BEERS similar to Newcastle Brown Ale could soon be brewed in Russia.

Scottish and Newcastle has announced plans to build a £35m brewery there as part of a joint venture with Carlsberg, of Denmark.

The brewery is expected to go on line early next year.

Carlsberg said the jointly owned company, Baltic Beverages Holding (BBH), has a market share of about 33 per cent in Russia, and new production facilities and extra capacity was needed to increase growth.

The brewers plan to do this by building new plants and expanding existing facilities in the country.

The new facility will take the number of BBH breweries in Russia to nine.