Having grown up in Kent, I'm very fond of Shepherd Neame beer.
I've heard its detractors refer to it, rather cruelly, as 'shit and scream' but I've always been a fan. I like the names of the ales, like Spifire and Bishops Fingers. And Kent was once, after all, a massive hop growing county so it's fitting that beer continues to be made there.
I also love the company's irreverent sense of humour. It first brewed Spitfire in 1990 on the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Britain and has used the war theme in its advertising since. The company has also raised eyebrows with its award-winning Bottle of Britain campaign with the use of the slogan: "No Fokker comes close".
One campaign featured slogans poking a bit of fun at the Germans with such slogans as "Have the sunbeds, we're off to the bar".
I was pleased to read this morning, then, that the firm is opening up new export markets - including to Poland.