"distinctive Shepherd Neame taste"?

[Dr. Dextrin]

Or possibly even hops? They have always been known for getting plenty of bitterness from their Kentish hops - and not necessarily using them in moderation either. They even describe the taste of Bishop's Finger themselves as "more challenging" (and I can remember when their ales were a good deal more challenging than they are now).

[alfie09]

funny that i am a big fan of there beers and would love to replicate spitfire its awesome in my eyes

[Pinto]

Related, but unrelated.....

Does anyone have an AG clone recipie for Hurlimanns lager ? I'd love to make some of the brain smasher in a future brew

on topic, im quite happy drinking SN products when offered/ available - and certainly enjoy a spitfire or two

[fego]

Alfie, try this for Spitfire. It's based on the Hop and Grain recipe database and I've brewed it several times. Is very close to the original but I dry hop for extra aroma..

25 litre batch OG 1045 ABV 4.7% 43 EBU

PALE MALT 4000 gms
AMBER MALT 250 gms
CRYSTAL MALT 400 gms
WHEAT MALT 200 gms
TORRIFIED WHEAT 400 gms

HOPS Boil time 90 minutes

TARGET 30 gms
GOLDINGS 28 gms
Add 10 gms Goldings last 15 minutes.

Pinto, can't help with a Hurlimann recipe but I have been to the SN brewery several times. They say all their lagers are brewed using the same wort and that different yeast strains determine their final taste. They also say their Asahi contains rice 'for that Oriental taste'. Not a cheap source of ferment able sugar then.....

I 'quite like' SN beers but don't think they necessarily have a certain definable taste or twang over any other ales. Perhaps that's because I drink them mostly in Kent near the brewery. Perhaps they don't travel well or they add something to those which travel? Anyway, I think the Early Bird is their stand out brew but sadly have never been able to get a recipe for it.

[TawnyPigeon]

I've had one fantastic bottle of Bishop's finger and a few god awful ones (Tasted of cardboard. Just awful). I've always thought that their yeast is very "distinctive". On a good day the metallic tang is a flavour I enjoy. Makes a change from my local breweries around Bristol who don't seem capable of finding an interesting signature flavour. SN's biggest problem is no doubt down to clear bottles (and possibly because I've only ever bought them from Lidl, and I wonder if storage conditions are an issue). They don't seem to have issues with their licensed foreign brews. I notice that they do tend to be in brown bottles.

[Spud395]

Only ever seen the clear bottles over here, I wont be buying any more of them.

I found the beers that I've tried to be very thin, with little mouthfeel.

[alfie09]

brains sa as changed in bottles i think. its got a bad metallic taste to it now vile

[TC2642]

Clear bottles can also skunk fairly easily, haven't had one in a while but I found their beers to be ok but not the best out there.

[barneey]

Strangely enough I`ve used a very close recipe to that posted above to try and brew a spitfire clone.

For tasting purposes last night I drank a bottle of spitfire, have to say the clone is a hell of alot better than the real thing.

To the point now I will stop trying to replicate the original and keep with the home brew recipe.