Food and Drink

EU Protected Food Names Scheme - UK registered names

Regulation (EEC) No 2081/92 - Application for Registration Article 17

Protected Geographical IndicationProtected Geographical Indication
National application No: 01621A - Kentish Ale
1. Competent service of the Member State:

Name: United Kingdom - Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Tel: 020 7238 6687

Fax: 020 7328 5728

2. Applicant group:

a) Name: Shepherd Neame Brewery

b) Address: 17 Court Street Faversham Kent ME13 7AX

c) Composition: producer/processor

3. Name of product:

Kentish Ale

4. Type of product (see list in Annex VI):

Beer - Class 2.1

5. Specification - Summary of requirement under Article 4(2)):
a) Name:

Kentish Ale

b) Description of Product:

Alcoholic beverage golden brown in colour (with a light creamy head when poured), has a strong aroma of hops and a bitter flavour. Has alcoholic content of 3.5 - 4.8% Alcohol by Volume (ABV).

c) Geographical area:

The County of Kent

d) Evidence of origin:

The ale has been brewed on the present site since 1698 and the brewery is recognised as the oldest in the UK. The ale has always been brewed using water from the artesian well under the brewery and locally grown hops

e) Method of production:

Malted barley is crushed to produce a meal called 'grist' which is mixed with heated water in a large vat for about an hour. The resulting sweet extract 'Wort' is run into a boiling vessel and boiled with selected locally grown hops for an hour. An additional portion of hops is added towards the end of the boil to maintain a powerful hop aroma. The Wort is then cooled and run into fermentation vessels where the yeast is added and is left to ferment for one week until an alcoholic content of 3.5 - 4.8% ABV is reached.

f) Link

The ale is produced exclusively at the brewery and is still made using the Kent Ale strain of yeast and traditional ingredients of local hops and well water which gives the ale its specific flavour.

g) Inspection bodies:

Product Authentication International Ltd

Address: Rowland House, 65 High Street, Worthing, West Sussex, BN11 1DN.

Tel: 01903 237799

Fax: 01903 204445

h) Labelling:

PGI

i) National requirements (if any):
EC No:

Page last modified: 7 August 2007
Page published: 25 July 2003

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs