A Grantham micro-brewery is making 2,000 bottles of beer for crew on board the Royal Navy's Fleet Flagship, HMS Queen Elizabeth.

Newby Wyke Brewery has been asked to supply its 6% HMS Queen Elizabeth golden ale, originally created to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

The brewery received an e-mail requesting bottles of the beverage last month in time for the Royal Navy's largest and most powerful vessel ever constructed to set sail later this month.

Christine March, wife of owner and brewer Robert, told Grantham Nub News: "The story started when an ex-naval serviceman took a photo of one of the HMS Queen Elizabeth pump clips in the Nobody Inn in Grantham.

"They sent it to a senior member of the crew who was working on the HMS Queen Elizabeth.

"The Royal Navy got in touch to ask if we could provide a barrel for the ship's christening, but we couldn't get it to them at such short notice.

"But we sent a photo and they presented us with the ship's coat of arms.

"That was in April 2014 and we forgot all about it.

"Then, in June, I came into work to find an e-mail form an HMS Queen Elizabeth senior officer asking if we could provide bottles for one of the messes."

Robert has always supplied cask ale and never intended bottling his brews.

But, it was a request he simply couldn't – and wouldn't – refuse.

"We have been brewing yesterday and today to send it off for bottling on the 12th in time for delivery before the ship sails.

"It's a tight schedule, but so exciting and such an honour.

"Robert is pulling out all the stops.

"It's a big deal for a small brewery and Robert is especially keen to support our armed forces," explains Christine.

Robert's family has a long seafaring history, with both his grandfather and great-grandfather having been trawlermen.

In fact, the company is named after a 178ft Hull steam trawler on which his grandfather worked.

"Providing beer for HMS Queen Elizabeth is a lovely thing for the family.

"In a way, it's as if Newby Wyke is back at sea and Robert's granddad would be so proud," adds Christine.

A Royal Navy spokesman confirmed that the ship had ordered beer from the brewery: "Royal Navy ships can order whatever brand of beer they wish to stock their messes.

"HMS Queen Elizabeth has not commissioned this beer to be produced, it has been in production for several years."