A NORTH Yorkshire brewery is using a traditional trade route to ship one of its beers to ale lovers in Scandinavia and Russia.

The 60ft Thermopylae Clipper has set sail across the North and Baltic Seas carrying a variety of ales, including Imperial Russian Stout from Masham’s Black Sheep Brewery.

The vessel is retracing an 18th-century trade route by which a strong version of British porter was shipped to Russia, where it became a favourite of Catherine the Great. The 2011 voyage has stops at Copenhagen, Stockholm and Helsinki before arriving at St Petersburg on June 18.

Black Sheep’s managing director, Paul Theakston, and brewer Phil Douglas will join the crew for the leg from Sweden to Finland.

Brian Smith, the brewery’s director of sales, said: “Our head brewer really rose to the challenge when we asked him to produce an Imperial Russian Stout.

“He has produced a wonderful beer which is 8.5 per cent alcohol content – you have to drink it very carefully and give it a lot of respect.” The voyage is the idea of the organisation Brilliant Beer, which aims to raise the profile of the British Isles.