Mash Tun No 1, Shepherd Neame

Shepherd Neame Mash Tun No 1 (7.4%)

Britain’s oldest brewer, Shepherd Neame, has launched a limited edition ale to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of its wooden mash tuns, the last remaining ones in Britain. A mash tun is the vessel where the brewing process begins, with malted grain mixed with pure hot water.

The brewery has been making beer at its historic site in the market town of Faversham, Kent, for more than 400 years. It still uses traditional methods, including brewing in a pair of solid oak tuns.

This year marks 100 years since the oldest of the mash tuns was first installed in the brewhouse and to celebrate the anniversary the team of master brewers has created Mash Tun No 1. The beer uses a traditional British “grist” of six malts: pale, crystal, amber, brown, chocolate and malted wheat. Their rich sweetness is balanced by the robust bitterness of some of the most popular hops from Kent and North America: First Gold, Centennial and Amarillo. The resulting beer is a full-bodied, malty brew with hints of toffee and dried fruits, lightened by top notes of spice and citrus.

Head brewer Richard Frost says: “Mash Tun No 1 has brewed more than a billion pints of Kentish ale since being introduced to the brewery in 1914. We think that’s something worth celebrating, much like this remarkable beer. In honour of its role in the brewing process, this beer has a touch more malt character than the typical Kentish ale you would expect from Shepherd Neame.”

Mash Tun No 1 is presented in a traditional amber 750ml bottle, embossed with the Shepherd Neame crook. Only 5,000 bottles have been released and a limited number will be hand-wrapped in tissue paper and encased within a wooden presentation box bearing the signature approval of the brewery’s president, Robert “Bobby” Neame.

Mash Tun No 1 is available from the brewery shop priced £13.99:

www.shepherdneame.co.uk/shop