Master
BREWER
www.shepherdneame.co.uk Spring 2015
PEOPLE POWER There is much to celebrate in this issue, not least the addition to our estate of two great pubs, The Ostrich and The Inn on the Pond, and the relaunch of Master Brew. People are at the heart of any successful organisation and this issue shows how our employees’ dedication is helping to raise standards across the business, from the Shepherd Neame Oscars and long service awards to accolades for our pub food. As ever, we are always looking to our next projects 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 Wells will re-open this May following our largest refurbishment to date, with an investment of £2.4 million.
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We continue to carry out projects to create great community locals, where we see opportunities for our licensees to develop their businesses. You can read herein about great pub transformations at The Smack in Whitstable and the Six Bells, Cliffe, among many others. Most recently, we are really pleased with the refreshing new look of Master Brew Kentish Ale. We look forward to our customers’ response to efforts to bring this Kentish ale’s roots to the fore.
Jonathan Neame Chief Executive @jbneame
TASTY HONOUR FOR SHEPHERD NEAME PUBS If you’re looking for a fantastic dining experience, look no further than one of Shepherd Neame’s pubs. The Sportsman in Seasalter has just been named the UK’s Best Gastropub in the Budweiser 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 sister pub 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.
Celebrity chef Tom Kerridge presents the award to The Sportsman licensee and head chef Stephen Harris
It has been announced that Shepherd Neame chief executive Jonathan Neame will succeed Amanda Cottrell as chairman of Visit Kent in December 2016 Robert and Donna Taylor, licensees at The Compasses Inn
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ANIMAL MAGIC PROVES POPULAR AT THE FENN BELL INN
The new look Fenn Bell Inn at Hoo
REFURB
Andy and Kelly Cowell with Basil the Coatimundi, a South American racoon
Talking parrots, a South American racoon and meerkats are among the unusual new additions at the Fenn Bell Inn on the Hoo Peninsula.
The couple have created a mini zoo in the pub garden, which is proving a huge hit with customers of all ages.
The 17th century inn has just been completely refurbished at a cost of £75,000, and new licensees Andy and Kelly Cowell have moved in and will be bringing more than 300 rescued animals to the pub.
Andy said: “Our aim is to give our animals a good quality of life while also allowing customers to interact with them and learn more about them.”
£100,000 MAKEOVER FOR TRADITIONAL SEASIDE PUB Tucked away in the heart of the quaint seaside town of Whitstable, The Smack Inn has just reopened following a £100,000 makeover. It was originally a pair of fisherman’s cottages built in the 1800s, and a more natural feel has been created in keeping with the pub’s heritage, by exposing the brickwork in the bar area and stripping the wall panelling back to original wood. Four vibrantly coloured beach huts with seating have been built on a new decking area in the garden, and the pub’s exterior has been repainted with the addition of handpainted signwriting and a bespoke swing sign. The space at the front of the pub has also been converted from a parking area to customer seating.
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The beach huts at The Smack
TWO NEW PUBS FOR BRITAIN’S OLDEST BREWER 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 in Colnbrook, Berkshire, near Heathrow Airport, will operate as part of the brewery’s managed estate. Boasting a picturesque setting overlooking Nutfield marshes and Nutfield cricket ground, The Inn on the Pond is close to affluent villages and towns within the London commuter belt.
ISHMENTS ACQUISITIONS The Inn on the Pond, Nutfield
A Grade II-listed building, the pub has a large bar area for drinkers 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 historic village of Colnbrook, while also just five miles away from Heathrow airport. Director of retail and tenanted operations Nigel Bunting said: “We are always looking for opportunities to add high quality outlets to our retail estate. These pubs are both in excellent areas and we are confident that they will prove valuable additions to our portfolio.”
A month-long karaoke competition at The Telegraph in Deal raised more than £7,000 for a children’s charity The Ostrich, Colnbrook
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RINGING IN THE CHANGES AT THE SIX BELLS The Six Bells in Cliffe heralded the start of the New Year with a new look. The pub, run by licensee Kelly Walker for the past year, reopened in January following a £120,000 refurbishment funded by the brewery. It took three weeks, and included separating the pub into two distinct areas, a cosy snug for an intimate drink, and a larger space for dining and socialising.
Kent artist Eric ‘The Brush’ Pollard celebrates 10 Years of freehand signwriting on Shepherd Neame pubs The Six Bells, Cliffe
REFURBISH THE ROSE INN IS IN FULL GLORIOUS BLOOM 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 and saloon bars, including reupholstering all the furniture, laying a new timber floor and installing a new glass entrance lobby.
Hand-painted signage at The Rose Inn
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Outside, a wall has been removed to create additional parking, and new timber planters have been built, along with a fenced seating area.
STYLISH REVAMP FOR HISTORIC LONDON PUB One of London’s most historic pubs, the Rose & Crown in Blackfriars, has re-opened following an £84,000 transformation. The 16th century building’s traditional features have been accentuated by exposing historic wooden panels and uncovering the original floors.
Customers enjoy the new look pub
The downstairs bar has been reshaped to create more space, and the first floor lounge completely refurbished. The exterior has been repainted, with traditional signwriting added, and a standing area with 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. Rose and Crown SE1
HMENTS
The Woolpack Inn in Chilham won Two honours in the Beautiful South Tourism Awards
NEW LOOK UNVEILED AT THE NEW INN
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The New Inn in Murston, near Sittingbourne has undergone a three month refurbishment totalling £130,000. Licensees Keiron Parrish and Sam Drury took on the traditional local in May last year, and teamed up with the brewery for the project. Work included repainting the pub inside and out, installing new timber flooring and restructuring the bar counter. The pub exterior has also been given a revamp, with hand painted signwriting on the front of the pub, and decking installed in the garden, which has been expanded using land from the large car park. Licensees Keiron Parrish and Sam Drury
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REDESIGN FOR ROYAL FAVOURITE LIQUEUR Grant’s Morella Cherry Brandy (24% abv) has unveiled a new look aimed at reflecting its long, illustrious heritage. First produced in 1774 by Thomas Grant in Maidstone, Kent, using the Garden of England’s famed variety of cherry, Grant’s Morella Cherry Brandy is steeped in history. It is mentioned in Charles Dickens’ novel The Pickwick Papers, and was a favourite tipple of Queen Victoria, whose portrait appears on the label. Its popularity with the Royal Family has continued over the years. The liqueur was granted the coveted Royal Warrant from HRH The Prince of Wales in 1998, which is proudly illustrated on the new label design.
The rich, cherry red liquid is still made to the same traditional recipe, using only English grain spirit, and was named the Best Liqueur in 1994 at the International Wine and Spirit Competition. Its sleek new bottle now boasts quality cream labels, embossed with traditional gold lettering, scrolls and stylised cherry images, to reflect its quality, heritage and celebrated past. A 50cl bottle of Grant’s Morella Cherry Brandy retails at £17.50 and is available from Shepherd Neame’s brewery shop at http://www.shepherdneame.co.uk/shop.
Faversham-based brewery Shepherd Neame purchased Thomas Grant in 1988, and relaunched Grant’s Morella Cherry Brandy in the 1990s.
CLASSIC MAKEOVER FOR ICONIC BEER Shepherd Neame’s award-winning 1698 Bottle Conditioned Kentish 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 holds 17 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.
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SOARING INTO ACTION FOR 75TH ANNIVERSARY It looks like 2015 is going to be a busy year for Spitfire Kentish Premium Ale, as it aims to raise £75,000 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.
Shepherd Neame’s flagship beer was first brewed in 1990 to commemorate the battle fought in the skies above Kent 50 years earlier, and is named after the legendary Spitfire aeroplane. Since its launch, it has raised more than £350,000 for the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, and it is hoping to boost that total by £75,000 this year. Limited edition bottles of Spitfire Ale are being 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 vintage World 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 of fundraising events throughout the year, including The Battle of Britain film tour, which will see the 1969 classic movie screened outdoors throughout the UK this summer, and BBC Radio 2’s anniversary concert in September. Brand manager Will Upfield said: “Spitfire Ale is a proud partner of the RAF Benevolent Fund, and we hope that as many people as possible will support us in helping to raise money to mark this significant anniversary.”
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100 YEARS
OF BREWING IN WOOD The brewery has launched a limited edition ale to commemorate the 100th anniversary of its unlined wooden Mash Tuns – the last remaining in the . Mash Tun No.1 uses a traditional British grist mix of six malts: Pale, Crystal, Amber, Brown, Chocolate, and malted wheat. Their rich sweetness is balanced by the robust bitterness of some of the most popular hops from Kent and North America: First Gold, Centennial and Amarillo. The resulting beer is a fullbodied, malty brew with hints of toffee and dried fruits, 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 since being introduced to the brewery in 1914. We think that’s something worth celebrating, much like this remarkable beer. In honour of its role in the brewing process, this beer has a touch more malt character than the typical Kentish ale you would expect from Shepherd Neame.” Mash Tun No.1 Ale (7.4% abv) is presented in a traditional amber 750ml bottle, embossed with the Shepherd Neame crook. The ultimate gift for ale lovers, or a showpiece beer on a bar, Mash Tun No.1 Ale is available at www.shepherdneame.co.uk/shop.
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THE ORIGINAL KENTISH ALE GETS A NEW LOOK Shepherd Neame’s renowned Master Brew has a new look, celebrating its heritage as The Original Kentish Ale: the only UK beer style protected by the EU. The new-look metal pump clip and bottle label include 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 the mid-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.
KENTISH ALE 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) from the European Union. It is characterised by a low level of sweetness and a dry, slightly astringent and peppery hop character when paired with the brewer’s unique ale yeast. 11
BREWERY ARCHIVIST WINS SILVER AWARD Shepherd Neame’s archivist and historian John Owen has received a silver award for his second book in a trilogy plotting the history of the brewery.
Awards night at The Old Brewery Store
REWARDING EXCELLENCE Shepherd Neame has introduced its own Oscars, rewarding high standards by teams and individuals. In addition, more than 20 brewery employees have been presented with long service awards. They include warehouseman David Gore who has worked with the company for 30 years. Almost half of Shepherd Neame employees have completed more than 10 years’ service with the company.
AT THE BREWERY IS IT A BIRD, IS IT A PLANE?
The Emergence Of Shepherd Neame From The Earliest Days of Brewing in Faversham, Kent: 1100-1732 shows that brewing has taken place continuously on the current brewery site since at least 1573. His evidence settles the oft-debated question of Britain’s oldest brewer, dating the brewery to at least 125 years earlier than previously believed. In recognition of his achievement, John received the Silver Award in the category for Best Beer Writer in Regional Media at this year’s British Guild of Beer Writers’ Award. John’s trilogy of books is available at www.shepherdneame.co.uk/shop priced £14.95 each.
It might look like a spaceship is landing, but in fact this photograph shows a new hot liquor tank being installed at The Faversham Brewery. The stainless steel tank, which cost £95,000, is used to heat the hot water - known as ‘liquor’ in brewing terminology - which goes into our beer. The certified mineral water is drawn from an artesian well deep beneath the brewery. Two cranes were used to lift the tank into place in the cask yard behind the brewhouse and formed part of a £250,000 investment in our production facilities. The brewery has also introduced a number of eco-friendly measures in recent months, including a £140,000 centrifuge at the state-of-the-art water recovery plant. This will enable waste from brewing to be turned into agricultural fertiliser. Head brewer Richard Frost said: “We are continually striving to raise standards and deliver consistently high quality beer to our customers, while maintaining our commitment to sustainable production.” 12
Brewery archivist and historian John Owen