A Gloucestershire brewery with a history dating back to 1865 has sealed the deal on a collaboration which will see the company produce a traditional beer with famed Wiltshire firm Arkells.

And by using water drawn from the business's local Cotswold source, the two companies are celebrating a literally "Swell" deal.

Donnington Brewery, near Stow-on-the-Wold, makes beers which are sold through its chain on 20 pubs in the Cotswolds, as well as through retail and online channels, its permanent draught beers being BB, SBA and Cotswold Gold.

Ahead of this week's announcement, the brewery, which is at Lower Swell, has been fermenting a plan with Swindon brewing icons Arkells - and the result is a seasonal beer which, the companies say, "represents the culmination of a shared passion for quality brewing and showcases the craftsmanship and heritage of both breweries".

John Arkell, director of Donnington Brewery, said: "This collaboration has been a remarkable journey for both of our breweries. It has allowed us to blend our rich brewing traditions and create a beer that is truly unique. The Donkels cask lager is a testament to what can be achieved when two historic breweries come together with a shared vision. We're excited for beer lovers to experience this blend of classic and contemporary brewing techniques."

A brew team from Arkell's Brewery in Swindon joined forces for the project with the team at Donnington, where they utilised the renowned spring water to mill, mash, and boil the beer.

Mr Arkell added: "The Spring water (or in brewing terms 'liquor') is drawn from the spring beside the mill pond and is known for giving Donnington beers their signature taste."

The unfermented brew was then transported to Arkell's Brewery, where it underwent fermentation using their specialist lager tanks and house lager yeast.

The result, the firms said, is "a remarkable 4% ABV cask lager, known as Donkels—a nod to the German Dunkel style and a play on the breweries' names. This beer is characterized by its light, refreshing, and crisp profile, its sweetness, and its depth of flavour, all complemented by a soft condition from natural cask carbonation, rather than forced carbonation from CO2."

By blending the unique qualities and brewing traditions of both breweries, they added that collaboration has resulted in a beer that stands apart from anything either has produced on their own.

Alex Arkell, Head Brewer at Arkell's Brewery, added: "We're excited to bring this new cask lager to customers. The collaboration with Donnington has allowed us to explore a new flavour brew while honouring our rich histories. Joining together with not only a fellow Independent Family Brewer, but my brother, has been wonderful.

"The combined expertise of Arkell's and Donnington, boasting a collective 340 years of brewing heritage, has produced a beer that is both traditional and innovative. Mixing an ale malt with a lager yeast has created a hybrid that my brother John and I are extremely proud of."

The new brew will be available at participating venues in August.