A brewery boss and hop grower who ran an award-winning venture for more than 30 years has died.

Bob Dockerty, who founded the award-winning organic Larkins Brewery near Edenbridge in 1986, died last week.

Friends and colleagues writing on the Kentish Brewers and the Brewers of Kent Facebook page described him as a "top man and top brewer" and said his death was a "massive loss".

One said: "I have known Bob for almost 70 years through thick and thin, an amazing character who would help people without a thought. From the amazing parties that would last until the next morning to sponsoring my racing career he was a true friend that will be impossible to replace."

Another added: "A true English brewer and strong believer of traditional cask ales including his own hop garden."

Mr Dockerty, a commercial hop-grower and keen home-brewer, founded the brewery in Hampkins Hill Road in October 1986 and was behind the revival of "farm brewing" which is behind the success of the hundreds of microbreweries which have sprung up around Britain in the last decade.

Hops had always been grown on the farm but ironically he was forced to allow them to lapse as he spent his days getting the brewery off the ground

It was only around 2000 that he returned to growing because he was having difficulties sourcing the hops he wanted and brought four acres back into use. His Early Choice Goldings, Bramling Cross and Whitbread Golding have been used in his beers ever since.

In September, Mr Dockerty was pictured helping with this year's harvest and looking after another type of brew – cups of tea.

Hanging proudly in the office is the Order of Knights of the Hops, founded by John the Fearless in the 1400s, presented to Mr Dockerty's grandfather Robert Langridge in 1976 for being Europe's oldest hop-grower. He was 100.

Mr Dockerty's great grandfather Stephen Langridge was also a hop farmer.

The cask hanging above the brewery door is the original barrel from the Royal Tunbridge Wells Brewery at Rusthall which Larkins took over before moving to Chiddingstone.

The brewery delivers to up to 50 pubs and restaurants across Kent as well as supplying private customers for parties, weddings and events.

Peter Moynihan, who runs the Kentish Brewers Facebook page, said: "Bob recognised early the potential for small-scale brewing, rescuing the remains of the failed Royal Tunbridge Wells brewery at Rusthall and eventually moving it to Larkins Farm.

"To my mind, he revived the tradition of farm brewing which, once widespread, had died out by the mid-19th century.

"Now, many of the county's microbreweries are established in farm properties. But Larkins were the first, thanks to Bob Dockerty."

He died on Tuesday, November 22.