A CHARD brewery has created a limited edition ale exclusively to celebrate the upcoming Yeovil Show.

Produced at the Tapstone Brewing Company, a microbrewery located in the village on the outskirts of Chard, the Yeovil Show Ale has been crafted using the first hops grown in the county for 100 years.

However, beer fans should get in quick, as a spokesman said just 60 cans of the exclusive ale will be sold at the show.

The cans will be sold in the Somerset Lawn section, a new attraction showcasing the finest names in in food and drink from across the county.

The Tapstone Brewing Company was founded three years ago by ex-head brewer James Davies, of the nearby Dawkins Ales brewery.

He said: “The hops used for the Yeovil Show Ale and which were planted last year, were ordered from the USA as a trial programme to establish whether hops grow well in Somerset.

“The answer is that yes they do. As such, those that were harvested will form the basis of a new and exciting genus of Somerset hops.”

The ale, a six per cent full bodied English IPA, carries a fruity citrus blast with a richly satisfying malt base.

Harvested hops will be planted into the ground imminently in the hope they will excel in growing for the second time around, producing more beer.

The ale is made with the first Centennial and Polaris hops to be successfully grown in Somerset for a century.

It is hoped that the experimental brewery will expand in the coming months, with owner James highlighting ambitious plans to double production, open a Brewery Tap for local Chard residents and introduce a modern hop breeding programme into Somerset.

Sam Mackenzie Green, event director of The Yeovil Show, said: “This ale is a perfect example of a small business really pushing the boundaries and doing something completely unique. We can’t wait to try it.

“The Yeovil Show is all about celebrating local Somerset businesses and their dedication to their craft.”

With only 60 cans of the ale for sale, those who will miss out on a taste of the curious new drink at the Yeovil Show, can alternatively taste the Tapstone-brewed Sea Monster, a fruitier ale with a smaller 4.2 per cent volume.

For further information about Tapstone Brewery Ales, visit www.tapstone.co.uk.

For more about the Yeovil Show, visit www.yeovilshow.org.