ANYONE who loves their beer will tell you that a couple of pints can make you want to break into song.

Now two York-based fine ale organisations, York Brewery and niche market bar and restaurant group Market Town Taverns, which opened Brigantes Bar & Brasserie, Micklegate, last month, have joined forces to provide a specially-commissioned brew for people who enjoy a pint with their Puccini.

Brigantes, named after the Celtic tribes which controlled northern England before the Roman invasion, is now serving a beer from York Brewery called Siegfried's Sword.

It is part of the campaign to raise funds for Leeds Grand Theatre's Transformation appeal, which aims to restore the theatre to its former glory and create a permanent home for Opera North - the region's only professional opera company.

Market Town Taverns' managing director, Ian Fozard, and operations director Gil Richardson are both opera lovers who aim to raise £10,000 for Transformation with a programme of opera events, and are donating 25p for each pint of Siegfried's Sword sold towards the appeal. Siegfried's Sword will be available until mid-April.

Ian Fozard, who founded Knaresborough-based Market Town Taverns seven years ago, said: "York is well-known for its love of the arts and music so we are delighted to have opened Brigantes and to have joined forces with York Brewery to create our latest 'opera beer' in support of Transformation.

"Siegfried's Sword is a very good ale which will go down well with beer lovers in the city."

Updated: 10:26 Wednesday, March 22, 2006