Master

Spring 2015www.shepherdneame.co.uk

BREWER

There is much to celebrate in this issue, notleast the addition to our estate of two greatpubs, The Ostrich and The Inn on the Pond,and the relaunch of Master Brew.

People are at the heart of any successfulorganisation and this issue shows how ouremployees’ dedication is helping to raisestandards across the business, from theShepherd Neame Oscars and long serviceawards to accolades for our pub food.

As ever, we are always looking to our nextprojects as we continue to drive up standards and improve the experience for our customers and, ultimately, drive footfall into our pubs.

The Royal Wells Hotel in Tunbridge Wellswill re-open this May following our largestrefurbishment to date, with an investmentof £2.4 million.

We continue to carry out projects to creategreat community locals, where we seeopportunities for our licensees to developtheir businesses. You can read herein aboutgreat pub transformations at The Smack inWhitstable and the Six Bells, Cliffe, amongmany others.

Most recently, we are really pleased withthe refreshing new look of Master BrewKentish Ale. We look forward to ourcustomers’ response to efforts to bring this Kentish ale’s roots to the fore.

Jonathan NeameChief Executive@jbneame

PEOPLE POWER

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If you’re looking for a fantastic dining experience, look no further than one ofShepherd Neame’s pubs.

The Sportsman in Seasalter has just been named the UK’s Best Gastropub in theBudweiser Budvar Top 50 Gastropub Awards 2015.

Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge presented the award to head chef Stephen Harris, who runs the pub with his brother Phil, at a glittering ceremony in London.

It is the latest in a string of accolades for The Sportsman, which has a Michelin star and was named the UK’s 5th best pub in the Good Food Guide 2015.

Other Shepherd Neame pubs recommended in the guide are The Sportsman’s sisterpub The Granville in Lower Hardres near Canterbury; The Three Mariners at Oare near Faversham; and a new entry, The Compasses Inn at Crundale.

The Kings Head in Wye has also been nominated for Kent Dining Pub of the Year in the Taste of Kent Awards 2015.

TASTY HONOUR FORSHEPHERD NEAME PUBS

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Robert and Donna Taylor,licensees at The Compasses Inn

Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge presents the award toThe Sportsman licensee and head chef Stephen Harris

It has been announced thatShepherd Neame chief executiveJonathan Neame will succeedAmanda Cottrell as chairman ofVisit Kent in December 2016

Tucked away in the heart of the quaint seaside town of Whitstable, The Smack Innhas just reopened following a £100,000 makeover.

It was originally a pair of fisherman’s cottages built in the 1800s, and a morenatural feel has been created in keeping with the pub’s heritage, by exposing thebrickwork in the bar area and stripping the wall panelling back to original wood.

Four vibrantly coloured beach hutswith seating have been built on anew decking area in the garden,and the pub’s exterior has beenrepainted with the addition ofhandpainted signwriting and abespoke swing sign.

The space at the front of the pubhas also been converted from aparking area to customer seating.

REFURBTalking parrots, a South American racoon and meerkats are amongthe unusual new additions at the Fenn Bell Inn on the Hoo Peninsula.

The 17th century inn has just been completely refurbished at a costof £75,000, and new licensees Andy and Kelly Cowell have moved inand will be bringing more than 300 rescued animals to the pub.

The couple have created a mini zoo in the pub garden, which isproving a huge hit with customers of all ages.

Andy said: “Our aim is to give our animals a good quality of lifewhile also allowing customers to interact with them and learn more about them.”

ANIMAL MAGIC PROVESPOPULAR AT THE FENNBELL INN

Andy and Kelly Cowell with Basil theCoatimundi, a South American racoon

The new look Fenn Bell Inn at Hoo

The beach huts at The Smack

£100,000 MAKEOVER FORTRADITIONAL SEASIDE PUB

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Shepherd Neame has acquired two well-known pubs in Surrey and Berkshire.

The Inn on the Pond at Nutfield near Redhill in Surrey, and The Ostrich inColnbrook, Berkshire, near Heathrow Airport, will operate as part of thebrewery’s managed estate.

Boasting a picturesque setting overlooking Nutfield marshes and Nutfieldcricket ground, The Inn on the Pond is close to affluent villages and townswithin the London commuter belt.

A Grade II-listed building, the pub has a large bar area fordrinkers along with a separate dining room and bar dining area,and an outside seating area overlooking the cricket ground.

The Ostrich claims to be the third oldest inn in England, dating back to 1106. It is located in the heart of the historicvillage of Colnbrook, while also just five miles away fromHeathrow airport.

Director of retail and tenanted operations Nigel Bunting said:“We are always looking for opportunities to add high qualityoutlets to our retail estate. These pubs are both in excellentareas and we are confident that they will prove valuableadditions to our portfolio.”

TWO NEW PUBS FORBRITAIN’S OLDEST BREWER

A month-long karaokecompetition at The Telegraph in Deal raised more than

£7,000 for a children’s charity

ISHMENTSACQUISITIONS

The Ostrich, Colnbrook

The Inn on the Pond, Nutfield

RINGING IN THE CHANGES AT THE SIX BELLSThe Six Bells in Cliffe heralded the start of the New Yearwith a new look.

The pub, run by licensee Kelly Walker for the past year,reopened in January following a £120,000 refurbishmentfunded by the brewery.

It took three weeks, and included separating the pubinto two distinct areas, a cosy snug for an intimate drink,and a larger space for dining and socialising.

The Six Bells, Cliffe

REFURBISH

A £110,000 makeover has been completed at the Rose Inn in Kennington, Ashford.

Licensees Sara Williams and Dave Jones moved into the 19th century pub in October last year, and contributed£20,000 towards the refurbishment.

Work has included fully refurbishing the pub’s public andsaloon bars, including reupholstering all the furniture, layinga new timber floor and installing a new glass entrance lobby.

Outside, a wall has been removed to create additionalparking, and new timber planters have been built, along with a fenced seating area.

THE ROSE INN IS INFULL GLORIOUS BLOOM

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Kent artist Eric ‘The Brush’Pollard celebrates 10 Yearsof freehand signwriting onShepherd Neame pubs

Hand-painted signage at The Rose Inn

One of London’s most historic pubs, the Rose & Crown in Blackfriars, has re-openedfollowing an £84,000 transformation.

The 16th century building’s traditionalfeatures have been accentuated by exposinghistoric wooden panels and uncovering theoriginal floors.

The downstairs bar has been reshaped to create more space, and the first floor loungecompletely refurbished.

The exterior has been repainted, with traditional signwriting added, and a standing areawith rope fence has been created in a former car park at the front.

An outside bar and barbecue will also be built in the pub’s large garden in time for summer.

STYLISH REVAMPFOR HISTORICLONDON PUB

HMENTSRose and Crown SE1

??? NEW LOOK UNVEILEDAT THE NEW INNThe New Inn in Murston, near Sittingbourne has undergonea three month refurbishment totalling £130,000.

Licensees Keiron Parrish and Sam Drury took on thetraditional local in May last year, and teamed up with the brewery for the project.

Work included repainting the pub inside and out, installingnew timber flooring and restructuring the bar counter.

The pub exterior has also been given a revamp, with handpainted signwriting on the front of the pub, and deckinginstalled in the garden, which has been expanded usingland from the large car park.

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The Woolpack Inn in Chilham won

Two honours in theBeautiful South Tourism Awards

Customers enjoy the new look pub

Licensees Keiron Parrish and Sam Drury

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Grant’s Morella Cherry Brandy (24% abv)has unveiled a new look aimed at reflectingits long, illustrious heritage.

First produced in 1774 by Thomas Grant in Maidstone, Kent, using the Garden ofEngland’s famed variety of cherry, Grant’sMorella Cherry Brandy is steeped in history.

It is mentioned in Charles Dickens’ novelThe Pickwick Papers, and was a favouritetipple of Queen Victoria, whose portraitappears on the label.

Its popularity with the Royal Family hascontinued over the years. The liqueur wasgranted the coveted Royal Warrant fromHRH The Prince of Wales in 1998, which isproudly illustrated on the new label design.

Faversham-based brewery Shepherd Neamepurchased Thomas Grant in 1988, andrelaunched Grant’s Morella Cherry Brandyin the 1990s.

The rich, cherry red liquid is still made tothe same traditional recipe, using onlyEnglish grain spirit, and was named theBest Liqueur in 1994 at the InternationalWine and Spirit Competition.

Its sleek new bottle now boasts qualitycream labels, embossed with traditionalgold lettering, scrolls and stylised cherryimages, to reflect its quality, heritage andcelebrated past.

A 50cl bottle of Grant’s Morella Cherry Brandy retails at £17.50 and is available from Shepherd Neame’s brewery shop athttp://www.shepherdneame.co.uk/shop.

REDESIGN FOR ROYAL FAVOURITE LIQUEUR

Shepherd Neame’s award-winning 1698 Bottle ConditionedKentish Strong Ale has a new look.

Its elegant new bottle labels are entirely black and cream, and include the motto Faversham, The Market Town of Kings,along with the three lion crest from the Royal Arms of England.As a Royal Court to the former Kings of Kent, Faversham holds17 Royal Charters enabling it to display the emblem.

The new look 1698 (6.5% abv) is available in a 500ml bottle from supermarkets and good independent stockists.

CLASSIC MAKEOVERFOR ICONIC BEER

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It looks like 2015 is going to be a busy yearfor Spitfire Kentish Premium Ale, as it aims to raise £75,000 to commemorate the 75thanniversary of the Battle of Britain.

Shepherd Neame’s flagship beer was firstbrewed in 1990 to commemorate the battlefought in the skies above Kent 50 yearsearlier, and is named after the legendarySpitfire aeroplane.

Since its launch, it has raised more than£350,000 for the Royal Air Force BenevolentFund, and it is hoping to boost that total by£75,000 this year.

Limited edition bottles of Spitfire Ale arebeing produced with the heart roundel of the RAF Benevolent Fund on their crown,instead of the traditional RAF roundel.

The bottles will invite drinkers to enter into a special anniversary competition, offering the unique opportunity to fly three vintageWorld War Two aircraft - a Tiger Moth,Harvard and Spitfire - in the same day. The competition will launch on July 1, 2015.

Spitfire is also sponsoring a variety offundraising events throughout the year, including The Battle of Britainfilm tour, which will see the 1969classic movie screened outdoorsthroughout the UK this summer,and BBC Radio 2’s anniversaryconcert in September.

Brand manager Will Upfield said:“Spitfire Ale is a proud partner of the RAF Benevolent Fund, and we hope that as many peopleas possible will support us inhelping to raise money to mark this significant anniversary.”

SOARING INTO ACTIONFOR 75TH ANNIVERSARY

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OF BREWING IN WOODThe brewery has launched a limited edition ale tocommemorate the 100th anniversary of its unlinedwooden Mash Tuns – the last remaining in the .

Mash Tun No.1 uses a traditional British grist mix ofsix malts: Pale, Crystal, Amber, Brown, Chocolate,and malted wheat. Their rich sweetness is balancedby the robust bitterness of some of the most popularhops from Kent and North America: First Gold,Centennial and Amarillo. The resulting beer is a full-bodied, malty brew with hints of toffee and driedfruits, lightened by top notes of spice and citrus.

Head brewer Richard Frost said: “Mash Tun No.1 has brewed over a billion pints of Kentish ale sincebeing introduced to the brewery in 1914. We thinkthat’s something worth celebrating, much like thisremarkable beer. In honour of its role in the brewingprocess, this beer has a touch more malt characterthan the typical Kentish ale you would expect fromShepherd Neame.”

Mash Tun No.1 Ale (7.4% abv) is presented in atraditional amber 750ml bottle, embossed with the Shepherd Neame crook. The ultimate gift for ale lovers, or a showpiece beer on abar, Mash Tun No.1 Ale is available atwww.shepherdneame.co.uk/shop.

100 YEARS

Shepherd Neame is the only brewer in the UK able to call its beer ‘Kentish Ale’,a style of beer which is afforded Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) fromthe European Union.

It is characterised by a low level of sweetness and a dry, slightly astringent andpeppery hop character when paired with the brewer’s unique ale yeast.

KENTISH ALE

GETS A NEW LOOKTHE ORIGINAL KENTISH ALE

Shepherd Neame’s renowned Master Brew has a newlook, celebrating its heritage as The Original KentishAle: the only UK beer style protected by the EU.

The new-look metal pump clip and bottle labelinclude a photograph from 1905 of hop pickers at Shepherd Neame’s hop farm Queen Court.Thousands of families from London enjoyed annual‘hopping’ holidays to the Kent countryside until themid-20th century – a tradition that continues to be celebrated at the town’s annual Hop Festival.

The design also references Faversham as the Home of the Hop, acknowledging the town’s position as a world-centre for hop growing. Some of the UK’s first hop gardens are thought to have been planted in the area. Today, Kent is one of only two major hop growing regions in Britain. Queen Court Farm hosts the National Hop Collection, a living archive of historic hop varieties which play a vital role in research and breeding programmes and attract interest from breweries across the world.

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Shepherd Neame has introduced its own Oscars, rewarding high standards byteams and individuals. In addition, more than 20 brewery employees have beenpresented with long service awards. They include warehouseman David Gorewho has worked with the company for 30 years. Almost half of Shepherd Neameemployees have completed more than 10 years’ service with the company.

Shepherd Neame’s archivist and historianJohn Owen has received a silver award forhis second book in a trilogy plotting thehistory of the brewery.

The Emergence Of Shepherd Neame From The Earliest Days of Brewing inFaversham, Kent: 1100-1732 shows thatbrewing has taken place continuously onthe current brewery site since at least 1573.

His evidence settles the oft-debatedquestion of Britain’s oldest brewer, dating the brewery to at least 125 yearsearlier than previously believed.

In recognition of his achievement, John received the Silver Award in thecategory for Best Beer Writer in RegionalMedia at this year’s British Guild of BeerWriters’ Award.

John’s trilogy of books is available atwww.shepherdneame.co.uk/shop priced£14.95 each.

BREWERY ARCHIVISTWINS SILVER AWARD

AT THE BREWERY

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Awards night at The Old Brewery Store

Two cranes were used to lift the tank into place in the cask yard behind thebrewhouse and formed part of a £250,000 investment in our production facilities.

The brewery has also introduced a number of eco-friendly measures in recentmonths, including a £140,000 centrifuge at the state-of-the-art water recoveryplant. This will enable waste from brewing to be turned into agricultural fertiliser.

Head brewer Richard Frost said: “We are continually striving to raise standardsand deliver consistently high quality beer to our customers, while maintaining our commitment to sustainable production.”

It might look like a spaceship islanding, but in fact this photographshows a new hot liquor tank beinginstalled at The Faversham Brewery.

The stainless steel tank, which cost £95,000, is used to heat the hot water - known as ‘liquor’ inbrewing terminology - which goesinto our beer. The certified mineralwater is drawn from an artesianwell deep beneath the brewery.

REWARDING EXCELLENCE

IS IT A BIRD, IS IT A PLANE?

Brewery archivist andhistorian John Owen