The Man of Kent Ale House, Rochester

The Man of Kent is a public house, it really is someone's house, and it's open every night to serve you excellent (and yes, random and confusing, but that's not a bad thing) beer. So if the landlord goes upstairs to read his kids a bedtime story is that, also, a bad thing? If you want Stella Artois and the landlord laying on big-screen-sport entertainments for you then I fear you'll find this pub not to your liking. All of which suits me, and others, just fine, because it means I'll get served excellent Kentish beer all the quicker by the fabulous bar staff, while enjoying the company of the broadest of scopes of clientelle. In short, it's a happy pub, it's devoid of louts, it's full of all-sorts (yes, it's small, so it's usually full), and the beer is... brown beer, and well-kept brown beer at that (plus porters & stouts of course), it's a bit of an adventure!

p.s. there are even fruit-beers available, and a lager that looks almost like stout, whiskys arranged from peaty to not-so-peaty, islands to east coast, and all the usual optics, they'll always find you something to whet your appetite as long as you're happy to take a few seconds to describe your fancy to them, there's something for everyone, as long as the big brand-names aren't your biggest priority.

Many a soul around Medway wears a t-shirt proclaiming 'if found please return to the Man of Kent', and if I'm 'found' I'd ask for the same, this is a lovely pub that will take care of you, when you need it!

All in all, this is a pub that specialises in drink and a nice time, not... er... market-research. You just have to decide what's most important to you.

13 Feb 2009 16:31