no. 020 | Floc.
Once a destination for pilgrims in the Middle Ages, Canterbury now boasts a craft brewery that’s well worth making the journey for.
In the Middle Ages, pilgrims used to make their way along various paths to reach the cathedral city of Canterbury. Walking tens of miles over several days, they’d wind their way there to pay respect to Saint Thomas Beckett, who met a grizzly end at the hands of King Henry II.
Today, visitors make their way to the city on a very different kind of pilgrimage because less than a mile’s walk from the cathedral is Floc. Brewery.
Founded in 2020 by Ross Shields, Flocs.’s original home was in Margate. Here he spent his days honing and tweaking his recipes on his 100-litre brewing kit. Ross’ aim was to brew beer using quality ingredients, but to keep things fun. “We don’t want to be stuffy”, says Shields. “We make the beer we love to drink – fresh, delicious beer; liquid sunshine that makes us smile”.
That same focus on quality and commitment to irreverence persists in their new home. “Beer is beautiful” reads the back wall of their taproom, which sits adjacent to their 30 hectolitre brewery. It’s here Ross and the other two full-time members of the team spend their time concocting the cans you’ll be enjoying this month. “Drinkability is the most important thing to us”, enthuses Ross. “There are exceptions to the rule, but the question we always ask ourselves is ‘would you drink 5 pints of this?’”.
Since relocating to their current location in 2022, Floc. have continued to grow. Alongside a plethora of collaborations with other breweries, they’ve also boosted their own beer festival – the brilliantly named ‘Floc. Together’ – and are proud to see their beers being drunk and enjoyed as far from home as Singapore and Sweden (and now Jersey).
We’re big fans of this latest selection in large part because it perfectly encapsulates Floc.’s drinkability mantra. All sitting between 5.0% and 6.0% ABV, they’re not only accessible, but also showcase the impact hop variety and brewing style can have on the taste, flavour and texture of a pale ale. Enjoy!
