Filby in Bloom launches namesake beer

FOR 10 years it has relied on its wonderful flowers and delightful plants to fight off envious floral rivals to be crowned the best kept village in East Anglia.

FOR 10 years it has relied on its wonderful flowers and delightful plants to fight off envious floral rivals to be crowned the best kept village in East Anglia.

But now Filby, near Yarmouth, has unveiled the latest weapon in its budding armoury - a tasty and fruity pint of bitter.

The organisers of Filby in Bloom have launched a namesake beer to ensure the village retains its green crown this summer.

Sales of the 3.8pc citrus aroma beer will be used to fund the floral campaign and if Filby wows the Anglia and Britain in Bloom judges, the bitter is sure to flow.

But Adrian Thompson, chairman of Filby in Bloom, said he would not be plying the judges with the ale.

However, he admitted he would have liked to have had the beer last year when Filby was told it could not have hanging baskets for health and safety reasons.

Mr Thompson said: “You could say we all needed a stiff drink last summer.

“We decided to launch a Filby in Bloom bitter as it gives us another unique selling point to bring to the attention of judges.”

About 1,000 bottles of the Filby in Bloom bitter have been brewed by Carlos and Lesley Branquinho of Yarmouth's Norfolk Square Brewery.

Mrs Branquinho said: “Our bitter is a fun product and that fits in perfectly with the aims of Filby in Bloom.”

The bitter was brewed using English hops and local water and Norfolk malts from Branthill farm near Wells.

>Bottles at �1.95 are on sale at Filby Post Office.