As England takes on Australia in The Ashes, on the cricket field, a different battle is taking place Down Under.

East Anglian Daily Times: Sales of Adnams beers Ghost Ship and Broadside are growing in Australia and now low alcohol Ghost Ship, in cans, is being exported Down Under as well. Picture: SARAH GROVESSales of Adnams beers Ghost Ship and Broadside are growing in Australia and now low alcohol Ghost Ship, in cans, is being exported Down Under as well. Picture: SARAH GROVES (Image: Sarah Groves)

A Suffolk brewer is taking on the Aussies on their home ground by shipping beers to Australia.

Adnams' Ghost Ship and Broadside beers have been bowling over our great friends and rivals, with sales increasing every year.

Ipswich businessman John Royle, who spent 12 years in Australia, said: "Australians love their beer, the drinking culture is very much like ours.

"Fosters isn't the biggest beer. Each state has its own popular brewer, so in Western Australia it is a beer called Little Creatures.

"Australians tend not to drink pints, but midis or half pints because it gets too hot.

"Beer has to be served cold, and golden.

"I'm not surprised Adnams beers are selling well there. Craft beers are also growing in popularity.

"Here I like a pint of Adnams or a Ghost Ship."

Now Adnams' low alcohol Ghost Ship beer is winging its way around the world and has now reached Australia.

So how will they take to an almost alcohol free alternative?

Mr Royle said: "Australians have alway had a light, mid strength beer which has been popular for a long time.

"So long as it travels well I think the low alcohol Ghost Ship will go well.

"Australians do like Pom beer, and there are a lot of Poms living in Australia too."

The low alcohol Ghost Ship Citrus Pale Ale can now be bought in cans from convenience stores, and on-line, Down Under.

Sales of the low alcohol Ghost Ship have been soaring in the UK and it is now available as far as Australia and New Zealand, the Czech Republic, France and Chile.

Adnams has been exporting full strength Ghost Ship Citrus Pale Ale 4.5% abv and Broadside to Australia for the past seven years.

Low alcohol Ghost Ship, which was launched last year, is a recent arrival down under and is 0.5% abv (alcohol by volume).

Fergus Fitzgerald, head brewer at Adnams, said: "Ghost Ship 0.5% is a quality beer which retains all the flavours of Ghost Ship but with almost all the alcohol removed. There are various ways to create low alcohol beers, but most of the methods either involve changing the recipe, brewing methods, or altering the flavours.

"We are using a very clever piece of kit which allows us to brew our Ghost Ship as normal but then send a batch to our brand new de-alcoholisation equipment. This uses reverse osmosis which removes most of the alcohol via a permeable membrane under pressure and a low temperature. It's all very high tech magic allowing our Ghost Ship to sail away free from alcohol but remaining full of its original flavours and aromas."