Despite the best efforts of Network Rail and “Operation Stack” trying their utmost to disrupt not just our trip, but the whole of Kent, an intrepid group of Liverymen and Guests assembled in Faversham.
The day began with a walk from the Railway Station through the delightful Market Square to the wharf side Anchor Inn, which like almost every Inn in Faversham is owned by Shepherd Neame. The Anchor provided an extremely generous feast which was taken either in a private dining room or in the delightful garden setting in wonderful sunshine.
After our fine repast we walked back into the Market Square to the Shepherd Neame Visitor Centre for our Brewery Tour, which was preceded by a film show hosted by the fifth generation of Neame’s, giving us a background of the historic business and brewing in Faversham. Also included was a section of health & safety for our tour which prepared us for a proper industrial brewing landscape.
So off we set with our enthusiastic brewer guide James, who kept us fully occupied, by posing questions to test our knowledge of the ancient art of brewing and setting tasting tasks for us from the outset of the tour.
We tasted raw hops of varying strengths. The final hops tasted were not wholly well received by many, who were grateful for the vital ingredient in Ale, fresh water!
We were treated to sights in the Mash Tubs and smells from the fermentation processes, which varied enormously from the lighter lagers to the full ales and porters brewed on the site. We saw the last horse drawn dray cart used by the brewery for deliveries in Kent and a well restored early 1900’s lorry, the first acquired by the Company, beginning to replace the dray horses on longer deliveries.
Some of us were envious of the tradition of each drayman being treated to a pint of ale at each Inn and assured that on a good day some 24 hostelries could receive a delivery!
Our final stage of the tour was to take a small sample of six of the libations brewed on the site, from the light beers to the strongest stout. Each with a learned lecture on the “4 Cs ” colour, clarity, carbonation & cling, not of course forgetting taste. It would be fair to say that not all samples were fully consumed, especially by those driving on to the final treat of the day.
Despite The Master's best attempts to create a magical mystery tour to find his house in Whitstable, even to hiding a brick arch in ivy, the promise of Pimm’s on the Sea Wall was too enticing for T& B’s to be confused, merely delayed, but all eventually found the spot.
The weather was still stunning as the Pimm’s were poured and the exquisite Cucumber Sandwiches served, as we surveyed the Whitstable Coast Line in the late afternoon sunshine.
