Shepherd Neame’s Cask Club returns

The scheme will start with Maverick, which has a 3.4% ABV. The bright golden ale offers sweet, malty notes with a combination of floral, citrus and tropical fruit aromas thanks to the US Centennial hops used in the mash tuns alongside new UK hops – Ernest, Olicana and Jester – used in dry hopping.

The initiative also includes new designs in a bid to bring to life, the original stories of the brewer and its Kentish roots.

Maverick tells the story of Richard Marsh – founder of the Faversham brewery. In 1675, Marsh set up one of the first brewhouses in the Shepherd Neame-owned pub – the Artichoke in Chartham, before buying the Shepherd Neame brewery in 1698.

Free cask pints

The Shepherd Neame Cask Club was first unveiled in 2019 and aims to highlight the brewer’s continued passion for innovation and seasonality while attracting new cask drinkers.

Furthermore, to celebrate this year’s launch, Shepherd Neame is giving away a free pint of cask ale at participating pubs in its first Cask Club Beer Festival, running from 13 to 26 February.

From March, drinkers will also be able to pick up a Cask Club passport at selected pubs, collecting a bespoke crook stamp for each new Cask Club ale they try.

Future plans

Those who complete the passport will be eligible for a Cask Club T-shirt and entered in a prize draw for a weekend getaway.

The plan for the rest of the year also includes ales to look out for featuring Citra Smack (3.8% ABV Citra ale), Dragonfire (4.5% ABV English ale) and Session IPA Creekside (3.4% ABV).

Director of brewing Mike Unsworth said: “We are excited to celebrate a range of modern styles and flavours with our new beers, while bringing to life the stories of our brewery and its surroundings.

“We look forward to encouraging more people to try and enjoy what we believe is one of the best drinks in the world, at the same time as showcasing some of our seasonal favourites.”