Shepherd Neame has created a limited edition Coronation Ale (4.8% ABV), part of a series of commemorations the brewer will be undertaking for the historic occasion.
The ale will be available on draught at a selection of Shepherd Neame pubs throughout Kent, London, and the South East across the Coronation weekend, from Friday, 5th May, to bank holiday Monday, 8th May.
Created using the best of British barley, Coronation Ale has light caramel notes and a deep golden hue. Local East Kent Goldings hops add a spiciness to the citrus and fruit aromas, and the beer is rounded out with subtle bitterness from a generous hopping of Kentish Challenger.
Shepherd Neame has a long association with the royal family, holding royal warrants for its flagship Spitfire Amber Ale, as well as for Grants Morella Cherry Brandy.
It is not the first time Shepherd Neame has created a special beer for a royal occasion. Last year, it brewed Celebration Ale to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and in 2016 made HMQ Celebration Ale to mark the Queen’s 90th birthday.
“We are delighted to mark this historic occasion, the Coronation of King Charles III, with a special beer,” said Shepherd Neame chief executive Jonathan Neame. “We hope that our customers will enjoy raising a glass to toast such a special occasion!”
To complement the ale, project executive chef Sang Nguyen has created three new limited edition dishes with a royal twist that will be available at selected Shepherd Neame pubs across the Coronation weekend.
His Crown of Chicken consists of a whole roasted poussin served with purple sprouting broccoli, glazed carrots, wild mushroom sauce, and crispy King Edward roast potatoes.
A new Royal Pie comprises roasted wild mushroom, spinach, and butternut squash, with wild mushroom sauce, and features a special hand-crafted royal crest on its puff pastry lid.
Or for a lighter bite, there’s the Coronation club sandwich, comprising Coronation chicken with lettuce, tomato, and bacon between three slices of freshly baked granary or white bread, again served with King Edward roast potatoes.
To further toast the new King and Queen Consort, two special cocktails have been created, a royal sherry Martini, based on the Coronation No 1 — created for the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902 — and a royal cherry, using Shepherd Neame’s Grants Morella Cherry Brandy.
