Fresh brews

2010 - 2020

The 2010s saw continued growth and a steady flow of awards for Shepherd Neame along with new additions to the brewery’s permanent roster. In the summer of 2017 Shepherd Neame added its first ever cider, Orchard View as well as a refreshing craft brew, Five Grain Lager. A year later, the award-winning Bear Island East Coast Pale Ale arrived to great acclaim and was followed in 2019 by Bear Island Triple Hopped Lager.

Also in 2017, a major modernisation project was undertaken that transformed Shepherd Neame’s historic brewhouse while retaining its unique character.

The project, carefully managed over 22 weeks so as not to interrupt the day-to-day business of brewing, saw the retirement of the brewery’s wooden mash tuns, after more than 100 years of service, and the installation of state-of-the-art stainless steel replacements. The teak from the former tuns was reconditioned by a local shipwright, Simon Grillet, to clad the new tuns so as to help preserve the historic character of the brewhouse.

This spirit of innovation continued in 2019 when the brewery introduced its Cask Club initiative - an exploration of modern styles and flavours through the creation of limited edition, small-batch beers and ales. Among seasonal favourites and one-off brews, Cask Club was responsible for the creation of the delicious First Drop Session IPA, a beer so popular that it was added to the permanent selection in 2025.