Jim Porter first brewed Newcastle Brown Ale in Newcastle in 1927. After winning the gold medal at the International Brewers' Exhibition a year later, it enjoyed a staggeringly quick rise to fame, to become the UK's premium bottled ale by the 1990s. Its image has always been closely associated with that of the working man in the North East; a sweet & nutty reward to slake the thirst after a heavy day on the shipyard or down the coal mines. However, thanks its unique taste & compelling label design, Newcastle Brown has enjoyed an unprecedented crossover into popular culture, gaining public endorsements in TV programmes such as The Big Bang Theory & House of Cards.