We went to print shortly after the start of the Summer Olympics in Paris and so it is timely to mention the story behind Shepherd Neame’s latest Cask Club beer, a golden ale called Go For Gold (3.4% ABV). It commemorates a hero who achieved a unique double: being awarded the Victoria Cross and winning an Olympic Gold Medal.
The gentleman in question is Lieutenant General Sir Philip Neame. He was born in Faversham and was a cousin of Percy Beale Neame, the original Neame who joined with the Shepherds to found the Shepherd Neame brewery. Sir Phillip won his gold medal in the 1924 Olympics, also held in Paris. It came in the ‘Running Deer’ competition, a team event which involved shooting at a moving target of a deer. Happily, no real deer were involved. It was discontinued in 1948.
Sir Philip, commissioned into the Royal Engineers from military college, won his Victoria Cross as a young officer just before Christmas 1914, during the battle of Neuve Chapelle. The citation was ‘For conspicuous bravery when, notwithstanding the very heavy rifle fire and bomb-throwing by the enemy, he succeeded in holding them back and rescuing all the wounded men whom it was possible to move’. He was later also awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). He was still serving in 1941 as a senior commander in the Middle East when he was captured by the German Afrika Korps, shortly before the siege of Tobruk. He was held a prisoner of war in Italy until 1943. He died in 1978, aged 89. His medals and awards are on display at the Imperial War Museum.
As for the beer, it is brewed with a blend of Caragold malt and oats and a selection of Kentish Challenger and East Kent Goldings hops then dry hopped with UK Centennial. It has a well-balanced, gentle bitter finish. Details of the Cask Club can be found at snea.me/joincaskclub.
Sir Phillip had already been posted to the Middle East when, in May 1940, the British Expeditionary Force needed to be evacuated from France. One of the surviving fleet of Dunkirk ‘little ships’ is the 80 foot Thames sailing barge the Greta, built in 1892. She is still sailing. Shepherd Neame have been sponsoring her since 2005 and have announced that they will continue to do so for this year. The Greta is available for private charter from June until October at which time she is based in Whitstable. Out of season she is moored at Hollowshore Moorings in Faversham. The Greta’s 1,500 square foot red ochre mainsail advertises Shep’s Whitstable Bay beers. To find out more about Greta go to www.greta1892.co.uk.
The Greta appears on this edition’s front cover. The photo, supplied by Shepherd Neame, was taken by Tom Banbury. Thanks to both.