A beer in a novel Buddha-shaped bottle has emerged victorious in this year's Asda Beer Competition.

Lucky Beer, which is brewed in Australia, will now be listed in Asda stores nationwide, the first time it has ever been available in a UK supermarket.

The Asian-style lager is made with rice, malted barley and Saaz hops from the Czech Republic, and is imported by speciality beer specialist Pierhead Purchasing.

"In the current climate it is essential that new beers offer a real point of difference," said Pierhead's director of imported beer, Michael Cook. "Lucky Beer has an ultra-stylish appearance and high production values, which we expect will create excitement among Asda's customers."

More than 100 breweries entered the retailer's annual beer competition this year, a record number, according to the retailer. The competition was divided into four categories: lager (won by Lucky Beer), cider, ale and speciality beers.

The winner in the cider category was Henney's 2007 Vintage Still Cider, rsp £1.58, a medium dry still cider from Hereford. St Peter's India Pale Ale, rsp £1.58, from the Suffolk-based St Peter's brewery won best ale and the Meantime brewery won the speciality category with its wheat beer made from Bavarian beer yeast, rsp £1.58. All will now be available to buy for 12 weeks in Asda stores.

Rival retailer Tesco also announced the winners of its Drinks Awards this week. Four beer listings were up for grabs. The US-based Flying Dog Brewery won two for its Flying Dog Pale Ale and Flying Dog Gonzo Porter. Belgian brewery Timmermans won the speciality category with its strawberry lambic beer and British brewery BrewDog won the lager category with its Scream beer.

Other winners included two rums, Angostura 7-year-old from Trinidad and the Trois Rivières Blanc 40 from Martinique. In the low and no-alcohol category another American victory was Twisted Tea's Hard Ice Tea, which came away with the innovation award