© Markus Spiske / Unsplash
Thanet is arguably the micropub capital of Kent with 12 including Britain ’ s smallest brewpub , which calls the district home . The Four Candles ( www . thefourcandles . co . uk ) in Broadstairs is a real ale brewery crammed into a cellar little more than 3m x 3m , with the results sold in the cosy drinking area above . Boasting no regular beers and no big-brewery products , owner Mike Beaumont proudly serves Kentish treasures , such as Biddenden ciders , wines and fruit juices , Canterbury cheeses , local pork pies and pork scratchings alongside his ales and beer . Thanet has in fact long enjoyed a reputation for the quality of its beer , with Samuel Pepys ’ famous diary being a long-standing testament to this , in which he wrote about being sent 12 bottles of ‘ Margett ( Margate ) ale ’, adding ‘ three of them I drank pleasantly with some friends in the Coach .’
Not only is Kent the birthplace of the micropub , the county is also a huge influence behind the phenomenon of the microbrewery and craft beer boom which has seen popularity and sales skyrocket in this age of social media , bespoke marketing and a newfound love of independent brands and local businesses . Kent alone is home to over 100 breweries and brewpubs , each showcasing their own unique take on the Garden of England ’ s ancient art of brewing combined with their own experiences , personal preferences and tastes . These microbreweries and craft beers are also an excellent way of showcasing the individuality of the multitude of landscapes and growing environments found in Kent , which can be divided into three areas . East Kent , with its brick earths mainly around Faversham and Canterbury , has always been known for high quality hops , hence the vast number of breweries in this area during industry peak , as well as the Weald and High Weald , particularly East Peckham and Yalding with their Weald clay and Tunbridge Wells sand .
Mid-Kent , mainly the Medway valley including the Maidstone district on the Lower Greensand , was for many years the centre for brewing in the region . Even in the mid-19th century when brewers were disappearing at an alarming rate , Maidstone could still boast eight of its own . Aside from Shepherd Neame , the most famous historical name in Kent brewing , which you may recognise from old pub windows through their iconic elephant logo , was Fremlins . After buying the rundown Pale Ale Brewery in Maidstone ’ s Earl Street , a 28-year-old Ralph Fremlin would go on to become the biggest brewer in Kent thanks to his insight for seeing the potential of bottled beer , particularly for home consumption . Fremlins went on to swallow up many smaller Kentish brewers , even after Ralph ’ s death in 1910 , and by the time Fremlins Brothers Limited were eventually too gulped down by an even bigger brewer - Whitbread - the final deal also included some 800 tied pubs . In 1972 , the famous Earl Street brewery was closed with the glorious brewhouse demolished in 1976 . However , visitors to Maidstone can still catch a glimpse of
its former glory and an ode to Kent ’ s brewing past in the form of the Fremlin Walk Shopping Centre , which incorporates the original brewery entrance and even the original weather vane , surviving complete with the golden elephant logo .
Many tales , techniques , buildings and characters have woven their way into the rich and layered history of Kent ’ s brewing industry . Today , visitors and locals can relish in this not only through glimpses of Kent ’ s glorious brewing past through ancient pub windows , oast houses and surviving architecture , but also via the spectacular renaissance of micropubs , microbreweries and the long-lasting big brewers that have embraced this Kentish art form and , in doing so , have not only written the most recent chapter in Kent ’ s charming and colourful brewing history but have also put Kent , beer , ale and brewing back on the epicurean ’ s map of Great Britain .
115