The glass that cheers - and Tesco seems to like it a lot as well

Arundel Brewery, based on Ford airfield, has beaten off stiff competition to win the supermarket's regional Drinks Awards, meaning that bottled ASB, or Arundel Special Bitter, will soon on sale across the south east.

Jeremy Owen, director of the brewery, which was set up in 1992 and started producing bottled beers in 2005, said: "We are delighted to have won the award. It is hugely important to us, from a business sense, as well being proud of our beer."

He added that another Arundel beer, Prizefighter, had made it into the top 15 of a similar competition run by Sainsbury's.

The company has ordered 20,000 bottles of the best bitter, which will

be on sale in the stores, and the public will vote for the best two.

"It is a really, really exciting time for us here. Especially as we are so small, there are only five of us."

He explained that smaller breweries were enjoying a surge in popularity.

"It is great to think that craft brewing is becoming more and more interesting, not just to the public, but with retailers as well.

"You can go and get national beers any where, but people want beer from smaller breweries."

Philippa Anderson, local sourcing marketing manager for Tesco said the awards were all about supporting the smaller, local producers and "bringing exciting new products to our stores."

"We are delighted to have found Arundel's ASB, a wonderful regional beer full of character, and we look forward to helping the brewery have a very successful year".

ASB will be available from Tesco stores across the south east from Monday (April, 28), priced at 1.69 a bottle.

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