Shepherd Neame
Faversham, Kent, United Kingdom · Est. 1698
Tally's Take
Why this matters
Britain's oldest brewer, brewing in Faversham since 1698 and quite possibly earlier — the records simply start there. Still independent, still family-run, still drawing water from an artesian well under the town, in a country that has spent three hundred years consolidating its breweries into a handful of owners. Kent hops, Kent water, and a company that has watched every empire in British brewing rise and be sold.
The Beer Library
Beers
Spitfire
Year-RoundEnglish Bitter
Brewed by Britain's oldest brewer, in continuous production since 1698, and originally made to mark the Battle of Britain anniversary in Kent — the county the battle was fought over.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →Bishops Finger
Year-RoundStrong Bitter
Named for the fingerpost signs that pointed pilgrims toward Canterbury. Faversham has been brewing since before the concept of a brewery company existed.
Drank this? Add it to your passport →Straight answers
Common questions about Shepherd Neame
- Who owns Shepherd Neame?
- Shepherd Neame is independently owned — there is no parent company above it on record. It is based in Faversham, Kent, United Kingdom.
- Is Shepherd Neame independent?
- Yes. Shepherd Neame is recorded as independent, with no parent company. Independence is recorded as the brewery states it; where a stake is a minority holding or joint venture, this archive leaves it unmapped rather than calling it ownership.
- When was Shepherd Neame founded?
- Shepherd Neame was founded in 1698 in Faversham, Kent, United Kingdom.
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