We'll Meet Again... at the Aero Legends Battle of Britain Airshow

We’re off to the Aero Legends Battle of Britain Airshow this weekend for a generous dose of nostalgia and a lovely cold pint of Spirit of Kent. Of course, the truth is that none of us here at the brewery are old enough to remember the Battle of Britain, so what we’re actually off to experience is anemoia – a feeling of nostalgia for a time we’ve never lived through ourselves.

We might not have been there, but our predecessors at the Black Eagle Brewery in Westerham certainly were. Following the D-Day landings they teamed up with the RAF to deliver beer to the troops over in Normandy. So begins the tale of possibly the most unconventional brewer’s dray in history…

There’ll Be Black Eagles Over the White Cliffs of Dover

When D-Day began, fighter planes venturing further into Europe were being equipped with auxiliary fuel tanks to provide enough fuel for their flights back to Blighty. But once refuelling facilities had been set up over the Channel, the extra tanks were no longer needed. Of course, back then with rationing in full swing and the country doggedly finding every possible way to Keep Calm and Carry On, it was only a matter of time before those surplus tanks would be put to good use.

Over at RAF Biggin Hill, the airmen were particularly fond of Black Eagle’s brews, so a plan was hatched and soon enough the brewery’s drays were delivering barrels of beer to the base. The auxiliary fuel tanks were filled with beer and attached to Spitfires, before being labelled ‘XXX Joy Juice’ and flown over to the troops. Officially they were named ‘Modification XXX Depth Charges’ in order to be approved for flights, presumably because beer of that calibre was liable to make the German troops jealous and they didn’t want Hitler to hear about it.  

The Spirit of Kent

We’ve always loved this spirited tale of Westerham’s past, which is why our Spirit of Kent pale ale, with its cans emblazoned with the image of a Spitfire, has grown to not only be one of our most popular beers, but a reminder of the county of Kent that we dearly love. Did you know that during the war, the people of Kent banded together to raise over £100,000 to fund the production of an entire RAF squadron? Today, down the road from the brewery at Biggin Hill, a Spitfire Mk9 flies in memory of that squadron, bearing the inscription ‘The Spirit of Kent’, and in turn we named our beer after this aircraft and the community spirit that sent Spitfires up into our skies.

Look to the Skies This Weekend

If you’re heading to the Battle of Britain Airshow this weekend, don’t forget to buy your tickets in advance on the Aero Legends website, as tickets are not available on the gate. There will be displays from a variety of WW2 aircraft and the opportunity to see many planes and vehicles from the period down on the ground too. The D-Day Darlings will be providing a generous dose of vintage glamour with their signature tunes from yesteryear. We’ll be running two bars over the weekend, so be sure to come and grab yourself a beer or two!