Mr Facer could produce up to 5,000 pints a week if he continues to expand

David Facer has set up Facer's brewery in Flint three years after leaving the post of head brewer at Manchester's Boddington's.

At the moment his micro brewery produces around 1,500 pints a week but he hopes to double production within a few months and recruit assistants.

Around 15 pubs and restaurants across north Wales are selling his beer.

Mr Facer has had a long career in the brewing industry but is delighted to be finally producing his own brand.

"I started my working life in a brewery at Wilson's in Manchester in 1976. I joined Boddington's in 1991 and eight years later I was head brewer there."

It's the secret dream of every brewer to have their own Dave Facer, master brewer

"It's the secret dream of every brewer working for a big company to have their own. I'm very fortunate to have been able to realise it," said Mr Facer.

At the moment he has three fermenting vessels in his brewery, with each batch taking a week to mature.

"It takes about a day to brew the beer and another six days to ferment and cool down. I could produce up to 4,500 to 5,000 pints a week."

Trendy beer

Mr Facer has had strong support from local members of the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra).

His current brew AB Bitter, is named after Alan Banks from Holywell, the treasurer of the Vale of Clwyd branch of Camra, who has been assisting in the brewery.

"I offered to help out in any way I could - not realising how much involvement I was going to have in the end, said Mr Banks.

He's an enthusiast for the new beer: "It's an excellent pint. I had a few in the Blue Bell Inn in Halkyn and it's really very, very nice".

Facer's is part of a growing trend towards smaller micro breweries in Britain. Beers with distinctive flavours and characters are becoming fashionable.

More varieties of real ale are available in the UK than at any time since Camra was launched in 1971.

Around 80 new breweries are listed in the Good Beer Guide 2006 - almost twice as many as last year.