REAL ale experts from both sides of the Atlantic have collaborated to create a special edition beer in North Yorkshire.

Rooster’s Brewery in Knaresborough welcomed the team from Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project, based in Massachusetts in the USA, to brew a new beer called Saint Robert.

The American company is headed by Martha and Dann Paquette. They met in the United States, but Martha is from Yorkshire and they lived in Harrogate ten years ago, when Dann worked at Daleside Brewery.

He remained in touch with Oliver Fozard, now head brewer at Rooster’s, and they decided last year to team up on the beer, and produced it just before Christmas.

Saint Robert is due to go on sale in bars from next week. It is named after Robert Flower, who was born in 1160 and was renowned as a wise and holy man who cared for the poor and needy, but who lived a life of near solitude on the banks of the River Nidd in Knaresborough.

Tom Fozard, commercial manager at Rooster’s, said the beer uses six malts, two English hop varieties and Belgian candi syrup, and said it would display “a subtle spiciness, dark fruit flavours and a residual sweetness.”