THERE are worse things to do for a living than tasting beer, but an Oxfordshire brewer says it’s a hard job.

Beer merchant Oddbins is advertising the unusual job to find out which ales it should stock.

Its latest beer, the Oddbins No. 2 pale ale, has been made by Compass Brewery in Carterton.

Head brewer Mattias Sjöberg, who founded the company in 2009, said: “It sounds like a great job. Having been on a beer tasting panel before in previous employment, as much as it’s good fun it’s a very difficult job.

“You have to review it not necessarily on what you like, but address it as a professional and take your own feelings away. If someone from Oxfordshire could get it that would be fantastic.”

The ale was made in a Koelsch style using malt smoked by Upton Smokery in Burford and 3,000 bottles will be stocked nationally for three months.

Mr Sjöberg said: “We wanted to do something new for the beer scene and the idea was that people wouldn’t normally associate pale ale with being smoked.”

To apply for the beer tasting job, use the #OddbinsBeer hashtag or message @Oddbins on Twitter and explain why you are the best candidate for the job.

The winner will be chosen at the end of the month.