THE man whose brewing skills guided former Oxford brewery Morrells for years has died at the age of 93.

Head brewer Louis Gunter was taken on at the now defunct Lion Brewery in St Thomas Street in 1937, after an introduction by an old school friend.

He rose to become head brewer, a director of the firm and widely respected throughout the brewing industry as a master of his craft.

During his long career, he masterminded popular real ales such as Varsity and special commemoration beers such as the one he produced in 1983 to mark the 300th anniversary of the Ashmolean Museum.

During the Second World War, he served as a pilot with Bomber Command, flying 52 missions.

He also taught the highly decorated pilot Leonard Cheshire to fly Lancasters.

After being shot down over northern Germany in 1944 he spent nine months as a prisoner of war.

A calm and reserved man, family members say he very rarely spoke of his captivity.

After the war he returned to Morrells, leaving briefly to study brewing in Birmingham.

He retired in 1984 aged 68.

The brewery itself closed in the late 1990s and the buildings in St Thomas Street were converted into flats in 2004.

In 1949 Mr Gunter married Helena Joyce. They settled in Cumnor Hill and went on to have three children.

His daughter Catherine McMullen said: “Although it was often said he was everything you would want a British Armed Forces gentleman to be, really the war was just a small part of his life.

“The rest of his life was brewing, going to church, bringing up a family, digging the garden, and making friends with people.”

He is survived by his children and seven grandchildren. The funeral was held last Friday.