GRAINTOGLASS
US-INFLUENCED , BREWED IN KENT :
DOCKER BREWERY
DOCKER BREWERY GREW FROM A SHIPPING CONTAINER AT THE HARBOUR ARM ALONGSIDE THEIR SOURDOUGH BAKERY , BUT QUICKLY OUTGREW THE SPACE AND , IN LATE 2019 , MOVED UP TO AN INDUSTRIAL ESTATE UNDER THE NORTH DOWNS WHERE THE SMALL TEAM HAVE BUILT A STEAM BREWERY .
“ We opened the new brewery just before the whole covid thing hit so we were initially worried about a big drop in trade ”, says Pete Nelson cofounder of Docker Brewery and Bakery . “ Luckily we were able to adapt quickly and move the product into cans , selling them via our website , and much like with our bakery we found a whole new customer base ”.
Docker make craft beer predominately in kegs and cans . “ We love real ale from Kent but we felt there were already many producers out there in that market , so we decided to take a different tack and make US-influenced craft beer which is served cold and with more carbonation - it ’ s still a live , natural product with plenty of delicious hop flavours . We certainly aren ’ t ruling out cask for the future ... Whilst we love US and New Zealand hops , we are currently working a lot with more interesting hop varieties that were developed at Wye in the 20th century but sidelined because of their ‘ American ’ flavours .”
Some of Docker ’ s most popular brews are DFL - an American pale ale , Flatten The Curve - a double dry-hopped IPA , Wye College - a pale ale homage to ES Salmon who developed many of the more interesting hop varieties of the 20th century , and Life In 3D - a light summer pale ale .
“ We are excited to have teamed up with Hythe Hops - a local hop growing project much like Deal Hop Farm - and we will be making a number of beers later in the year from these locally grown hops which will be for sale from our website , from our harbour shop and our stall at The Goods Shed .”
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