The FINANCIAL -- Burton brewer and pub company Marston's has unveiled its plans to produce 12 single-hop guest ales for 2012 using exotic hops from around the world.

According to Caterer and Hotelkeeper, the company has already featured two of the beers - Wai-iti for January, and Galaxy for February. Each of the beers will be on offer in selected Marston's, Chef and Brewer, and Taylor Walker pubs around the country. Six or seven of the beers are also scheduled to be bottled and offered in supermarkets such as Morrison's.

The move comes in response to a growing trend among customers to look for different taste experiences, encouraged by the burgeoning cask ale market and the explosion in the use of more unusual hop varieties in the craft brewing scene. Traditionally, English brewers have stuck with the more traditional English hop varieties such as Fuggles and Golding.

Each monthly beer, brewed in Marston's Wolverhampton brewery, will follow precisely the same golden pale ale recipe and each will therefore be 4% ABV, allowing the characteristics of the individual hops to stand out.

Two of the hops, Wai-iti and Kohatu from New Zealand, are new to the UK brewing scene.

Related Stories

• Mixed fortunes in April for European hotel industry
• SA Brain enjoys increased turnover and profit but warns on tax burden
• Babco Europe launches Mickey Finn Apple Whiskey Liquor