NEW brewer John Taylor is celebrating after one of his ales was voted the best by visitors to a pub beer festival.

John Taylor, of No Place, near Stanley, County Durham, built the Beamish Mary Inn, in the village, into a haven for beer lovers when he owned it from 1987 to 1999, winning a Campaign for Real Ale pub of the year award.

He now pulls the pints at the Sun Inn, in the nearby Beamish Inn, and has recently bought The Clarendon, in Sunderland, and started his Bull Lane Brewery.

One of his ales, East End Light, won the Beamish Mary's FA Cup, which has been awarded for the most popular ale in its annual festival in the past few years.

Current landlord Graham Ford said the brew was the first to sell out on a weekend when all the barrels of ale on offer were drunk dry.

Mr Taylor said: "I'm over the moon. I was really pleased to be voted best in festival. I am using my own recipes.

"To get the tastes you are looking for takes experience and there is no book that can teach you that. For people to say they like what I'm doing is a really big help."

Mr Taylor is selling six of his own brews at The Clarendon and is getting interest from other real ale pubs in the area.

"I've got a beer called Nowt's the Matta that will be on sale at The Crown Posada, in Dean Street, Newcastle, from Wednesday," he added.