Our summer ale, Sun Top (http://www.olddairybrewery.com/beers/) has sold out – we are battling tirelessly to produce some more – so apologies to our fans – but good things come to those that wait…

July has proved to be a record month for ODB, with festivals as well as our summer ale, Sun Top, contributing to sales. Bottled beers are also taking off, and we welcomed Steve Hockney to our stable

“Old Dairy Brewery shareholder Darren Penny has met with the Prime Minister. When “Darren met Dave” he was able to stress the importance of microbrewing in the UK and suggest that number 10 might wish to stock some of our cracking ales. The PM appearedsympathetic, and asked to be kept informed over the dispute with the French champagne makers

Guy managed to lock himself in the Lavatory this week and was stuck there for some time – he said he was shouting but with the buzz of the brew house nobody heard him – but we think he was hiding from customers wanting more of our beer and we were short of casks…..fortunately Guy has made a full recovery from his experience. We have fixed the door!!

We’ve now have available to all, 36 pint polypins. You can buy these for only £60 inc VAT + £10 p&p which works out a cracking £1.66 per pint. All our beers are available, Best Bitter, Golden Ale and very soon our IPA. Call the brewery if you would like to order one.

Well we hit our first milestone last week when we actually ran out of casks. Such has been the demand for our cracking ales that we literally had no casks in-stock in the brewery to put the beers in, they were all in the pubs. Never fear as our suppliers came to the rescue and delivered more just in time for the next brew. Our MD Lionel said, “this has been a superb couple of months and I am overwhelmed with the feedback we have had from landlords locally and further afield, they just just can’t seem to get enough of our beer.” With another great beer on the way, our IPA which is in our brewers words “A refreshing beer that’s dangerously drinkable”, we are looking forward to a good summer. We will keep you posted as to when this will hit the pubs.

X – morricides ( for such are they called) danced traditional dances at Hole Park Estate (home of ODB) on mayday. They volunteered specifically on the condition that ODB would supply beer to keep them sustained. They started the day with a breakfast at the Chequers at Goudhurst ( purveyors of Red Top and Gold Top) , topped up at Hole Park with the kind Support of Edward Bareham ( our landlord) and then moved on to the Bull at Benenden for lunch, another purveyor of our fine ales. In true British fashion it rained, but a good time was had by all, including a tour of the brewery…!

Over the years Anglo French rivalry has taken many forms – sport, politics and of course many years ago even musket and shot.  Now, however, trouble is brewing in a potentially new area of conflict – English beer!

In a David and Goliath confrontation, the might of French Champagne house Heidsieck and Co Monopole has come down heavily on us over the name of our Red Top beer.

Heidsieck and Co Monopole, part of the Vranken-Pommery Monopole multi-national organisation, is claiming infringement of trademark on the grounds of confusion with a name they already have registered.

In our leafy lanes of Kent, however, our Managing Director Lionel Fretz is struggling to see the connection and is preparing to draw up battle lines.  “We approached Heidsieck and Co Monopole out of courtesy when we found out they had the name ‘Red Top’ registered for champagne, never imagining there would be a problem.  Now they are claiming the likelihood of confusion, which is absolutely ridiculous.  They produce superb French champagnes, we produce fine English ales.  They appeal to a totally different market and are in a different league when it comes to price.  The only similarity I can see is they both appeal to discerning drinkers.”

He goes on: “This whole situation is simply farcical but we will not be bullied and intend to fight to the bitter end!  After all, Wellington overcame much greater forces at Waterloo so we intend to adopt the same Bulldog spirit in our skirmish with this giant French poodle.”

We will keep you posted as to the outcome – however please support us in our hour of need, this is after all great English beer at stake!!

We are pleased to welcome local lad Will Neame who has recently joined us as Assistant Brewer.  With a degree in Archaeolgy, Anthopology and Art History, Will has now decided to expand his range of interests to subjects beginning with a ‘B’ (Beer &  Brewing). Will be helping out Ed on brewing, Guy on deliveries and sales, and generally keeping tabs on where all our Casks are!