The Newcastle Brown Ale brand has been used to reinforce a bid to make the region where it is brewed a cultural leader for the country.
A total of four million specially-printed bottles of the drink known locally as "broon" or "dog" have been produced to back Newcastle and Gateshead's joint bid to win European Capital of Culture status in 2008.
The special edition of Britain's biggest-selling premium bottled ale went on sale yesterday as part of the North- East's bid to beat stiff competition for the title from across the UK.
David Clelland, the Labour MP whose Tyne Bridge constituency covers Gateshead and Newcastle, said: "It's fantastic to have the world-famous brand of Newcastle Brown - the One and Only - backing the Newcastle Gateshead bid.
"It's a hugely successful worldwide brand with its roots in Tyneside. This is a great way to promote Newcastle Gates-head as the one and only contender for the title of European Capital of Culture 2008."
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