be purchased online or in bottled form in the shop.