Fat Lass Preserves creates new Mackem Chutney, infused with Double Maxim in collaboration with Sunderland's Maxim Brewery - here's how to win one of five pots

North East businesswoman Bridget Deane has been building a loyal following with her Fat Lass Preserves business which makes chutneys, jams and marmalades with a twist – often including an alcohol infusion.

A regular at artisan food markets where she sells a chutney made with Newcastle Brown Ale, she’d been asked by customers about a Mackem version.

Bridget said: “I’d been asked by a few customers about a Sunderland version so I went on the hunt for a Sunderland brewery and was delighted when I found Maxim Brewery who are based right here in Sunderland and have so much history in the city.

"There were a few delays because of Covid, but I launched the chutney last weekend at a fair and the response was great, I was delighted as you never know how it’s going to go down until the public taste it.

"It’s got a real sweet apple taste, with a serious chilli kick – and you can really taste the beer. It would be perfect with a cheeseboard and a pint of Double Maxim.”

The Proper Mak’em Ale & Apple Chutney is made using Double Maxim, one of the Rainton Bridge-based brewery’s most popular products.

Mark Anderson, managing director at Maxim Brewery, said: “This is the first time we’ve done something like this, but we’re always keen to support other North East businesses. It’s a great way of getting our brand out there too.

"Double Maxim is a very quaffable beer. It’s strong, but also quite sweet so it works really well with the chutney. Perfect to watch the match with a beer, a scotch egg and some cheese and chutney.”

Maxim’s brews were brought to a new audience over the lockdowns when they offered a drive-thru beer service.

Mark said: “We were really busy with the drive-thru and it really helped to keep up us going when the pubs were closed and to keep the yeast alive. It seems to be increasingly popular to shop local, people realised over lockdown how important it is to support the local economy and businesses.”

Maxim was set up nearly 20 years ago by Mark and colleagues from Vaux to rescue the Wearside brewery’s beers, including Double Maxim, when it closed, as well as those of its Sheffield sister brewery, Ward’s.

:: The Proper Mak’em Ale & Apple Chutney is priced £3.99 a jar and is available at shops in Sunderland including Carmichaels in Seaburn Dene and the Sunshine Co-operative in High Street West, as well as online at www.fatlasspreserves.co.uk

Win

We’ve teamed up with Fat Lass Preserves to give away five jars of Proper Mak’em Ale & Apple Chutney, as well as five bottles of Double Maxim.

To be in with a chance of winning a jar and a bottle of each, answer this question: who originally brewed Double Maxim?

A:: Vaux

B:: Coors

C:: John Smith’s

Email your answer, along with your name, address and DOB, to Katy.Wheeler@jpimedia.co.uk by Monday, May 23.

You need to be aged 18 or over to enter.

Usual National World competition rules apply.