Southwater Sports and Social Club, 27th June 2013

An unlikely night out at a sports club.

Shepherd Neame India Pale Ale (4.5%): Pleasant but lacking weight to the flavour.

Shepherd Neame Spitfire (4.2%): I struggled to get even halfway through my half. Insipid and thick tasting, although cheap at £2 a pint!
Shepherd Neame Masterbrew (3.7%): Similar to the Spitfire but better as it wasn't trying so hard.

I wasn't having the best day but a little indoor Morris dancing was an improvement.  It was good to see a range of four real ales at this club (they also had Bishop's Finger), even if they weren't what I would choose.

The Greyhound, Tinsley Green, Crawley 22nd April 2011

Here again for the World Championship Marbles that is played every Good Friday. This year there was a beer festival. In fact it's still on, it runs until Monday or until the beer runs out.

Cotleigh Buzzard (4.8%): A dryer, darker version of the Honey Buzzard. Tastes like an Old Ale.

Cotleigh Honey Buzzard (4.5%): Pleasant, strong bitter with a sweet aftertaste.

Cotleigh Golden Seahawk (4.2%): Smells like dark beer but is a beautiful orangey colour. Very bitter but very easy to drink.

Kissingate Storyteller (3.5%): Sweet, light and blonde. A lovely summer easy-drinking delight. The sort of beer people say appeals to women.

Kissingate Moon (4.8%): Tastes like a refreshing fruity soft drink, which at this strength is very dangerous.

Kissingate Warlock's Strong Ale (5.2%): Sweet, fruity, dark and strong. A decent pint.

Kissingate Black Cherry Mild (4.2%): Heavenly sweet dark mild. Can't pick out the cherry flavour though.

Adnams Broadside (4.7%): Delightful, strong and warming. A stunning drop of ale.

Fuller's London Pride (4.1%): Delicious rounded flavour with a lovely straw-hoppy taste. When it's good it's great, and this is.

Shepherd Neame Spitfire Ale (4.2%): Distinctively Shepherd Neame, this is too alcoholic for the flavour. Not one of my favourites.

Wells Bombardier (4.3%): A bit soft and woolly drunk straight after the London Pride. Still a decent pint.

There were three bottled beers (Shepherd Neame Tanglefoot, Marston's Pedigree and Wychwood Hobgoblin) and four draught ciders (Thatchers Cheddar Valley and the local JB's, plus two others), so for a first ever beer festival for this pub, it was a good range and I hope to attend many more. The beer seemed to sell well and the marbles crowd were pleased to have a variety of decent beers on tap.

The Wrotham Arms, Broadstairs 16th August 2007

I was determined to return to this pub before the end of the week as it was my favourite by far in the town. Although on my previous visit the beer hadn't been great, the atmosphere and staff made up for this.

Shepherd Neame Canterbury Jack (3.8%): Slightly honey flavoured very weak tasting yet pleasant beer.

An acoustic duo called "Table Nine" were playing Simon and Garfunkel and Beatles covers as well as original material and we stayed for some time at the bar, as all the seats were taken.

The excellent barbeque was going at the front of the pub and we were offered chocolate mice by the bar staff (but declined). We had a good time chatting to the staff and locals, a pleasant change from some of the other pubs in town. And the beer was good.

The Albion Hotel, Broadstairs 13th August 2007

Again there were just Shepherd Neame beers available at this pub so I opted for the organic Whitstable Bay (4.1%). This was refreshing and pleasant and a good choice for a sunny afternoon.

The Wrotham Arms, Broadstairs 12th August 2007

Came to see the Okee Dokee Band play, and they were great.

Shepherd Neame Master Brew Bitter (3.7%): Unexceptional bitter.

I also had a taste of keg Shepherd Neame Mild but it just tasted cold and fizzy to me as I haven't had a keg beer in years.

This is a lovely pub with really accommodating staff, who appeared to actually enjoy having music on, a seemingly rare treat in a pub which hosts live music.

The Neptunes Hall, Broadstairs 12th August 2007

This time I chose the Shepherd Neame Spitfire Ale (4.5%) as I had the alternative on my last visit. The Spitfire was fairly strong drinkable bitter but without a hop taste.

Maybe the Shepherd Neame beers do really taste of hops and I was spoilt at the Great British Beer Festival with the strong hoppy American IPAs!

"The Good Intent", Concert Marquee, Broadstairs Folk Week 11th August 2007

On this occasion the bar at the marquee was serving Shepherd Neame Mild (3.5%), which was a very pleasant smooth, easy drinking mild.

The bar did not advertise the strength of the beer and a quick call to the brewery revealed that this was a "one off" brew which is why it does not appear on their website.

As it's one of their best beers I've tasted, that's a great shame. I hope it sold out and they will consider making it as a regular beer in the future.

The Neptunes Hall, Broadstairs 10th August 2007

In this "folky" pub I decided to try the Shepherd Neame Master Brew Bitter (3.7%) as it was weaker than the other beer available. I can only describe it as innocuous bitter, without the hop taste that the Shepherd Neame website suggests.

The pub was very busy and I was offended when I was given my beer in a "plastic glass", especially as others around me were drinking from glass.

There was a great music session in full swing but on this Friday evening the pub was just too busy for me.

"The Good Intent", Concert Marquee, Broadstairs Folk Week 10th August 2007

My first time at Broadstairs Folk Week started with a visit to a venue called the Concert Marquee where a traditional Cornish band called Bagas Degol were playing.

A bar in a marquee (terrible joke) with this sign outside was serving local Shepherd Neame beers and I tried the Whitstable Bay (4.1%). It's a pleasant and well balanced bitter although tasting similar to other beers from the same brewer.