CHOCOLATE lager is being created in a partnership between a Sussex company and a brewery.

Montezuma's Chocolate has joined forces with the Hogs Back Brewery to launch the 4.5% brew.

The Chichester chocolatier, with a shop in Duke Street, Brighton, has been working on the concept for six months, testing a range of methods of production and styles of beer.

Simon Pattinson, the founder of Montezuma’s, said: “As projects go, beer and chocolate is probably about as good as it gets.

“It is one of the few chocolate lagers in the world and definitely a challenge to the perceived wisdom.

“Be prepared to open your mind to a lager that flies in the face of convention.”

The original plan was to produce a dark chocolate ale but, surprisingly for its makers, a much lighter lager seemed to carry flavour the best.

Brewing its produce in Tongham, Surrey, Hogs Back is also known for a beer called TEA.

Mr Pattinson added: “The head-on collision of a famous British beer-maker and innovative chocolate-maker has been as exciting as it has been rewarding, with results that taste as good as the pedigree should suggest.”

Chocolate can cause problems in the brewing process as it cannot be added directly to the beer because of the fat content.

Montezuma’s decided to use its popular Lordy Lord chocolate bars and, to combat any issues arising in the process, infused it carefully before gently extracting it.

Rupert Thompson, owner of Hogs Back Brewery, said: “We have not ended up quite where we expected to – you would intuitively think a dark chocolate beer would be dark; this isn't, and that makes it quite intriguing.

“It will also be interesting to match it with foods – chocolate puddings are notoriously difficult to complement with wines but could work very well if this lager were added to dessert menus.”

The Montezuma’s shop does not have a licence to sell alcohol but the beer is available from its website – www.montezumas.co.uk – and other national stockists.

The chocolate lager, in 33cl bottles, retails for £2.