THE revival of Sunderland's own distinctive variety of brown ale has scored another success.

Double Maxim, back in production after a year-long lapse following the demise of Vaux Breweries, is to be available in bars at Sunderland AFC's Stadium of Light.

The club, formerly sponsored by Vaux, will be selling Double Maxim in the function suites, private boxes and the sports bar at the stadium.

Double Maxim Beer Company director Doug Trotman, a former Vaux board member, was delighted to restore the link between Sunderland's football team and favourite beer.

"It's brilliant news. We've got Double Maxim back at the stadium and we are doing really well in other areas, with sales picking up nicely."

Mr Trotman and business partner Mark Anderson, another former Vaux director, bought the rights to the name Double Maxim from Whitbread, which took over Vaux parent company Swallow after the brewery closure last year.

They used the expertise of Vaux head brewer, Jim Murray, who worked for the brewery for 32 years, to come up with the traditional Double Maxim flavour.

It was relaunched in September and the company has since tied up deals with Pubmaster and Enterprise Inns pub chains, as well as store group Safeway, to stock the bottled beer.

Maxim Ale was first brewed in 1901, to celebrate the safe return of Major Ernest Vaux from the Boer War in South Africa, where he led a maxim gun detachment.

Vaux increased the strength in 1938 leading to the present title, Double Maxim. It underwent several changes in strength during the post war years, but disappeared from the shelves when Vaux closed in July 1999.

Mssrs Trotman and Anderson were two of the quartet who unsuccessfully attempted a management buy-out to keep the brewery operating.