What Is Shepherd Neame’s India Pale Ale like?

Shepherd Neame’s India Pale Ale is a traditional old style British IPA. An original recipe take on those beers shipped across the oceans to India many years previous. Sounds exciting, but what is this India Pale Ale like?

Shepherd Neame’s India Pale Ale is pretty good, sweet caramel malt up front, a fruity body and a nice bitter finish. It pours a mid amber brown with a one finger head. On the nose it is sweet caramel malt with a hint of hoppy fruits. The taste delivers plenty of caramel malt, this is joined by a little fruit in the body and then a satisfying bitterness on the end. A great well balanced beer that gets 4.5 out of 5.0.

It is definitely and old style British IPA with plenty of bite.

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India Pale Ale Review

We all love an IPA, and these days there are plenty of them, wildly hopped with plenty of kick. While these might be nice, sometimes it is nice to pop back in time and try the real thing.

So when I saw this IPA on the store shelf it immediately appealed to me. It just looks like it is an old beer, no fancy artwork, just a traditional style label on a 500ml brown bottle.

Plus it is brewed by Shepherd Neame, the oldest brewer in town, or Britain actually.

By the look of the bottle, I expected this beer to be a traditional take on the popular India Pale Ale. Thankfully I am right, it screams old style, but is it any good?

Drinking India Pale Ale

I like this beer, Part of Shepherd Neame’s classic beer range they have brewed this beer based on the old traditional IPA. Using British hops Fuggles and East Kent Goldings, they have been authentic as possible.

Crack it open and get it into a glass and you are looking at a perfectly clear mid amber brown beer with a one finger head.

A stream of bubbles rise up through the glass giving a medium carbonation in the mouth. A nice lacing grips to the glass as you drink it down.

On the nose it has a sweet caramel malt aroma with a little fruity hop hint, there is a little citrus too.

In for a taste and it hits the mouth with quite the sweetness, caramel toffee malt steams in, but fades quick. A hoppy fruitiness follows giving it a nice body. But for me the star of the show is the satisfying bitterness on the back end that lingers in the mouth.

This definitely is an old style IPA, sweet malt, fruity hops and a bitter finish. It seems like a simple beer in the beginning, but it becomes more complex taking you on a journey through time to a place of real beer.

It has the kick you would expect from a 6.1% ABV beer, but it is so well balanced, quite the delight really. So it gets a rate my beer score of 4.5 out of 5.0.

Lou quite likes it too, saying “It’s a nice beer, big toffee caramel sweetness with a little spicy fruit leading to a bitter finish. A bit too bitter at first, but the more I drink the more balanced it gets.” Lou scores it 4.3 out of 5.0.

I don’t think Lou expected to like this beer, but she was pleasantly surprised. For me, it is a little cracker, well done Shepherd Neame.

Shepherd Neame Brewery

Shepherd Neame Brewery is the oldest brewer in Britain, their official established date is 1698. However there is evidence that brewing on the site dates back to the previous century.

So it is fair to say they know a thing or two about producing good beer. While they do produce some old style beers, they also have some more modern beers in their Bear Island and Whitstable Bay ranges.

Familiar beers that come from this brewery are Bishops Finger and Spitfire, two well known favourites.

Apparently they are the largest independent family brewer, but it is not just about the brewery. They also have a few pubs and hotels in their portfolio, in fact the number is over three hundred.

So a pretty well established brewery producing a good range of beers.

Shepherd Neame Beers

So as I have already mentioned, this brewery does produce a decent range of beers. From the traditional old styles to more modern style beers.

As well as a few under licence, including the Thai beer Singha. So there is something for everyone, and here are a few to think about.

Master Brew

Master Brew is the original Kentish ale made with Kentish barley and hops. The flagship beer of Shepherd Neame it promises to be a bitter affair.

Looking a pretty mid amber in the glass it oozes toffee and hoppy aromas, while delivering a dry fruity bitter taste experience.

At just 3.7% ABV it is light on strength, however supposedly delivers plenty of flavour in the mouth. I’m up for a Master Brew for sure.

Black Stout

Black Stout is part of the Whitstable Bay range of beers and is brewed with four coloured malts and Admiral hops. Said to have a rich complex flavour with a silky smoothness.

Sounds pretty good, and at 4.2% ABV more than one might be tempting. Although it does say the only format this beer comes in is draught keg, so I might have to wait until I am in the South East of England.

Double Stout

The double stout is part of the classic beer range and is brewed with four different malts and local Kentish hops. Apparently based on a recipe from a coded brewers log found in the breweries archives.

So this really could be a classic, it boasts dry burnt flavours with notes of coffee and cocoa, but is a pleasant smooth mouthfeel.

It comes in at 5.2% ABV in the bottles and 4.0% ABV on draught, so more of a best in bottle form. I like the sound of this one, so will keep my eye out for the bottles beast.

Final Thoughts

So to sum up it is fair to say that Shepherd Neame produce sone great beers, some old style classics along with some mor modern beers.

The India Pale Ale for me is a bit of a shinning star, plenty of bite, but really well balanced and nice and smooth. Definitely a beer I will revisit again and again, and am looking forward to trying it on tap, although it does loose a bit of its whack at just 4.5% ABV.

If you have tried Shepherd Neame’s India Pale Ale, then do share your experience in the comments area below. Let me know what you think of this beer.