A pint of Ripper is twice as strong as a typical ale and has just beaten more than 200 contenders to be named the champion winter beer of Britain.

On a cold January night you need something to keep out the chill - and a Lowestoft brewery has just the thing.

A pint of Ripper is twice as strong as a typical ale and has just beaten more than 200 contenders to be named the champion winter beer of Britain.

The Green Jack brewery at the Triangle Tavern in Lowestoft is the country's most easterly brewery, and is also no stranger to prizes. Last year its Orange Wheat was voted top beer at the Norwich beer festival. But this is the first time the brewery has won a national prize, which was bestowed by a panel of judges at the CAMRA National Winter Ales Festival in Manchester.

At the festival, which finished on Saturday, judges described it as "a light-coloured beer brewed as a homage to Belgian trappist ales, with sweet notes and a strong hoppy flavour".

Technically Ripper is a barley wine, a term used to describe a strong, rich and slightly sweet ale. It is brewed with English Challenger hops as well as a Slovakian variety called Styrian Goldings, and has been made by Green Jack for more than 10 years.

Organiser Steve Prescott said: "It's great to see a barley wine win the competition yet again. I sincerely hope people will be inspired to try this fantastic beer style on the back of Green Jack's victory."

Green Jack head brewer Tim Dunford said: "We have won awards with it in the past but to win champion beer of Great Britain is really something else. We weren't expecting that.

"It probably stood out because of the flavour and condition that we get in our beers.

"This is absolutely incredible. All my life it has been my ambition to win a national award for my beers and I can't believe it has happened."

Mr Dunford also owns the Locks Inn in Geldeston, near Beccles, where supplies of Ripper have completely sold out since news of the award.

He said that at 8.5pc alcohol, it was best to enjoy it in moderation.

"We do sell it in pints but most people will order a half," he said.

Ripper was the supreme champion beer of Britain, while the runners up were Fuller's London Porter and Orkney Skullsplitter. Another local beer, Old Style Porter from St Peter's Brewery in South Elmham, near Bungay, won a bronze in the stouts and porters category.