When it comes to satisfying a thirst for knowledge, few libraries in the world can hope to rival Oxford Brookes University.

The university is toasting the opening of the world's biggest brewing library, containing more than 3,600 books and journals about beer.

The first National Brewing Library will be on permanent loan at the university's Gypsy Lane campus, bringing together the collections of the Institute of Brewing, the International Brewers' Guild and the British Beer and Pub Association.

It also contains the extensive Whitbread Brewing Archive.

The oldest book in the collection, dating from 1676, is about beer taxes, and the most valuable work is a rare first edition of a study on fermentation by Louis Pasteur, the father of microbiology.

Guests enjoyed bottles of Oxfordshire-brewed ales Hook Norton and Wychwood at a special reception.

The university's Vice Chancellor, Prof Graham Upton, said the collection would complement the university's John Fuller Collection of catering, cookery and gastronomy literature.

The library will provide a reference resource covering the social and legal history of British brewing, the pubs and retail trade, and the science and technology of brewing.

Brookes was selected as it is one of only two universities in Britain with a large brewing research group.

Dr John Andrews, president of the Institute and Guild of Brewing said: "About one quarter of the collection does not appear in the catalogues of the British Library. It is an exciting new prospect."