A TOWN crier is raising the roof - not to mention a pint glass - over something brewing in Cleobury Mortimer.

The community rolls out the barrel today for 13 of the country's top beer connoiseurs due to visit Hobsons Brewery, of New House Farm.

One of the brews to be tasted by the Guild of Beer Writers during a two-day Shropshire "pub crawl" is Hobsons popular Town Crier.

Cleobury's own town crier Reg Chapman 'aled' the pint he downed this week as: "Oyez, fantastic!"

He declared it certain to tickle the tastebuds of the visiting team of experts who will include Roger Protz, editor of The Good Beer Guide.

Mr Chapman was also looking for any excuse to celebrate winning a Pride of Shrewsbury competition this month against 15 others for the best-dressed town crier.

Hobsons Brewery, founded in 1993 by father and son Jim and Nick Davis, turns out 75 barrels a week of real ale distributed to pubs within a 45-mile radius of Cleobury.

Housed in an old farmyard granary it was started out of their interest in home brewing and also because of Jim's experience as a licensee.

Winner of the Campaign For Real Ale (CAMRA) national bitter of the year award in 1997, Hobsons is among eight real ale breweries to be visited in an itinerary inspired by a Shropshire tourist initiative.