Limited-edition ale at Shepherd Neame pubs
Brewer and pub operator Shepherd Neame has created a limited-edition Coronation Ale (4.8% ABV) to mark the King’s coronation.
The English Ale uses the iconic crown motif incorporating the official Coronation emblem and is part of a series of special commemorations the brewer will be undertaking for the historic occasion.
The ale will be available on draught at a selection of Shepherd Neame’s pubs throughout Kent, London and the south-east across the Coronation weekend from Friday 5 May to bank holiday Monday on 8 May.
The beer is said to have light caramel notes and a deep golden hue with east Kent Goldings hops adding a spiciness to the citrus and fruit aromas, rounded out with subtle bitterness from a generous hopping of Kentish Challenger.
Shepherd Neame holds Royal Warrants for its flagship Spitfire Amber Ale as well as Grants Morella Cherry Brandy.
Shepherd Neame chief executive Jonathan Neame said: “We are delighted to mark this historic occasion, the Coronation of King Charles III, with a special beer. We hope that our customers will enjoy raising a glass to toast such a special occasion.”
To complement the ale, project executive chef Sang Nguyen has created three new limited-edition food dishes with a royal twist that will be available at selected Shepherd Neame pubs across the Coronation weekend.
His Crown of Chicken consists of a whole roasted poussin served with purple sprouting broccoli, glazed carrots, wild mushroom sauce, and crispy King Edward roast potatoes.
The Royal Pie comprises roasted wild mushroom, spinach and butternut squash with wild mushroom sauce, and features a special hand crafted royal crest on its puff pastry lid.
While the Coronation Club Sandwich, comprises Coronation chicken with lettuce, tomato and bacon between three slices of freshly baked granary or white bread, again served with King Edward roast potatoes.
To further toast the new King and Queen Consort, two special cocktails have been created, a Royal Sherry Martini, based on the Coronation No.1 – created for the coronation of King Edward VII in 1902 – and a Royal Cherry, using Shepherd Neame’s own Grants Morella Cherry Brandy.
Devon red cider from Sandford Orchards
Cider-maker Sandford Orchards is launching a limited-edition coronation Devon Red Cider.
It is already available at selected pubs and other hospitality venues plus some retail outlets.
Sandford Orchards chief cider-maker Barny Butterfield said: “Most of us are too young to remember the last coronation so we are eagerly anticipating some fantastic celebrations across the country.
“We wanted to mark the occasion with the launch of Devon Red Cider, which is created from British apples grown and pressed in Devon, using traditional methods, at the oldest working cider mill in the UK.
“No coronation parties will be complete without it. Why would you toast the new King’s health with French Champagne when you can raise a glass of 100% British cider?”
Sandford Orchards said the ABV 4.5% cider is a balanced, refreshing medium cider that is created from British apples grown in orchards rooted in the rich, red, fertile soil which surrounds Sandford Orchards in Crediton, Devon.
Whitley Neill launches limited-edition bottle
Gin brand Whitley Neill has launched a coronation-themed bottle for its Connoisseur’s Cut London Dry Gin.
The bottle, which contains the 47% ABV liquid, will only be around for a short time and boasts a “striking, patriotic red, white and blue colour scheme with the official coronation emblem on the seal of the lid”.
To mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012, the newest still at the City of London was named Elizabeth after the late Queen. It is on this still that all Whitley Neill’s London Dry Gins are made, including the Connoisseur’s Cut Gin in this special release.
Rachel Adams, global marketing director at Halewood Artisanal Spirits, which owns the brand, said: “With an extra bank holiday and a weekend full of celebrations, the coronation will present a huge sales opportunity for retailers and licensees this May.”
Gin gin to Shakespeare Distillery’s new product
Shakespeare Distillery has launched Coronation Gin to coincide with the crowning of King Charles III.
The team at the artisan spirit producer in Stratford-upon-Avon has crafted a completely new dry gin that has taken inspiration from the gin and dubonnet beloved by the late Queen and Queen Mother.
The recipe is a combination of flavours of orange and currants with the warming spices of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, rosemary, coriander, and angelica. The resulting juniper-led gin is said to have a fruity and robust finish.
Shakespeare Distillery director Simon Picken said: “We’re delighted to launch our special Coronation Gin in time for gin fans to enjoy a tipple while celebrating the King’s coronation.
“The festivities will span three whole days in May, featuring two epic processions, a religious service, and a star-studded concert at Windsor Castle. It is well known that the late Queen and Queen Mother were both fans of dubonnet and gin so I hope King Charles will approve of our new addition.”
Theakston toasts King Charles III with Crowning Glory
Brewer T&R Theakston is raising a pint in celebration of the seventh coronation in its almost 200-year history with the launch of a special edition beer for King Charles III.
Crowning Glory, a 4.2% ABV speciality regal gold beer, has been crafted using a grist of British Pale and Crystal malt “to give a gloriously robust character” while the business claims the beer features a “honeyed, blackcurrant sweetness that is perfectly balanced by premium English hops, which provide subtle citrussy spiced cedar overtones”.
The beer continues the brewery’s tradition of creating limited edition ales to celebrate Royal occasions. It joins a distinguished lineage including Celebration Ale which marked Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee in 1977 and most recently, Royal Salute, which commemorated the Diamond and Platinum Jubilees in 2012 and 2022.
Theakston Brewery joint managing director Simon Theakston said: “As a brewery, we’re immensely proud of our almost 200-year heritage and it’s fascinating to consider that as a business we have been witness to nine monarchs and seven coronations.”
In addition to being available to pubs across the UK, Theakston is also creating a limited-edition bottle run of the beer, which will be available to purchase from the brewery’s visitor centre in Masham, North Yorkshire, and its online store.
Wonky Windsor gin from Four Sis4ers Distillery
Four Sis4ers Distillery in Salford has launched a limited-edition fruit-waste strawberry gin to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III.
Wonky Windsor is a 37.5% ABV pink gin made with the fruits of cast off ‘wonky’ British strawberries. Distilled slowly in the business’s Arnold Holstein copper still, this spirit is inspired by King Charles’ love of the environment and passion for sustainability.
Four Sis4ers’s strawberry gin is best served with elderflower tonic over ice with a single strawberry or add a double shot of prosecco and top with lemonade for the perfect summer cocktail.
Four Sis4ers Distillery director Hayley Robinson said: “King Charles is passionate about the environment, and we are passionate about sustainability – so we thought it would be a great idea to use fruit food waste for this latest gin, to repurpose the strawberries into something special to mark such an iconic occasion.
“With street parties, garden barbecues and coronation picnics happening up and down the country, this gin is the perfect addition to any get together. We want to say cheers from Salford, and hope everyone can celebrate this historic moment with friends and family.”
MajesTEA makes a royal return
Surrey-based brewer Hogs Back Brewery is inviting beer drinkers to toast the Coronation of King Charles with a pint of MajesTEA – a premium cask ale that it says “is definitely fit for a king”.
Originally brewed for the Platinum Jubilee in 2022, MajesTEA is returning as a limited-edition ale for another this royal occasion. It will be available to pubs, as well as in the Hogs Back taproom at the brewery in Tongham, in time for the coronation celebrations in May.
MajesTEA is a regal variation on Hogs Back’s award-winning flagship ale Tongham TEA, brewed with a little more English malt and Fuggles hops, which are grown in the hop garden less than 100 yards from the brewhouse. The full-bodied 4.5% ABV traditional amber ale is said to have “a beautiful balance of malty, caramel notes and spicy hop flavours while dry hopping with Fuggles adds grassy and floral notes”.
Hogs Back managing director Rupert Thompson said: “There’s a long history among British brewers of producing very special beers to mark royal occasions and we’re delighted that MajesTEA is continuing the tradition. It’s a very British beer, eminently drinkable, and certainly worth breaking out the bunting for.”
Rose & Cherry Bubbly from Luscombe
Royal Warrant holder Luscombe has launched a limited-edition Rose & Cherry Bubbly soft drink.
Luscombe’s Rose & Cherry Bubbly is available in 27cl single serve bottles from wholesalers including Creed Foodservice, Caterfood, RD Johns and Infinity Food.
It joins the portfolio, which includes Strawberry Bubbly, Damascene Rose Bubbly and Wild Elderflower Bubbly.
Luscombe owner and founder Gabriel David said: “Inspired by the rose featured in the Coronation emblem, our limited-edition Rose & Cherry Bubbly has been crafted with Royal celebrations in mind.
“A gently sparkling bubbly, it balances the sweet tartness of cherries beautifully with the floral notes of the rose and is naturally sweetened with muscat grape juice and finished with Sicilian lemons and soft Dartmoor spring water.”
Chapel Down’s sparkling offer
English wine producer Chapel Down has announced the release of a limited-edition English sparkling wine to commemorate the coronation with all profits being donated to the Royal British Legion.
Although only 2,000 bottles of Chapel Down Coronation Edition 2016 have been produced, two-Michelin-starred gastropub the Hand & Flowers – operated by TV chef Tom Kerridge – will be one of a few select hospitality sites to serve it.
The ‘Chapel Down Coronation Edition’ is from the exceptional 2016 vintage and features special-edition packaging, including a Union flag design imprinted on the front label and the official coronation logo on the neck label.
The wine is claimed to be a classic blend of the finest parcels of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier from Kent. This complex sparkling wine has been aged on lees for five and a half years before its release now. Described by head winemaker Josh Donaghay-Spire as displaying “complex aromas of ripe apple, fresh red berries and toasted brioche”, this wine is “perfect for grand celebrations”.
If you have any new products coming to the on-trade, please email the details of the product - it could be drinks or snacks - along with how licensees can get hold of the product or which pubs or bars it will be available to rebecca.weller@wrbm.com
