Good Food Quaffing Kent at Christmas
A national explosion in artisan beers, wines and spirits has put local brewers, distillers and vineyards on a quest to capture the unique taste of Kent in a glass. Doug Kempster hit the bottle, to find out how they’re doing in the run-up to Christmas…
Beers
With the French up in arms and invasion on the cards, King George’s red-coated regulars set up camp in Coxheath, ready to repel any Gallic atackers who might storm the south coast. Britain’s military engineers built a series of roads to ensure these troops could move quickly to confront the enemy. But invasion never came.
More than 330 years later, Tony Williams and wife Linda were looking to launch a brewery near one of these routes - Heath Lane, Linton - and they needed a name that honoured the area’s heritage.
Tony says: “We kept saying, ‘oh we must get this, we must get that, we must get some of those’ and we soon realised that the word ‘musket’ was being used continually.” Today, the Musket Brewery has perfected
Christmas at
eight character ales, biters, milds and porters, using the finest malts and Kentish hops.
Try: Muzzleloader
A full-bodied Kentish ale with the faint spicy aroma of well-seasoned, smoked cedar logs and orange driſts. Alcohol 4.5%
Powder Burn
A Kent porter that explodes with flavour, evoking the ancient earthy and sweet aromas of times gone by. Chocolate and liquorice notes. Tis seasonal special is only brewed between October and February. Alcohol 5%
Spirits
Want to know how to mix the perfect gin? Get two scientists to do it.
Doctors Andy Reason and Norman Lewis quit the lab in 2011 to launch the county’s first gin distillery in 200 years. Tis Marden-based business, Anno Distillers, now produces world-class craſt spirits, packed with intense Kentish flavours and subtle notes.
Te pair put the secret of their success down to their lifelong science background. “Our fusion of science and nature, which we call the Spirit of Alchemy, allows us to
The Hop Pole
Pre-order required Starters
Mains 3 Courses - £23.95 2 Courses - £19.50 £10 dep. pp
Prawn & avocado cocktail, with brown bread Home made chicken liver pate with plum chutney & toast Smoked chicken in a mushroom sauce in a filo pastry basket on a mixed leaf salad Goats cheese & red onion marmalade tart on a mixed leaf salad Roasted winter vegetable soup with garlic croutons & crusty bread
Turkey, beef & gammon served from the carvery with all the trimmings (nut roast available on request)
Fillet of cod with a prawn & mussel sauce, with seasonal vegetables & new potatoes Lamb shank served with a creamy mash & seasonal vegetables Stilton en-croute with new potatoes with a mixed leaf salad Roasted breast of chicken in a cranberry & wild mushroom red wine sauce with dauphinoise potatoes & seasonal vegetables
Desserts
Christmas pudding with brandy sauce Lemon & lime cheesecake with a raspberry compote Winterberry, chocolate & brandy roulade Gypsy tart with a choice of cream or ice cream Cheese & biscuits Coffee & Mints
01622 816916
hop.pole.enquiries@gmail.com Maidstone Road, Nettlestead Green, Maidstone, Kent. ME18 5HH
38 Mid Kent Living
Christmas Party Menu Throughout all of December
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