COMMUNITY-owned pubs have teamed up to brew their own pint to sell across the county.

In what is believed to be the first initiative of its kind anywhere in the UK, the recently-launched network of community pubs has worked with local brewer Oxbrew to create ‘Community Endeavour’, which is now on sale.

Described as a ‘hoppy, slightly malty’ amber beer, and only 3.9 per cent alcohol, it has been designed to be supped with friends in the welcoming surroundings of a local watering hole.

The beer was launched at the Red Lion in Northmoor, yesterday and is now on tap at community-owned pubs across the county.

Pubs network spokesman, Graham Shelton, said: “This is a brilliant opportunity for community-owned pubs to put something back by providing a really good brew uniquely available to their own local community.

“You’ll be amazed what a good feeling it is to be welcomed into your local, and now you can top this off by being able to drink your very own exclusive beer.”

The beer’s pump cover has been designed to show drinkers the locations of all community-owned pubs on a map of the county.

The pub network includes the Ampleforth Arms in Risinghurst, the White Hart in Wolvercote and the Bull in Great Milton – all saved when members of the local community rallied around to purchase them.

Serving as a one-stop shop to help people involved in community pubs to work together and share ideas, the network’s newest member is the Crown in South Moreton, recently bought by villagers.

Mr Shelton said any connotations with the Oxford-based detective show Endeavour were a happy coincidence and the name of the beer was chosen more to reflect the coming together of local people with a shared goal.

Oxbrew will now create seasonal beers for the network to reflect the environment in which they are being drunk.

Started in 2016, the brewer, based in Enstone, is one of several micro-breweries to have been started in Oxfordshire in recent years.

Mr Shelton said the partnership was a win-win, particularly because these brewers can struggle to get their products into the majority of pubs because they are tied to particular breweries and limited in the stock they can order.

He added: “The alliance between community-owned pubs and small local breweries like Oxbrew is a natural fit.

“It shows that when people come together, they can resist the march of big business and create something which local people can be truly proud of.

“With 15 pubs a week still closing around the UK, this is a critical time for local people to pitch in and support their local pubs.”