Beers of the Air

With the 85th anniversary of the Battle of Britain now upon us when the RAF battled the might of the Luftwaffe over the skies of southern England during the Summer of 1940. It is pertinent to think that among the slew of tributes to our brave airmen, a number of breweries around the country have over the years developed beers, created to honour the efforts of our air-force during the course of WWII. While there are dozens of one-off products and seasonal specials out there, there’s a clutch of examples that have gone onto become regular core-range items, these beers are also available in bottle/can and have found their way into beer shops and supermarkets across the country. Here’s a potted guide into these well-known examples:

 

Spitfire (4.2%) – Shepherd Neame

First produced in 1990 as one-off special to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Britian, it was named after fighter plane the Spitfire MK1 which played a pivotal role in the battle. The ensuing popularity of the beer ensured it’s continuation, it was soon regularly brewed and has become one of Shepherd Neame’s most successful and well-known products, winning a diverse range of awards ranging from International Beer Challenge – World’s 50 Best Beers (2008) to British Bottlers Institute Silver – Packaging (Silver). A traditional best bitter, it only uses Kentish grown hops (including Target, Challenger, East Kent Goldings, First Gold) to give its distinct bitter orange-marmalade peppery flavour, while malts help give its notable deep amber colour. Such was its local significance, in 1998 the Prince of Wales granted a Royal Warrant, giving it protected status as a Kentish ale. Though usually available in draught in pubs across Kent and in Shepherd Neame tied-houses, it is sold in bottle in supermarkets nationwide. This beer has endured a flood of marketing, in the late 1990’s a poster campaign was launched under the moniker ‘Bottle of Britian’. The poster featured tongue-in-cheek quotes such as “downed all over Kent, just like the Luftwaffe”, or “no Nazi aftertaste.” The posters even made their way onto the Underground where in early 2001 they attracted controversy when five posters were removed following complaints from German tourists. During the 2006 World Cup in Germany, the brewery collaborated with Viz cartoonist Graham Mellie, where he developed a series of comic strips under the title of “The Road to Berlin” which followed the exploits of a English footballer known as Tommy as he faced off competition from some surrendering Italians and a terrifying German super-sub called Fritz, the cartoons were featured in the Evening Standard. In 2013, comedy duo Armstrong and Miller featured in adverts promoting the beer, in the guise of their WW2 era RAF airmen characters that featured prominently in their sketch show series. The adverts proved to be immensely successful, gaining the brewery two British Marketing Awards consecutively between 2015-6. The beer continues to have a large following, its branding has featured on T-Shirts, Mugs and Glassware; more recently it has been joined by variants included Spitfire Gold (4.3%) and more recently Spitfire Lager (4%). And since 2010 it has supported the Movember campaign, organising a number of charitable competitions like their Mo-Beer (create your own beer) contest. 

Hurricane (4%) – Buntingford 

Named after the Battle of Britain veteran Hurricane Hawker P3717, which used to fly past the brewery’s former brewhouse. It was first brewed in 2001; it was only their second ever brew. It was originally called Hurricane Force at the time before it was later renamed. It became part of their regular range in 2012. Described on its pump clips as a strikingly good bitter, it’s a copper-coloured brew with First Gold hops, and a mixture of locally sourced Maris Otter and Chocolate malt from suppliers based in East Anglia, which in turn helps give the beer its malty toffee character offset by a fruity bitterness. Hurricane (4%) isn’t the only beer they produce with connections to WW2 fighter planes, another beer they produce 92 Squadron (4.5%) is named after a British fighter class that flew during the course of the war. Unlike it’s contemporary it is only produced on a seasonal basis. 

Battle of Britain (5%) – Chiltern

It was originally launched in 2001 at event held at RAF Halton, based in Halton Camp, Aylesbury. A traditional style old ale, dark and light malts are combined with a balancing hop input, in this case pale and crystal malts are utilised along with Goldings and Fuggles for balance that provides a complex flavour profile reminiscent of roasted chestnuts; in this case it could be argued that the beer is a homage to the Burton Ales that were prevalent before the postwar period. The beer has since joined their regular core range, although predominately it remains a bottle only release. From every sale, 5p of each bottle goes towards the RAF Halton charities, helping towards the efficiency and support of personnel and their families at RAF Halton; in 2021 alone, they raised £3,528,80 pounds for charity. Uniquely for a beer, veterans wearing their WW2 medals are entitled to a free bottle when visiting the brewery shop. Although generally sold only in bottle, for a limited basis during the Battle of Britain Day celebrations held annually on 15th September, the brewery sells it in draught form directly from its site, where visitors can also collect two- and four-pint containers.  In 2020, an amber ale using the same name was released by the brewery, made in conjunction with the Imperial War Museum to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.  While more recently the brewery has also produced Supermarine (4%), a traditional Bitter inspired by the Spitfire, one of the fighter planes that flew during the Battle of Britian. 

Spirit of Kent (4%) – Westerham 

One of their flagship core-range products, this beer is labelled as an a 9 Hop XXX ale, in tribute to the original beer that racked on the Spitfires. Following the D-Day landings, the RAF arranged with the Black Eagle Brewery (formerly based in Westerham) to rack their 18 gallon casks onto specially adapted bomb racks on their Spitfire’s, though in later flights, the beer was filled into auxiliary non-returnable petrol tanks, once refuelling facilities were established in France. The beers were labelled “XXX Joy Juice” and flown on specially chartered flights to airfields in northern France, in what could only be described as the RAF equivalent of a brewer’s dray. Similarly, this beer, is a golden ale produced with nine different types of Kentish hops, which include Target, Goldings, Pilgrim, Sovereign, Progress, First Gold, WGV, Bramling Cross and Challenger. Most of these are sourced locally from hop grower Ian Strang who runs a National Trust hop garden in Lamberhurst. The brewery uses original yeast strains from the Black Eagle Brewery which were donated to the National Collection of Yeast Cultures in 1959, Westerham re-cultured the yeast and acquired the licencing rights from Carlsberg, the brewers even use the same aquifer in a concerted push to emulate Black Eagle’s distinctive flavoured ales. First released in 2012, it progressively became their best-selling golden ale and became available in bottles and cans from 2018 onwards. Not only is this beer a frequent site among pubs around north Kent, recently Algar Lodge Butchery made a special Ale Sausage using Spirit of Kent in the mix.

Moonlight (4.3%) – Arkell’s 

It was first released in 2003, it was commissioned by (present chairman) James Arkell to mark the 80th birthday of his father (and predecessor in the chairman role) Peter Arkell OBE, to commemorate his involvement in a series of nighttime missions for the SOE during the war, where he flew low level sorties over occupied France in 1943, picking up agents and returning them to blighty. These assignments were undertaken during the full moon period, hence the name. A traditional session-bitter, it uses a combination of Fuggles and Susan hops along with a special hop mix to give its distinct golden colour, and lingering toasty flavour. Originally a one-off special, it is now a regular brewed beer and over the years it has acquired a number of awards including Taste of the West (2011), World Beer Awards 2015 - United Kingdom - Bitter 4% - 5% - Silver Medal, The International Beer Challenge 2018 – Silver and more recently it won Bronze at British Bottlers’ Institute Competition 2025. Last year, to mark the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings 62 cases containing bottles of Moonlight beer, were flown on a Lysander aircraft from Draycott Airfield to Normandy for a commemorative dinner honouring the Allied and French Resistance heroes who helped liberate France. In recent times, the brewery has produced more beers with a connection to the fighter planes of WW2, with their keg-only releases Hurricane (4%), an amber ale; and Mustang Black (4%) a nitro stout named after the American fighter bombers P-51 Mustang. 

Lancaster Bomber (4%) – Marstons

Originally a flagship product from Thwaites brewery, it was developed by brew-master Steven Fielding. It was named after the Avro Lancaster, a heavy bomber produced by Avro who were based in Manchester between 1910-63, this aircraft manufacturer was of local significance for the Blackburn based brewery. A traditional bitter, it was described as a classic English ale, chestnut in colour, with full bodied flavour, enriched with a late hop character. Since it became part of the brewery’s core range of beers, it has gained a large following and has been widely sold in supermarkets across the country. The beer has won a number of awards including Europe Gold at the World Beer Awards 2007, 2011 and 2014. International Beer Challenge (Silver) in 2012, in the Pale Ales and Bitter category. Like its southern counterpart Spitfire (4.2%) it has been involved in mass advertising campaigns, in 2005 England cricketer Freddie Flintoff was signed up to front the ad campaign for the beer, as part of six figure investment following a 32% rise in sales. The product has also been used for charitable causes, in 2013 to mark the 70th anniversary of the Dambuster raids the brewery launched their Give A Dam campaign, in which 5p from every pint of this beer sold has been donated to Leonard Cheshire Disability – a charity founded by former Bomber Command veteran, Group Captain Leonard Cheshire. The following year, the beer was used as the official sponsor for a month-long tour of Canada’s only airworthy Lancaster bomber, as it flew from Ontario to RAF Conninsbury in Lincolnshire, stopping on the way at Goose Bay, Canada, Narsarsuaq, Greenland, and Keflavik, Iceland. It later featured at airshows across the UK including Eastbourne, Bournemouth and Shoreham etc. The same year the brewery closed their Blackburn site, and subsequently they sold off part of their company to Marstons, along with the rights to produce Lancaster Bomber (4%) and Wainwright (4.1%) in 2015 with a short-term agreement to continue featuring Thwaites branding on the bottles and pump clips. This arrangement has since been withdrawn and no trace of Thwaites appears on its promotions. In 2020, Marstons merged with Carlsberg, and a few months back they discontinued eight iconic cask ales, so Lancaster Bomber’s future remains in the balance.  

Hurricane (4%) – Wantsum

Although there are a number of beers out there that go with this name, only a few have a connection to the fighter plane, a few still are regularly sold. This example like its namesake at Buntingford, is another core range product. The brewery is based as St. Nicholas on the Wade, only five miles from RAF Manston where Hurricane’s once were a common site in the skies above the village where the brewhouse is now based. Despite these British connections, the beer is closer to an New Zealand IPA in character as it is brewed with Mosaic and Citra hops, which are well known for imparting a citrussy character, while use of oats in the mix helps give it a smoother mouthfeel and more body giving it a more refreshing aftertaste. This beer is among several produced by the brewery that follow a World War Two theme, others include their SS Richard Montgomery (4%), an APA brewed only with American Hops named after a US made liberty ship that sank in the River Medway, Dynamo (4.3%) a blonde ale named to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Dunkirk evacuation and Thunderbolt (6%) a stronger APA named after the Thunderbolts that flew for the USAF from RAF Headcorn. All these releases tend to be produced seasonally, and only Hurricane (4%) is regularly sold and also available in bottles. Since it appeared on the scene, it has also gained some awards including finalist at the 2021 Taste of Kent awards and more recently SIBA Independent South East Gold Award Winner (2023). 

Battle of Britain (3.9%) – Wolf 

Described a British best bitter, true to form it is a copper-coloured ale with plenty of bite, accompanied with a combination Goldings and Challenger hops that complement its malty undertones. It was first released in 2010 to mark the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britian at an event attended by veterans. Since then, it has joined their core range and like their forebears at Chiltern, a donation of 10p is made from each sale to (R.A.F.A.) the RAF Association’s Wings appeal. The beer has also made its mark locally when in 2015 it was awarded Champion Beer of East Anglia (2015) – Gold (Bitters). Since it’s release, the brewery has also produced a string of one-off releases celebrating heroic personnel during the war, in 2011 they developed Lone Wolf (4.4%), a lager after Czech fighter ace Sgt Josef Frantisek who flew solo missions against the Luftwaffe in 1940, where he managed to shoot down 17 aircraft in one month. While later in 2014, they also released Monty’s Gamble (3.8%) to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings, where proceeds went towards the Norwich Normandy Veterans Association. 

Liberator (4.1%) – Tring

A more recent addition, it made it’s debut on draught in December 2023 before being sold in bottle the following April. It is named after the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, an American built heavy bomber known for its long range, high cruise speed and the ability to carry a large bomb catchment. Aside from its use in the USAAC, both the RAF and the French Air Force ordered a number of these bombers. The British adapted these planes, and called them Liberators due to their use in maritime patrols. In tribute to its American links, the beer uses Citra and Mosaic hops, while Citra brings citrussy flavours of grapefruit and pine, Mosaic brings a tropical infused mix of lychee, mango and passionfruit to the table. Through the more assertive flavours coming through from the hops, it can be seen as a homage to the classic American Pale Ale offset with home-grown British malt which inadvertedly reflects on the transatlantic links of its namesake the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. Due to the relatively new status of the beer, it hasn’t been used for charitable purposes as of late, though in 2016 the brewery supported the De Havilland aircraft museum in Hatfield as the charity of their choice that year. This beer joins an earlier release, their annual Autumnal special Squadron Scramble (4%) which commemorates the Battle of Britain.

 

London Brewing Co. Tour

It wasn’t until July last year when I became aware of the London Brewing Co. when I saw some of their beers exhibited at the Ealing Beer Festival. Founded in 2011, they initially operated as a small brewpub at the Bull, Highgate before subsequently moving to a larger site at The Bohemia in North Finchley in 2014. Since then, they have expanded their facilities, although their original aesthetic as a brewpub still retains. This brewpub has become a popular focal point for the local community, organising events such as their monthly Brewer’s Social evenings where attendees can have a chat with the brewers while supping a complimentary pint of their latest special; and on the last Saturday of each month, they organise brewery tours, which gives the visitors the unique chance to explore around the site and find out more about their brewing operations. Keen to take up the opportunity, with my friend Graham in tow, we booked our places for the tour.   

 

Unlike other breweries that I have encountered, which tend to be in remote industrial units; this one was situated in a prominent High Street position which made it easier to commute. When we arrived, the bar had just opened for the day, so activity was still light. As we were waited for our tour guide to arrive, I supped a half of Flying the Mags (3.4%) their annual May special, a dark-mild created in honour of Mild May month. Despite its relatively low strength, it was rich and flavoursome, with prominent roasted malt notes and a caramel sweetness on the backend.  Before long, our guide Maciej arrived, and we were surprised to discover that we were the only two people on this tour. He first took us round the mash-tun, hopback and hot liquor tank which can be prominently seen towards the rear of the bar area. Maciej informed us that up to 80% pale malt is utilized in all their beers, and whilst boiling the malt, it is boiled at different temperatures, depending on the beer, in the order to extract the appropriate flavours and aromas. The mixture is then fed into the hopback where a base hop (used for bittering) is boiled for an hour. Upon then, more expensive hops are added to the mixture and boiled for only 15 minutes, then it is rapidly cooled down to stop the mixture from going bitter. Brewing operations are normally done twice a week, and despite only producing 1000l per day, up to two beers are produced during the working day.

 

Maciej then took us into a room at the rear of the building which contained several combi fermentation/ conditioning tanks that had pun-filled names like Audrey Hopburn, Tank Sinatra and Britney Beers for instance. During fermentation, CO2 is pumped into the vessels to drive out the oxygen, to prevent the mixture from spoiling; the beers are fermented at different temperatures, higher for pales/ IPAs and lower for lagers respectively. Two weeks after fermentation, 3kg worth of hops are added to the vats via their Hop Gun, a unique device that resembles a cross between a syringe and a torpedo. I have never encountered such a device on any previous brewery tour, and apparently the brewers double dry hop most of their beers (apart from Dark-Mild and Stouts), using this gadget for an extra coating of flavours and aromas, which help give their beers their characteristically bold flavour profile. Maciej then poured us some samples of London Lush (3.8%) to try straight from the tank, the beer was more vibrant, fresh and hoppy than what we tried from the bar earlier in the tour which seemed rather meek in comparison. A week after dry hopping the vat is dispensed into casks or kegs depending on the product, Maciej guided us into the barrel room where he concluded the tour. It was a large cavernous space filled to the rafters with casks and kegs waiting to be dispensed later at their bar, or sent on to their affiliated pubs who stock their products like The Carlton Tavern, Maida Vale or The Chandos, Brockley for instance. Scores of barrels were lined up against the walls with pipes connected to them, like the innards of an elaborate digestive system. Maciej informed us to give the casks added carbonation they add sugar to them, however their shelf life is only limited to around four days, while the kegs can last several weeks. This process is particularly challenging to manage given to the slew of cask and kegs that are fed into the bar on a daily basis. We then walked towards the bar where we asked Maciej more questions about the beers, I was particularly inquisitive about All Ripe (3.4%) their keg fruited sour, he explained that it’s distinct sour notes come from the special yeast used. We then proceeded to try some cask beers, which were quite flavoursome and distinct in their own right, although due to the hot weather conditions, they were too warm to fully appreciate the complexities of the various aromas and flavours.

Overall, we found the tour rather informative and insightful, we learnt intriguing details about the brewing process from boiling at different temperatures to double dry hopping, though some details were lacking, such as getting the chance to learn more about the various hops and malts they use in their core beers, which would have given us a greater understanding about how the beers get their distinctive flavours. This tour was relatively in smaller scale to ones I’ve been to in the past, and I found the admission price a tad overinflated, though it did come with incentive of a complimentary pint at the bar and a 20% off gift-token towards the overall tab. If you’re unfamiliar with the intricacies of the brewing process, I would strongly advise trying this tour out, as this provides a richly informative introduction into brewing, and the unique chance to see the behind-the-scenes workings of a brewpub in action.

Birds and Beers

Between the 24th - 26th January, the RSPB’s annual Big Garden Birdwatch is taking place, the largest garden wildlife survey to take place in this country, where enthusiasts are encouraged to record the number of each bird species in their gardens in order to paint an overall picture of how the various bird populations fair around the country. This scheme has been going strong since 1979, and during that time, breweries from around the country have also played their part in supporting and promoting the UK’s rich and varied range of avian species. An early supporter was Cotleigh Brewery, launched in the same year as the inaugural big garden bird watch, they started off with a 5-barrel beer plant at Cotleigh Farmhouse in Tiverton (hence the name), where they launched their first release Tawny Owl (3.8%) a traditional best bitter, its tawny colour was influenced by the brown/ buff plumage of its namesake and one of the UK’s most common owl species. The beer subsequently went onto become one of their benchmark products, and was later joined by the likes of Harrier (4.8%) in 1982, Barn Owl (4.5%) in 1994 and latterly Golden Seahawk (4.2%) in 2001, along with numerous other examples. A number of these bird themed beers over the years tend to be split into two camps, these include common birds that tend to reside in suburban and wetland areas like Robins, Blackbirds, Magpie’s, Robins, Ravens, Swans and Mallard Ducks, and conversely rare and elusive birds that are less common and tend to be located in rural and coastal areas like Red Kites, Oystercatchers, Golden Plovers, Little Terns, Nutcrackers, Bustards and Wrynecks for instance. Whilst many breweries may have one or two beers on their books with links to birds, some breweries have named their entire range after birds like Thames Side or From the Notebook for example. Indeed, a number of breweries tend to name their beers after local bird species, and some have even gone to the lengths of donating some of their proceeds to local wildlife charities and conservation groups. In their own way, breweries have played their part in supporting this county’s rich and diverse bird population.  

 

If you ever come across a beer named after a bird species, chances are its likely to be localized within 30 miles of the brewery’s vicinity. A notable example is Avocet (4.1%) by Exeter Brewery, one of their flagship regular releases first launched in 2008, it is a session bitter made with organic ingredients including several types of hops. The beer was named after the Avocet, a wading bird frequently seen in wetland areas, it is a common site in the Exe Esturary, just several miles south of the brewery. Meanwhile, the Red Kite is frequently seen soaring above the Chiltern Hills with its distinctive red-brown body, angled wings and forked tails that gives its name. This in turn influenced the likes of Vale Brewery (based in Brill) to produce Red Kite (4.3%) a chestnut-coloured bitter, made with three malt varieties (Pale Planet, Crystal and Roasted Barley) for body, along with Northdown and Brewers Gold hops for flavour, together they impart a distinct looking beer with a strong bitter aftertaste. Likewise, Black Isle and Grainstore have also produced beers under the same name, since these birds of prey can also be found around the Midlands, Wales and parts of Scotland. Grainstore have also developed Rutland Osprey (4%), a zesty light golden ale, it was influenced by the ongoing conservation efforts in Rutland Water since 2015, where there has been a drive to reestablish the first Osprey population in England for 150 years.  Coastal and upland birds have also featured in local brewery ranges, over in the Wirral, Brimcage Brewery was established by Neil Young (not the rock star) in 2006 to celebrate the area’s rich history. Two of their regular releases are named after birds that reside around the wetlands and sandbanks in the area including Sand Piper (3.6%), a light golden ale influenced by its namesake that resides in Wales, northern England and Scotland during the Summer months, and latterly Oyster Catcher (4.4%), an oyster stout that echoes the distinctive black and white plumage of the wading bird that is traditionally found in coastal areas, particularly during the Winter, although the population has gradually moved further inland due to overfishing of cockle beds. Over in the Pennines, Bowland Brewery similarly has named its regularly produced beers after its local wildlife population, including its rich array of birds of prey, including Hen Harrier (4%) a golden ale named after the bird due to its historic preference for hunting fowl, and Pheasant Plucker (3.7%) a session level bitter with a balanced malt/ hop ratio in aroma and flavours, a multi award winner it has become one of the brewery’s most noteworthy products, the pump clip features the likeliness of the male pheasant with its distinctive golden brown plumage, dark green head and red facial wattling. Meanwhile deep in the Norfolk broads, one of the county’s most prominent brewers Woodfordes has been noted for naming a number of its beers after historic Norfolk traditions and icons since first coming on the scene in 1981; seasonally during the Autumn months they release Once Bittern (4%), an beer with a terrifying brew of five malts (Maris Otter, Pale, Caramalt, Crystal and Red Crystal) and four hop varieties sourced from across the world (Goldings, Savinjskis, Mouteka and Nelson Sauvin) which impart a distinctive amber red colour and notes of citrus and spice. A tongue in cheek reference to Vampires, which are closely associated with Halloween, its name also has a double meaning as its named after the Bittern, an shy and elusive thickset heron who commonly reside around the reedbeds of Norfolk, particularly during the Winter period.  

 

To most individuals, many of the birds named and featured in these themed beers are on the whole obscure, unless you happen to be ornithologist. Most ordinary folk are more attuned to common garden birds like robins, magpies and blackbirds than the rare elusive species that are seldom known. Magpie Brewery based in Nottingham town centre has a number of garden birds appearing on their pump clips and brands, which is alas unsurprising given their name, which comes one of the UK’s most distinctive and widespread bird species with its notable ‘iridescent’ black and white plumage, it resides in 600,000 territories, only being absent from northern Scotland. Three of their beers are named after the Magpie, these include Best (4%), Hoppily Single (3.8%) and latterly Thieving Rogue (4.5%) which helps promote the ongoing myth that Magpies like stealing shiny things, first popularised by 1815 opera The Thieving Rogue by Rossini. Likewise they also have on their books, Raven Stout (4.4%) and its fruiter sister Cherry Raven (4.4%) named after the Common Raven, a frequent sight in suburbs and cites with 10,000 breeding pairs registered only in 2016, along with Jay IPA (5.2%), a golden traditional British style IPA with fruity and aromatic flavours, made with indigenous hops. Its colourful flavours help echo the equally viridescent appearance of its namesake, a member of the crow family, it is noted for its brown body and its blue, white and black tipped wings; seen in 170,000 territories across the country, though they tend to prefer woodland areas they can be occasionally seen in gardens. Moreover, the Goldfinch with its colourful markings has made its way onto numerous beers, like Goldfinch (3.4%) by Black Isle, a gluten free session IPA, its uses a kaleidoscope of ingredients to make up for its low strength using a five malt base and a bouquet of hops including Citra, Nelson Sauvin, Simcoe, Chinook, Cascade and Pacific Gem hops that give it a tropical fruity flavour along with a citrussy finish. The beer somewhat eerily echoes the appearance of a Goldfinch, despite its relatively small stature, it has a bright red face, buff and cream plumage along with yellow wing patches, helping it stand out from other common garden birds. Yet out of all the species of birds that has attracted the most attention from brewers happens to be the humble Robin; it is noted for being one of the country’s friendliest, favourite and commonly garden birds, appearing in around 6.7 million territories, their numbers are bolstered during the winter months with arrivals from northern Europe and Russia migrating to the UK; their frequency around this period and their notable red breasts, has helped made them the subject of thousands of Christmas cards over the decades. Similarly, around the festive season, a good number of breweries utilize the Robin as the emblem for their beers, for example Red Robin (4.1%) by Green Jack is annually released every December, based on a old Irish red ale recipe, it is produced with crystal malt that helps give its distinctive hue, rich, fruity and malty flavours; furthermore, it is topped up with cranberries to help give it some added depth. Similarly, there have been other examples like Rockin Robin (4.8%) by Staffordshire Brewery made in conjunction with Cottage Delight, Bobbin Robin (5.8%) a stout produced by 8 Sail and likewise Stout Robin (4.6%) by Basham, described as a dark Norfolk stout developed with a rich blend of British malt varieties and malt to give its distinctive bitter notes and rich berry aromas. Its name is derived from the term that stout is another word for strong or proud. The name also denotes the brave and friendly temperament of the Robin, which is frequently seen around gardens in the UK and are sometimes tame enough to be fed by hand.

 

Whilst a good clutch of bird themed beers are named after common garden birds, there are a good deal out there that are labelled to more obscure and elusive species that are harder to find. Hexham based brewer Allendale, has produced several beers that named after rare birds, and by coincidence are brewed to signify the distinctive appearances of these birds. For example, Black Grouse (4%), a smoked porter that is sold on a seasonal basis, easily echoes the distinctive black plumage of the grouse sub-species that is commonly found in rural parts of northern England, whilst Golden Plover (4%) is a multi-award-winning pale ale made with the unique combination of Hallertau Hersbrucker and Columbus hops that helps give its distinct aromatic and citrussy taste. It could be argued that its appearance was influenced by the bird’s notable golden and black plumage which it has during the Summer months. Meanwhile north of the border, Orkney Brewery based in Quoyloo in the heart of the Orkney Islands, has a number of beers on its books named after birds frequently seen in the area. These include the likes of Puffin Ale (4.5%) a best bitter made with Brambling Cross and Targets hops. It has a distinctive malty flavour with profound notes of spiciness on the back end and hints of dark fruits such as blackcurrant. Described as clowns of the sea or sea parrots due their comical appearance (which consists of bright orange legs, black-red eye markings and elongated bill), locally they are known as Tammie Norries; they are mainly seen in coastal areas, particularly around northern Scotland and the Orkneys. Likewise, the Corncrake is another rare and elusive bird that is seen in the islands where it migrates to during the Winter months, they featured on another of the brewery’s regular releases Corncrake (4.1%) a golden ale that uses a mixture of British and New World hops (Stryian and Goldings), that helps impart a biscuity yet fruity flavour with notes of citrus, apricot and peach. The RSPB currently list the Corncrake’s conservation status as red, and when the beer was first sold in bottle in 2012, the brewery donated part of the proceeds for the sale of each bottle towards the RSPB. Further south in Aviemore, Cairngorm Brewery has had the distinction of featuring one of the most elusive birds in the country on one of their beers. In 2011, the brewery marked 50 years since the ski runs in the Cairngorms were first established with the release of White Lady (4.7%). In a throwback to its Alpine links, it was produced as a Wheat Beer, with notes of roasted malt, orange peel and coriander which are closely associated with this style. The name has a double meaning, as the pump clips features the likeliness of the Ptarmigan, a grouse that develops white plumage during the Winter months. Suited to tundra and upland areas, it is often resident in the highlands of Scotland, particularly during the Winter, where it’s suited to the 'arctic landscape' around the area, where they also breed. The brewery wryly mentions in their publicity that the bird is known for its love of the high life. Yet sightings of this bird are rare, with only around 2000 breeding pairs accounted for and it is currently listed as red in its conservation status.

 

On the whole, most of the breweries previously mentioned have one or several beers named after birds in their ranges. Yet there are some out there, that have dedicated all (or most of) their entire range to these winged creatures. Thames Side Brewery based in Staines upon Thames is a good example of this; founded in 2015 by CAMRA member Andy Hayward, at the time it was noted for being the first brewery to open in the town for 80 years. Their links to its riverside location are deeply entrenched, even to point of recently relocating to larger brewing site at the Two Rivers Retail Park, which is equidistance between the Rivers Wraybury and Colne that encircle the complex, and only 0.4 miles from the River Thames. All of their regular and seasonal beers are named bird species that frequently located in wetland areas within the vicinity of the town. Their core range includes Egyptian Goose IPA (4.8%), a traditional English IPA that uses British hops (including Fuggles and Goldings) for flavour, these water birds get their name as they originally hail from sub–Saharan Africa; Heron Ale (3.7%) an easy drinking session bitter with a balance malty flavour, Herons prefer to reside in freshwater and coastal areas, they are a common site in the wetlands of Berkshire and Oxfordshire; and White Swan (4.2%), a new world IPA that is made with Chinook and Columbus hops that helps give it a distinctive citrus flavours, out of all the waterbirds within the region, the Swan is perhaps the most iconic of bird species in the local region; closely linked to the River Thames, not only are they protected by the crown, every year an annual ceremony called Swan Upping occurs where mute Swans are caught, tagged and marked as part of an annual census that monitors their population and overall health.  Meanwhile other seasonal examples have included Harrier Bitter (3.4%), a light session bitter, it is traditionally made with Fuggles and Goldings, then it is topped off with Cluster hops which are dry hopped and added to mix late in the brew, this helps give the beer some added lift and punchiness in its overall flavour, its pump clips notably feature the likeliness of the Marsh Harrier that is commonly seen around the reedbeds and marshlands of southern England; Wryneck Rye IPA (5.6%) a tongue in cheek reference to its name, it uses Rye malt along-side its hop mixture of Cascade, Nugget and (dry hopped) Chinook hops that helps give it a classic West Coast IPA flavour, named after a species of Woodpecker, it gets its moniker from its ability to turn its neck 180 degrees; and lastly Black Swan Porter (4.6%), a traditional London style Porter, made with brown, chocolate and crystal malts, that helps give it’s distinct roasted flavours along with hints of chocolate and coffee and a dash of Fuggles and Goldings hops for added bitternes; a multi award winner, its appearance echoes the large waterbird’s distinctive black plumage, peppered with white flight feathers and a red bill. Moreover, the likes of From the Notebook Brewery takes the distinction of being the most closely associated brewer with the various wildlife conservation charities and organisations. Established in Northumberland in 2012 by Graeme Denton and Chris Bowler, markedly Denton a former biologist and CAMRA member was inspired to set up a brewery that would feature beers based on the various wildlife found in the nearby Farne Islands. Together he worked with Bowler, a wildlife enthusiast to produce these beers. Their distinctive notebook branding style hails from the field sketches birdwatchers would frequently jot down in their notebooks, inspired the work of Stewart Sexton who donated some of his drawings to a number of their beers, whilst artist Steve Poole was tasked with designing their cans. Their regular range includes Eider (4.2%) a stout noted for its malty overtones and chocolaty finish, it is named after the UK’s heaviest and fastest Duck species, it mainly resides in coastal areas; Puffin (3.8%) a best bitter that uses US Pioneer hops to give it a sharp bitter taste followed by a mellow caramel background; Kittiwake (4%) a Pilsner style blonde ale that has a gentle flavour, the beer celebrates the bonding process of adult Kittiwakes at the start of the breeding season, they are common site in coastal areas around Northumberland and Tyneside for instance;  Arctic Tern (6%) a hoppy and feisty English IPA, Golden in colour,  its golden hue symbolizes the migration patterns of the Arctic Tern, which flies through areas which have greater hours of sunlight, and is known for travelling up to 70,000km per year; and its younger brother Little Tern (4%) a pale ale named after one the UK’s rarest birds and smallest member of the Tern family, who typically breed and reside around coastal edges in the early Summer months. All of their beers celebrate the beauty and diversity of nature, and rather unusually for a brewery, they extensively work with wildlife conservation charities and organisations; a portion of their proceeds go towards these groups, from 10p a bottle to 10% of the company’s total profits. Organisations like the Marine Conservation Society, The Little Tern Recovery Project, White Stork Project, British Trust for Ornithology and Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust have benefited from their takings over the years.

 

Overall, there is a rich and varied array of beers out there produced by breweries based all over the country that celebrate the UK’s diverse range of avian species. A common theme that comes about is a good deal of these brewers tend focus on bird species found in the locality of the brewery, for instance the likes of Orkney, Bowland, Grainstore and Brimcage name all their bird themed beers after local birds, such as Rutland Osprey (4%) which is inspired by the Osprey conservation project in Rutland Water, and Puffin (4%) which is named after a common resident in the Orkney Islands. Meanwhile other breweries have turned to more common garden birds for inspiration, Robins particularly spring to mind and have featured on a number of seasonal ales released around the Christmas period like Stout Robin (4.6%) which celebrates the braveness of the one of the UK’s most-friendliest bird species. Although it seldom to find any brewery that would name most or their entire range after birds, inspired by Cotleigh’s pioneering efforts, there have been some brewers out there that have carried on the tradition, like Thames Side who name all their regular, seasonal and limited-edition releases after various species of birds that are found within wetland areas located within the vicinity of the brewery. Meanwhile, the likes of From the Notebook have gone even further, not only are their beers named birds (and other wildlife), they also feature sketches of the creatures in their artwork, and have gone to lengths of donating part of their proceeds to various charities and organisations in their ongoing efforts to support wildlife conservation. So, when you’re out in the garden this weekend, and have sat there for hours surveying your local bird population, the ideal tipple for the occasion following a long day’s toil would have to be a bird themed beer.