Beer 274 - Shepherd Neame Spitfire (3.5 stars out of 5)

Brewed and kegged Faversham, Kent, England.  Bought and drunk at the Three Crowns pub and restaurant as an aperitif before dinner.  Patricia and I were at the Three Crowns for dinner with cousins Pat and John, their spouses Colin and Kath and Mum and her twin sister Auntie Beat on Monday evening March 28, 2011.  The Spitfire beer is the beer on the left.

The brewery web site: http://www.shepherdneame.co.uk/
The restaurant web site: http://www.thethreecrownsinn-scouthead.co.uk/

The brewery is another one that advertises itself as Britain's oldest brewery, being formed in 1698.  The web site says "Spitfire Premium Kentish Ale was first brewed in 1990 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and to raise money for the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. Since then, Spitfire has helped raise more than £250,000 for a range of armed forces charities, particularly the RAFBF and Help for Heroes, and has become the first beer to be accepted as a licensed partner of the RAF.  Spitfire won a 2009 Monde Selection Grand Gold Award and a 2010 Brewers Association World Beer Cup bronze while its tongue-in-cheek advertising campaign has developed a cult following."  A flyer in the pub says "This 4.2% Kentish Ale.  An infusion of three Kentish hops adorns this beautifully balanced, blood-orange tinted British bitter with an acutely aromatic allure.  Hints of marmalade, red grapes and pepper are thrust from a springboard of warm, mellow malts.  The floating, fruity finish signs off with a smidgen of spice and raspberry".

An excellent restaurant and a nice beer, though I had difficulty matching the copy-writers description to my taste sensations.