Green Jack tap takeover at the Nelson Arms

The Suffolk coastal town of Lowestoft has the distinction of being the most easterly settlement in the British Isles, and thus the first place in the UK to see the sunrise. Nearby Ness Point is the actual most easterly point in Britain, and there is a marker here, overlooking the shoreline, which celebrates this unique fact. Once famed for its fishing industry, Lowestoft still boasts a thriving fish market, which sits alongside fish processing facilities servicing a fleet of inshore and deep-sea fishing vessels.

I know I have been to the town, but only for s brief visit, as a child. I remember a sandy beach, with lines of groins leading down to the water’s edge. Such structures are a common feature on beaches further south and would have been familiar to children like my sister and I, who spent many a happy day playing and exploring the sandy south Kent beaches of Dymchurch, St Mary’s Bay and Littlestone. Under the watchful eye of my father, we did the same at Lowestoft, and I’m fairly certain that we visited Ness Point. Landmarks such as this appealed to dad, and he wouldn’t have been one to miss sharing this feature with his family.

Six decades on, I’ve a yearning to return to Lowestoft, although I’d prefer to make the visit when the weather has improved, and the days become longer. It won’t be fishing though, or sandy beaches that will draw me back, instead it will beer that will prompt my return, and it won’t be just any beer either. Some, but not all beer connoisseurs will know that Lowestoft is home to the legendary Green Jack Brewery, producers of some of the finest and most characterful beers in the country.

Green Jack was founded in 1993 by Tim Dunford and from humble beginnings, has grown into one of the most renowned breweries in East Anglia. It is now a multi-award-winning brewery specialising in cask beer.  In 2009 the company built a new 38-barrel brew house, located in an old smokehouse in the heart of historic Lowestoft. This enabled Green Jack to produce significantly improved volumes of its award-winning cask ales.

Green Jack specialises in brewing beers with its own contemporary take on traditional English beer styles. As well as a permanent range of core beers, a number of seasonal and one-off beers are also available at different times of the year. The company delivers directly into Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, but until very recently, not into Kent. Here’s where I’m going to let you into a little secret, because for the last few years, Green Jack beers have put in occasional appearances at the Nelson Arms, in Tonbridge.

They have featured on the bar, thanks to the efforts of Nelson landlord, Matthew Rudd, who drove up to Lowestoft, in a hired van, to collect a selection of Green Jack casks, from the brewery. I seem to recall that Matt and his wife enjoyed a few days in that part of the country, after all, why, wouldn’t you? Judging by the number so times Green Jack beers have featured at the Nelson, the couple must have made a few such trips over the past few years. This year, the pub went one better by having a selection of a dozen or more beers delivered directly to the pub. Matt told me that it was a pallet load of Green Jack beers that was delivered to the pub. The delivery included 11 cask ales in total, plus a couple of keg beers, and in a “Tap Takeover” this impressive range of beers was presented to eager local drinkers, from 21-24 November.

I managed to get along to the Nelson last Sunday, with son Matthew acting as my chauffeur. We’d popped over to Tunbridge Wells first, but then, after a spot of shopping – new pair of trousers for me, Matthew confirmed that he’d join me for a beer or two, at the Nelson. That suited me fine, as I’d planned to head along there anyway, so his offer of a lift, saved my legs. We’d picked a good time to visit, as most of the Sunday roast dinner crowd had finished their “blow-out” and were getting ready to leave. We found a small, high table, close to the window, and within sight of the bar, and with an array of Green Jack hand-pumps opposite us, the only difficulty was in knowing which one to choose.

So, it was in or a penny, in for a pound, as I dived straight in on the high octane, Mahseer IPA. This is a strong (5.8% abv) India Pale Ale, high in strength, bitterness and overall hoppiness, and a beer that slipped down a treat. For the record, a Mahseer is a large edible, freshwater fish of belonging to the carp family, and native to northern India and the Himalayan region. Next up was Gone Fishing, a lightly hopped, Extra Special Bitter, packed full of malt, and characterised by a fruity finish. With an abv of 5.5%, it is deceptively drinkable for a beer of this strength and is brewed with a blend of three roasted malts.

My final beer was the cream of the crop, and a real classic. It is also one of Green Jack’s most renowned beers – certainly as far as the Nelson Arms is concerned. Baltic Trader is an extra strong Export Stout. Brewed to a strength of 10.5% abv, from a grist that includes three different roasted malts, with an addition of molasses, to produce a beer packed full of fruity flavours with hints of vanilla and roasted coffee. As the brewery says, it’s like a rich plum pudding in a glass!

I wisely restricted myself to a half of this legendary beer, especially after the previous two brews. There was a pleasant atmosphere in the Nelson, that afternoon which reminded me of how pubs used to be on a Sunday. I haven’t been down to the Nelson since the weekend, but according to the pub’s website, there are still seven Green Jack beers on tap, so if you’re passing through Tonbridge, over the next few days, it would be well worth your while calling in.

As for that trip to Lowestoft, I’m afraid that will have to wait until the next time Mrs PBT’s and I are in East Anglia, as the town isn’t really doable by rail, in a day. With no direct trains from London, it is necessary to travel from Norwich, from where it is six stops via Oulton Broad. This makes driving the preferred option, combined with say a long weekend in the border region between Norfolk and Suffolk.