Our Brands / Beers / Seasonal Cask Ales

Early Bird Spring Hop Ale

Early Bird Spring Hop Ale makes its seasonal appearance between March and May, a fresh floral delight to sweep away the cold of winter and signal the prospect of warm days ahead.

The beer has been a welcome sign of the coming of spring since it was first brewed by Britain's oldest brewer in the mid 1990s.

A pale golden beer, with floral aroma, Early Bird is full-bodied and takes its name from the Early Bird variety of East Kent Goldings hops, grown in hop gardens near the brewery.

Tasting Notes

A fabulously refreshing, bracing beer that hails early maturing Goldings hops in style. Alive and open with a golden glint in its eye, it stirs up spring sensations of blossom, honey, freshly cut grass and plenty of pine on the nose. The gentle bitterness, soothed by an undercurrent of light biscuit malt, delivers a dry finish. Superb with salads and whitebait.

Tasting notes by beer writer Ben McFarland

ABV

Cask: 4.3%
Bottle: 4.5%
Containers: 9 gallon Firkin, 500ml Bottle

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Whitstable Bay Premium Ale

The crisp, fresh flavour of the Kent seaside lights up the bar from June to August as cask-conditioned Whitstable Bay Premium Ale appears as our draught ale for the summer season.

Whitstable Bay is named after the Kent coastal town, famed for its oysters, and makes a great partner for light dishes such as seafood and salads.

It is a light, refreshing ale made from chalk-filtered mineral water, East Kent Goldings hops and winter pearl malting barley.

Sunset-gold in colour, Whitstable Bay combines delicate hints of fresh hops with the softer, buttery richness of pale and crystal malts and is delightful on its own or paired with summer holiday delights such as Whitstable oysters, potted shrimps, or traditional fish and chips.

Tasting Notes

This dainty, well-defined dark-blonde drop melds citrusy hops with the nutty, wholemeal character of crystal and pale malt. With ripe fruit, a hint of banana, mango and a tangy, fresh finish, it's perfect with a Ploughman's.

Tasting notes by beer writer Ben McFarland

ABV

Cask: 4.1% Containers: 9 gallon Firkin

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Christmas Ale - Cask

Available on draught during December, Christmas Ale is the perfect tipple for the festive season. It is a full-bodied, warming winter ale, light in colour and characterised by a delicious, fragrant hoppy aroma & palate. A very special beer.

Christmas Ale - Bottle

There's a spicy signature to this incredibly complex cockle-warming winter ale. The nose is reminiscent of raisins, dates and molasses while the palate is vinous with tannin-like notes of leather, vanilla, apricots and a hint of rustic Armagnac on the finish. An awesome after-dinner drop.

Tasting notes by beer writer Ben McFarland

ABV

Cask: 5.0%
Bottle: 7.0%
Containers: 9 gallon Firkin, 500ml Bottle.

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Late Red Autumn Ale

Late Red Hop Ale, available all year round, has been triple-hopped to create a full-flavoured treat for beer lovers.

Expert brewers have hand-crafted this complex and richly flavoured premium ale from the finest Kentish hops, barley and mineral water, forging a perfect balance between rich, dark malt flavours and a strong robust hoppiness.

The finest pale ale malt and gently-kilned crystal malt is brewed with Cascade and East Kent Goldings to create a hoppy flavour, double enhanced with the late copper addition of East Kent Goldings and Cascades added to the cask for racking.

Tasting Notes

Plum, prunes, raisins, a touch of toffee and tropical fruit are just of the flavour flourishing beneath the crimson-copper coloured cloak of this eminently easy-drinking ale. A peppery, resinous hop finish - courtesy of Kent-grown Cascade hops - adds a spice to the nutty sweetness. Rather remarkable with a roast.

Tasting notes by beer writer Ben McFarland

ABV

Cask: 4.5%
Bottle: 4.5%
Containers: 9 gallon Firkin, 500ml Bottle

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Canterbury Jack

Canterbury Jack derives it name from the 17th century fairground tinkers in the Kentish cathedral city, infamous throughout the county for their roguish antics.

Canterbury Jack is brewed with pale and crystal malts and gently hopped with Cascade and East Kent Goldings grown within a few miles of the brewery.

The result is a light and refreshing contemporary ale, bursting with character and flavour, which will delight established and new beer-lovers alike.

Tasting Notes

Rare is a beer more invigorating, uplifting or aromatic than this fresh New World pale ale brewed using Cascade and East Kent Goldings hops and ripe with summer fruit on a bed of bready malt. Privileged palates should prepare for lime marmalade on toast, lychees, lemongrass and a bitter-sweetness akin to brown sugar-dusted grapefruit. A sensational partner to Caesar salad, grilled fish and seafood.

Tasting notes by beer writer Ben McFarland

ABV

Cask: 3.5%
Bottle: 4.0%
Containers: 9 gallon Firkin, 500ml bottle

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Amber Ale

Amber Ale makes its seasonal appearance in January and February. First brewed in 2009, the beer immediately became one of Shepherd Neame's most popular seasonal brews, welcomed by ale-lovers as a warming treat during the coldest months of the year.

A golden-brown ale with a fruity aroma and a full, malty palate, Amber Ale derives its unique signature from the special marriage of fruity, fragrant hops with Pale, Crystal and Brown malts, making it a classic beer to savour and enjoy.

Tasting notes by Stewart Main

ABV

Cask: 4.5%
Containers: 9 gallon Firkin

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