Kipper

Yes, Kipper was a famous and beloved resident cat at the Vat & Fiddle in Nottingham throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s. [1] 

The Story of Kipper

* Arrival: Kipper was originally a feral cat who simply walked into the bar around 1996. She (Kipper was female) decided to stay and eventually became the pub's unofficial mascot and a local celebrity.

* The "Beer Cure": In 2005, Kipper was approximately 14 years old and suffering from various health issues, including a thyroid condition and a growth on her leg. To fund her mounting vet bills, [Castle Rock Brewery](https://www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk/) (which owns the pub) brewed a special commemorative beer named "Kipper's Better".

* Fundraising: The beer was a 4.1% pale ale. The brewery donated 10p from every pint sold directly to a fund for her medical care. The initiative was so successful that it gained national media coverage, including a feature by the [BBC](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/nottinghamshire/4419612.stm).

* Legacy: Kipper was a staple of the pub's atmosphere during the era when the brewery was establishing its reputation next door. She is still fondly remembered by long-term regulars as the original "pub cat" of the Vat & Fiddle, long before more recent feline visitors like Peanut/Screech made headlines. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5] 

Pub Background (1990s-2000s)

* Transition: The 1990s were a pivotal time for the pub. In 1997, it was acquired by Tynemill (which later became Castle Rock Brewery) and renamed from the Grove Tavern to the Vat & Fiddle.

* Renaming: The name is a tongue-in-cheek pun referring to brewing "vats" and the "fiddle" (tax dodging) often associated with the nearby HMRC (tax) offices.

* Brewery Tap: During Kipper's "reign," the pub officially became the brewery tap for the new [Castle Rock Brewery](https://www.castlerockbrewery.co.uk/pubs/vat-and-fiddle/) site located directly behind it. [5, 6, 7, 8, 9] 

If you'd like, I can look for more details on:

* The exact ingredients