Thanet’s 11 pubs and 7 real ale breweries listed in the Good Beer Guide 2019

The Good Beer Guide 2019 features 11 Thanet pubs and 7 isle real ale breweries – with a new entry for Northdown Brewery based at Westwood.

The 46^th edition of the guide, published by the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) today, is compiled through independent judgement and recommendations, and every pub that appears has been visited regularly by CAMRA members. CAMRA is an independent organisation and as suh all entries in the guide are free.

Northdown Brewery is one of three new entry brewers.

The venture is run by Jonny and Katie Spanjar who moved operations from a small scale site in Margate to Westwood Industrial Park on May 1.

After some time-consuming hitches the couple sold their East London bar late last year and have ploughed the proceeds into the new business with the aim of eventually growing large enough to take on staff and apprentices.

Jonny, 37, said: “We were in the pub trade when I started amateur brewing with the East London Company. I’d enjoyed making it at home and could see the way the market was going. The idea of the brewery came from having the chance to make a product from start to finish. The customers could try it and let you know what they did, and didn’t, like.”

Fed up of the expense, pollution and hectic life in London the couple opted for a move with their two boys to the Kent coast more than two years ago.

Turning their experience in the hospitality trade, mixed with the brewing, seemed the ideal business venture.

Katie, 45, said: “We could see that although there were lots of pubs, and people in Thanet really like their beer, there weren’t many breweries. It made business sense to move here.”

She added: “We are really chuffed about the Good Beer Guide entry and generally as to how the beer is being received.”

Northdown Brewery produces beers including hoppy He-Bru IPA, Pale Ale Mary and Papworth Victory Best Bitter.

Find out more about the Northdown Brewery on the facebook page here

Other isle brewers in the Good Beer Guide are:

The Four Candles in St Peter’s;

By The Mile, Broadstairs;

Isla Vale, Margate;

NauticAles, Ramsgate

Gadds (Ramsgate Brewery)

Wantsum at St Nicholas-at-Wade.

Isle micro-pubs/pubs in the guide are:

Birchington

Old Bay Alehouse – 137 Minnis Road

Margate

Fez – 40 High Street

London Tavern – Addington Street

The Two Halves – 2 Marine Drive

Minster

Hair of the Dog – 73 High Street

Ramsgate

Conqueror Alehouse – 4C Grange Road

NauticAles – 347 Margate Road

Montefiore Arms – 1 Trinity Place

St Peter’s (Broadstairs)

The Four Candles – 1 Sowell Street

Yard of Ale – 61 Church Street

Westgate

Bake and Ale House – 21 St Mildred’s Road

‘Fantastic’

Tom Stainer, Chief Communications Officer at CAMRA, said: “It’s fantastic to see the number of new pub entries in the Good Beer Guide 2019 and the continued growth in local brewing.

“We’ve seen such sweeping changes across the brewing and pub scene over the past year with brewing becoming more collaborative and socially-minded, and pubs continuing to diversify to cater for all tastes with the continued increase in micropubs, tap rooms and community-run pubs, each improving choice for drinkers.

“This is the 46th issue of the Guide – a book that has become an essential companion for those with a passion for real ale and discovering the best places to find it.”

The Good Beer Guide 2019

As well as the print edition, the Good Beer Guide app is available to smartphone users. Available on both the App Store and Google Play, users can search for local pubs based on their individual preferences and connect with friends, or subscribe to receive access to enhanced search tools.

In total the Kent region has 145 pubs listed in the Guide. Find out more here