Wildcat gets a head at local brewery

Yeovil Ales Managing Director visited Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton to come up close and personal with the Navy’s Wildcat helicopter after finally selecting the Wildcat Image to adorn his locally produced ale. 

Rob Sherwood, Managing Director of the local brewery was looking for a name for his latest beer. Rob decided he would like to name his ale ‘Lynx Wildcat’ one of the next generation of Royal Naval helicopters to join the Fleet Air Arm at RNAS Yeovilton. 700W Naval Air Squadron (NAS) invited Rob to get up close and personal with a Wildcat at the Air Station.

The label features the Royal Naval (RN) Wildcat, a green and white surround representing the local football club, Yeovil Town and the RN logo. Rob said. “I have been searching for a suitable label for my newest beer that represents the locality for sometime and Lynx Wildcat seemed the ideal opportunity. My brewery is based in Somerset and the next generation helicopter was born in Somerset.” 

Rob started Yeovil Ales from scratch in 2005 and was awarded National Champion in 2009 by the Society of Independant Brewers for his Star Gazer Beer. Rob explained,” having enjoyed home brewing since the age of 18, a good friend of my family gave me all of his home brewing equipment because he was upgrading so I left my job as a Civil Engineer and brought the equipment from Hampshire to Somerset and launched Yeovil Ales’. I had all the recipes from my previous home brewing years which had been well tested by myself add friends I can assure you!” 

Rob added “ Id like to thank Lieutenant Commander Rob Taylor and Warrant Officer Gary Bradley for the opportunity  to see what the future of the Fleet Air Arm looks like and to show the label to them,  they liked it.” 

700W NAS are now charged with bringing the HMA2, the naval variant of the Wildcat into front-line service in early 2015.