A TASTY Tyneside Blonde being served in the exclusive House of Commons’ bar is set to tempt the nation’s MPs.

With a pale complexion and easygoing nature, this golden girl is the real deal.

But this is no sultry human temptress ... for Tyneside Blonde is Newcastle-based Hadrian Border Brewery’s best-selling real ale.

And brewery manager Martin Hammill is reaping the benefits of a December trip to Westminster for the debate with the Campaign for Real Ale over the rising duty on beer.

Martin was invited to the Commons’ Strangers Bar by Hexham MP Guy Opperman, and did his duty by taking a sizeable sample of Tyneside Blonde along with him. And it did the trick – for Strangers Bar, which only admits MPs and their guests, has now ordered five casks of the 3.9% ale to go on the blackboard next month.

Martin said: “I went down in December to discuss with CAMRA the increasing duty on beer and, at Guy Opperman’s invitation, went into Strangers Bar for a couple of pints.

“I gave my business card and some tasting notes and samples to the manager there – I took a few bottles down – and the next thing I knew, they’d ordered five casks of Tyneside Blonde. It might not be the biggest order we’ve ever had, for Tyneside Blonde is one of our best-selling favourites up here, but it’s certainly one of the most prestigious!”

The Geordie ale is scheduled to go on sale in Strangers Bar on March 13 as part of a carefully-selected Parliamentary guest ales list.

Tyneside Blonde is described as “a pale-coloured thirst-quencher, using maris otter malt, wheat malt and an abundance of bittering and aromatic hops”.

Traditionally-brewed, slightly creamy and easy to drink, it’s a mainstay of the Newburn-based brewery on its list of real ales.

Martin added: “It’s been on the go in the North East for quite some time, and is by far and away our best-selling product.

“But beers that go into Strangers Bar have to be specially requested, and the fact that they’ve asked for five casks shows that it’s now highly-regarded down south as well as up north!”

Now Martin is aiming high on the guest list.

“I’m hoping the Prime Minister will go along and have a taste of it,” he said. “And send us a picture of him drinking his pint!”

Mr Opperman said: “Strangers is an institution in Parliament – I’m delighted that the beer that’s going to be on sale there shortly is from one of our local brewers in the North East.”

A House of Commons spokeswoman said: “Strangers Bar has a waiting list of six to eight weeks for guest ales, which have to be ordered by the bar management itself.

“It is normally done from a nomination by a member for a beer from his or her own constituency, and in that way the best drinks from around the country go on the Strangers Bar guest list.

“We’re certainly very pleased to welcome Tyneside Blonde to Westminster.”