OLD DAIRY BREWERY ’ S ‘ SNOW TOP ’ WINS SILVER
CORKS POP TO MARK OPENING OF MOET & CHANDON BAR AT THE HYTHE IMPERIAL
BETTESHANGER RECEIVES FUNDING BOOST
SOMETHING NEW BREWING IN MAIDSTONE
BUSINESSNEWS
OLD DAIRY BREWERY ’ S ‘ SNOW TOP ’ WINS SILVER
Snow Top has won Silver , Supreme CAMRA Champion Beer of Britain at the Great British Beer Festival , held in August at Olympia in London . One of Old Dairy Brewery ’ s many seasonal brews , this is a rich dark beer that they have traditionally brewed through the winter to warm the cockles . It is a hearty 6 % ABV with flavour notes of comfort foods like fruitcake and marmalade . The challenger and Bramling cross hops are grown just a mile away from the brewery .
Head brewer Glenn has continued to improve the beers while maintaining consistency to ensure that every pint is as good or better than the last . The brewery feels they are poised for the next stage in development , and looks forward to growth in the near future .
CORKS POP TO MARK OPENING OF MOET & CHANDON BAR AT THE HYTHE IMPERIAL
BETTESHANGER RECEIVES FUNDING BOOST
Raise a glass to the new Moet & Chandon Champagne Bar , which opened at the Hythe Imperial Hotel in August .
Situated on the first floor of the hotel next to the glamorous Imperial Ballroom , the bar was formally opened by Mayor of Hythe Michael Lyons on Thursday , 4th August , and began serving the public the following day . “ We ’ re very proud that the Hythe Imperial is the home of Moet &
Chandon in Kent ,” said Denise Vas , general manager of the hotel . “ It really is a glorious spot to relax and enjoy a glass or two of bubbly while taking in the magnificent sea views .” The bar is open to the public from Wednesday to Sunday , and is available for hire for private functions on Monday and Tuesday . Its opening is the latest landmark in the ongoing refurbishment of the Hythe Imperial by its owners , Ashford-based GSE Group .
Betteshanger Sustainable Parks , a major project aimed at regenerating the former East Kent coalfield , is celebrating a number of grants totalling £ 1.8m , from successful funding applications that include the Garfield Weston Foundation and the Heritage Lottery Fund .
Using money raised by National Lottery players , the Heritage Lottery Fund ( HLF ) has confirmed a £ 1.3m grant , to be used specifically to support the development and operation of the Kent Mining Museum , which will be housed in a new state-of-the-art Visitor Centre at Betteshanger Park , on the site of the former Betteshanger Colliery .
Devised to celebrate and preserve Kent ’ s coal mining heritage , the Kent Mining Museum will embrace a unique collection of oral history , archives and artefacts , many of which would otherwise be in danger of being lost forever .
Richard Morsley , director , Betteshanger Sustainable Parks , said : “ The success of the Round 2 HLF funding application recognises the importance of East Kent ' s coal mining heritage and the need to preserve this heritage for future generations . The Kent Mining Museum will be a venue where this heritage is explored and where Kent ' s unique position as a coalfield community can be better understood .”
Using funds already raised , work has begun on the new £ 8m Visitor Centre at Betteshanger Park . The Centre will house the Kent Mining Museum , a Green Energy Centre , conferencing and events facilities , a café serving local produce and a Cycle Centre – with external facilities that include a mining-themed play park , a 3-acre events amphitheatre and improved sporting and leisure facilities . The new Visitor Centre is scheduled to open in spring 2017 and the Museum in the summer .
SOMETHING NEW BREWING IN MAIDSTONE
Something is most definitely brewing in Maidstone – beer is making a quiet and classy comeback from the days when the town was home to the famous Fremlins Brewery . Usually synonymous with longestablished locals and males of a certain age , real ales and proper lagers are finding their way into cooler quarters , Starting with the 4Degrees Craft Bar , which has its official launch in August within the Royal Star Arcade .
In a marked departure from how most pubs operate , the owners here deal directly with domestic and most often Kentish brewers and coffee roasters , or else import their own beers from abroad rather than rely on the work of wholesalers . By forging strong links with individual , artisan alemakers and roasters , they are able to source suds and froths that you simply can ’ t get elsewhere
There is even a deal brewing at the moment with a Canadian Brewery that shares the same name as the bar and do not currently export their beer to anyone else .
4Degrees is open now , offering food and drink sourced from the best local growers and brewers around .
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