Celebrating the Real Ale Scene in Sussex Sussex Drinker Summer 2019 Free
23rd South Downs Beer & Cider Festival
Published and Financed by the Sussex Branches of the Lewes Town Hall Campaign For 21 – 22 June 2019 Real Ale
23rd South Downs Beer & Cider Festival
Brighton BN2 3ES.Please state which session tickets are required for and enclose a stamped SAE; no SAE, no tickets. Please make cheques payable to Brighton & South Downs CAMRA. The following outlets will also be selling tickets: - Evening Star, Brighton; Harvey’s Brewery Shop, Gardeners Arms & Brewers Arms, Lewes. The Charity this year will be The Bevern Trust based in Barcombe. There are full disabled facilities in the hall. For further information call 07450 656148 As always there will be an excellent E-mail [email protected] selection of 80 different beers on sale at the Web site www.brightoncamra.org.uk South Downs Beer & Cider Festival to be Peter Mitchell held at Lewes Town Hall on the 21 – 22 June. Publicity Officer for There will also be a selection of ciders and South Downs Beer & Cider Festival perries available. Hot and cold food with veggie options will be on sale together with soft drinks, tea and coffee at all times. Tickets for the popular Friday night and Saturday lunchtime sessions always sell very quickly so early purchase is advised. The Festival will be open on Friday lunchtime from 11.00am to 3.00pm; on Friday evening from 5.00pm to 10.30pm and on Saturday from 11.00am to 6.00pm after which there will be FREE entry on the door until the beer runs out or 8.00pm, whichever is earlier. The Festival will close at 8.00pm. Please note that admission will be by advance ticket only for all three sessions and there will be no refund for unsold tickets for any reason. Tickets will go on sale from the 1st of May and will cost - Friday lunchtime £5; Friday night £7 and Saturday lunchtime £5. Included in the price is a FREE festival glass, and a programme. Beer tokens to card carrying CAMRA members for two FREE halves will be available at the Membership Stand but not after 6.00pm on Saturday. Postal sales applications please to South Downs Beer & Cider Festival, 139 Elm Grove, Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 3 News of new developments and updates on ■■ BOGNOR REGIS the Sussex pub scene will be gratefully The Unicorn is temporarily closed for received by the Editor for consideration in unknown reasons. Scratchings. The standard disclaimer on p46 applies to all items. ■■ BOREHAM STREET This village is ■■ ANGMERING just about as At the ‘in the centre’ Spotted Cow, of East the new pub Sussex as you company can get. On lessee, Justin, the bus route has widened from Bexhill the choice of to Hailsham it ales available is the site of from his six Harvey’s first ever tied house, theBull’s hand pulls, with Bedlam appearing recently. Head. With five hand pumps, one of which He is also testing the market for regular is usually serving a Thatcher’s real cider, the beer festivals following his first in April and range of Harvey’s ales continues to attract has also introduced live music. drinkers from the village and its surrounds as well as further afield. In early April the ■■ ARUNDEL line-up at this award-winning pub was Best, Arundel brewery has opened a new pub Old, Georgian Dragon (the monthly special) called the Brewhouse Project that can be and Bull’s Head Bitter, a permanent feature found close by to the A27 interchange at on the handpumps, which has been brewed Crossbush. It also features an Edgcumbes especially for the pub for the past five Coffee Cafe and shop. Two house cask years. beers (Brewhouse Best and Brewhouse American Pale Ale) are complemented with ■■ BRIGHTON a choice of eight keg beers from Arundel The Argyle Arms, Argyle Road, has a Brewery. tenancy available with Ei Group, estimated start-up cost of £8,500, with a guide rent of ■■ BARCOMBE £22,000. Following a change of The Free Haus, Howard Road, (formerly the hands in Reservoir, the Edwardian) was re-opened January, the 22nd Mar 2019 by Brighton Bier. Four hand Royal Oak is pumps, seven keg fonts and eight real offering ciders are on offer. Unlike sister pubs various food Brighton Bier Haus and Haus on the Hill, evenings beers will be mostly from other including Tiny Thai on the first Tuesday of independent breweries. A screen behind every month and visits of the vans of Pizza bar has details of available drinks with Amore and Cairovan (offering Egyptian strengths and prices, with a blackboard street food). Harvey’s beers including listing what’s just gone and what’s coming. seasonal ales are still on the bar, and Gin The food offering is cooked on premises by and Prosecco promotions are also featured. Papa Pitta.
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The Hop & Vine, Five Ways, has been sold ■■ CHICHESTER and is to become a restaurant. The Belle Isle, a café/bar/restaurant in Chapel Street, which opened in 2012, The Wellington Pub Company is offering a appears to have closed from April 11th, as fully repairing and insuring 20-year lease on did its sister establishment in Southsea. the Jolly Brewer, Ditchling Road for £10,000 with an annual guide rent of By the time you read this, £30,000. the Hole in the Wall will have been re-opened by The Park View, Preston Drove has re- the Big Smoke Brew opened after a short refurbishment is Company of Esher, Surrey. apparently focusing strongly on craft keg They already run three beer. pubs in the South London The Prestonville Arms, Hamilton Road, is suburbs, all of which offer reportedly available either as a lease or a five real ciders, 10 real ales tenancy with Fuller’s. and even more keg beers. If the offer is the same in this , Windmill Street, (formerly the Setting Sun new venture then it will be an interesting Sir Lion of Beef, the Miller’s Arms), has re- addition to the Chichester pub scene. opened after a £314,000 refurbishment. The work has ■■ CLIMPING been The Black Horse, a Grade II listed 17th undertaken century property, has been bought by by Star Pubs Historic Sussex Hotels. Fleurets marketed & Bars who the property on behalf of Ei Group, off a are owned by guide price of £500,000. The Black Horse is Heineken. The the fourth property in Historic Sussex new licensees Hotels’ portfolio, reports The Caterer, are Fynn joining the Spread Eagle Hotel in Midhurst, Chamberlain Ockenden Manor Hotel & Spa in Cuckfield and Kathryn and the Bailiffscourt Hotel in Climping. Joyce – who manage the Fountain Head on North Road. ■■ CRAWLEY The work included a new kitchen, an Crawley overhaul of the toilets and a ‘modern welcomes industrial’ feel inside. There is a new Valerie covered pergola area with heaters, and new Dobinson and furniture and planters in the garden. The her team to beer range will include two cask ales. Fynn the Swan, and Kathryn are looking to reconnect the West Green. pub with the local community. We are really pleased to see this pub return from the dark, where you will find four The beers most of the time. Seven Stars, The Brewery Shades will soon have Ship completed a two-week refit. Street There are plans to run Crawley pride this has re-opened after a refurbishment with a summer which will involve all the pubs on couple of real ales available. the High Street.
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■■ EASTBOURNE independent brewers. Card-carrying The Windsor Tavern is still flourishing CAMRA members get a 10% discount on following the recent refurbishment by Craft cask beer too. Union. It offers real ale at very competitive prices; well-kept Taylor Landlord and ■■ FERRING Sharp’s Doom Bar were found on a recent The visit. Highdown is a well-known ■■ EAST DEAN hotel, The Star and restaurant Garter is now and listed under the public same gardens ownership as recently purchased by the upmarket the Blue Bell Brunning & Price pubco. It offers up to six across the ales including Harvey’s Best and others county from the likes of Arundel, Downlands, border in Hammerpot, Langham, and St. Austell Emsworth. It is offering Sharp’s Doom Bar and two changing real ales from local ■■ HAILSHAM breweries. The welcome is still as warm and The King’s the food as good. Head, South Road, now ■■ EAST GRINSTEAD serves light The Engine snacks and Room is the meals, brewery tap including a for High home-made Weald curry, on Fridays from 4pm to 9pm plus Brewery, Saturdays and Sundays from 12.30 to 5pm. offering a Their Annual Beer Festival, the only one in range of the Hailsham area, comes around again for four of High the Spring Bank Holiday weekend, kicking- Weald’s own beers along with an ever- off on Friday 24th May. changing selection of other cask ales and some real cider. ■■ HAMMERPOT The Woodman Arms, a Fuller’s pub, was ■■ FELBRIDGE noted to be closed in March. Technically the village is ■■ HASTINGS in Surrey, but Hastings is ready for the summer season straddles the influx of visitors and day-trippers. With two border with micropubs, a brew-pub with a wood West Sussex, burning pizza oven and five pubs in which runs CAMRA’s 2019 Good Beer Guide, it’s a destination for those interested in real pubs past the Star Inn. This large Chef & Brewer pub is open all day and being owned by and real ale. Greene King, sells their IPA and Abbot Ale. The Queens Road area, in particular, has They do have a regularly changing guest seen a renaissance with new cafe-bars, a beer, usually from one of the larger micropub and the Eel and Bear bottle shop.
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The latest launch is the Fountain, Queens ■■ KEYMER Road, just reopened with a revised name At the Greyhound the ‘lease available’ sign and new management after a major has been removed and Chef Hassan makeover by Shepherd Neame of their Mortazavi is back after four years. Harvey’s Fountain Hotel. Best Bitter is a permanent fixture with Long Man Long Blonde available when visited, At the Twelve Hundred Postcards we are informed that the third handpump micropub, also in Queens Road, a number will be brought into use soon. of ‘tap takeovers’ are held every few weeks. These events have showcased beers from ■■ LANCING Oakham Ales and the brewery of Angels Steven and Demons, amongst others. Bennett has contacted the The Dolphin in the Old Town has launched a new food menu, including breakfasts from editor about early morning and tapas platters from 5pm his pub, the on Wednesdays and Fridays. Local bands Stanley Ale perform four times a week. House. Steven points The Jolly out that the Fisherman Stanley Ale House is a standalone business continues to which is not connected with the Castle, sell up to four which is run by Steven’s dad. Steven and his real ales, wife Hannah have consistently improved some of the pub over the last four and a half years, which are and they now offer four cask ales on hand unusual for pull which usually include amongst others the area. Langhams, Downlands, Franklins, Vibrant From time to time they hold special beer Forest and lots of guests from around the tasting evenings. country. They have four craft keg beer lines which have Downlands Next Step and The Prince Albert, Cornwallis Street, has Abyss Holy Pale permanently plus two closed permanently. guest and four still ciders constantly on ■■ HEATHFIELD draught from the likes of Lilleys, Big Nose & Heathfield’s Beardy and SeaCider. They also stock a only pub, the good range of Belgian beer. Heathfield ■ LEWES Tavern, fully ■ The Brighton & South Downs branch reopened at chairman Keith Newell recently presented the end the licensee February of the following a two-month closure. Offering family-friendly dining seven days a week Brewers , Kathy and with a sports bar area, they stock a Arms Simmonds, local guest ale, often from Brighton with a microbrewery Holler, as well as Harvey’s certificate to Best Bitter. Ridley Inns, the new family-run celebrate ‘25 operators, also own the Cock near Ringmer eventful and the Highlands Inn, Uckfield. years’ on the occasion of the silver
10 Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 Sussex Pub Scratchings — continued anniversary of the Griffin family taking over Sawyers generally have two permanent real the pub. The picture shows Keith and Kathy ales with three well-chosen guest beers surrounded by pub regulars and CAMRA from around the country and closer to branch members. home. Following the failure of a possible sale, the ■■ PORTSLADE freehold of the Crown is available with Tony Haddon and Kate Stevens who potential buyers invited to make already own the Albion Inn, Fishersgate unconditional offers. have The Snowdrop is still shown as being on purchased offer on Fleurets website for £800, 000 for the Blue the freehold. Anchor in Station Road. ■■ LITTLEHAMPTON The former This large seaside town has few free of tie Thai chef pubs, so with word having spread that the Apple Arun & Adur branch of CAMRA were to Manchit is also returning to the pub. Upon present the re-opening, the pub was selling Harvey’s Steam Packet Best Bitter and Long Man American Pale with a ‘Highly Ale. The new owners say that they will be Commended’ selling great drinks and are planning to award, having work with Small Batch Coffee and Brighton come second Gin. They are also aiming to turn the pub in the branch into a community venue where people can Pub of the get together to catch-up and have a lovely Year time. competition, the pub was packed to see landlord Mark receive his award and also ■■ ROTHERFIELD savour the always interesting choice of four The Catts Inn, until recently controlled by ever changing ales on offer. pub company Ei Group, re- ■■ PETT opened with The Two Sawyers received the highest new family CAMRA beer quality scores for a rural pub owners after in the South East Sussex Branch area in being closed 2018. The beer quality scores are entered for a few using CAMRA’s online pub guide WhatPub, weeks for enabling members to rate each pint they redecoration drink for quality and enjoyment, from and a bit of undrinkable to excellent on a five-point restoration. scale. The scores help branches choose The family also run two pubs in Pembury pubs for inclusion in the annual CAMRA and Horsham. Breakfast, lunch and dinner Good Beer are served most days, and a recent visit Guide. The found beers from Tonbridge and Long Man photo shows being sold alongside Harvey’s Best Bitter. a recent line- up on the ■■ ROTTINGDEAN handpumps; The lease of the Olde Black Horse is up for the Two sale by Greene King - £35,650+ entry cost and £40,000 per annum rent. The pub may
Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 11 Sussex Pub Scratchings — continued not be keeping to its normal opening hours. It’s good to see up to four real ales at the Horse and Groom. Our correspondent ■■ RYE particularly The Queen Adelaide in Ferry Road has enjoyed been closed for more than three years. A Wantsum developer has applied for permission to Hengist - it demolish the building as part of their plans sounds to redevelop the Thomas Peacocke School foreign, but site. Rye Town Council and local residents it’s brewed in have filed their objections to the proposal north Kent, a for 38 houses and 27 flats with the local strong golden planning authority, Rother District Council. ale named after a fifth-century Anglo- Christian Saxon invader. Thwaites, the The Tower’s second beer festival was a general great success manager of and very the Ship Inn, popular; has contacted thanks to the editor Café 67 for with the news the excellent that they plan stews to stop selling available during the event. Louisa, staff and Harvey’s Best Bitter. Christian wants to friends are to be congratulated on this involve the pub’s locals in the choice of the success. replacement, as their opinion really matters, and therefore throughout the month of Three April the pub is testing four different ales changing real and getting the locals to vote for their ales from favourite. At the end of the month the local winner will replace Harvey’s. The four beers breweries are being tested are: Long Man, Best Bitter; Old on tap at the Dairy, Red Top; Whitstable, Native Bitter; Welcome. Franklin’s, Mama Knows Best. We will report Old Dairy, which beer won in the next edition. Three Legs and Harvey’s ■■ ST LEONARDS ON SEA have been sampled on recent visits. The Marina Fountain is newly refurbished with a change of licensee. This pub now The ever-busy Bo Peep now offers up to offers four real ales, including the popular Purity Harvey’s Best Pure Ubu. Bitter and a ■■ SALTDEAN changing The Gullens Bar is for sale at £175,000 for guest ale; the freehold. Dark Star and Holler beers ■■ SAYERS COMMON have been Fleurets website states that the Duke of available York is ‘let subject to contract’, however since the when passed by it had hoardings around reopening. the building and car park, with a large blue
12 Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 Sussex Pub Scratchings — continued construction company container sited ■■ SOUTHWATER there, and so the future of the pub is The Hen & uncertain. Chicken still features a ■■ SEAFORD Firebird beer The tenancy of the Wellington Pub & Bed & regularly. Breakfast is being advertised as being Butcombe available by owners Greene King. Bitter and St. ■■ SHOREHAM-BY-SEA Austell It has been Tribute also reported that regularly appear on the bar. Food is no the change of longer available during the evenings. ownership of ■■ STAPLECROSS the Old Star The White Hart, Cripp’s Corner, about three Ale & Cider miles north-east of Battle, has been closed House, has for more than three years. Rother District gone through, Council are considering a planning although application to demolish the pub and build Richard Hasler will still be around to advise four houses alongside one commercial unit. the new owners for a while. Local residents and the Parish Council are ■■ SLAUGHAM objecting. The Chequers has had mixed fortunes in ■■ SUTTON recent years, suffering periods of closure. Richard Foster has contacted the editor to After being closed for the past two years, it report an inaccuracy in the reference to the looks like this pub will end up as a White Horse having been closed for several restaurant, but it will be interesting to see if years. Richard reports that the pub was there will be room for a bar as well. shut up and the site made secure for just ■■ SOUTH CHAILEY over a year, following the departure (and The community group Horns Lodge Chailey subsequent tragic demise) of licensee Haji Ltd was formed to purchase the Horns and his wife Jo, on 22nd October 2017, and Lodge as a a local businessman subsequently took the community pub from Ei Group, and they have owned pub beautifully refurbished it, and although and to lease primarily now a restaurant and hotel, it has it to a an excellent bar with three hand pumps, tenant. It usually stocking Sussex brews, with was sold at Arundel, Langham and Long Man recently. auction on March 20th with a guide price of Richard recalls that Haji “(magnificently £250k-£275k. The pub is an Asset of named Nicholas Socrates Hajigeorgiou, aka Community Value and so there should have Nick, Nick the Greek or the Bubble - bubble been a six-month period for community and squeak = Greek, geddit?) had the organisations to raise funds, but apparently Spotted Cow at Angmering for about ten administration sales are exempt from that years, and then took the historic Gun at requirement. The community group didn’t Findon and saved it from extinction when a raise enough to buy the Horns Lodge at Brighton developer had bought it off auction. Apparently the property was sold Whitbread”. Richard indicates that he to a local individual (not a company). worked for Haji there and recalls “it was a hard-uphill slog to begin with, but it was Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 13 Sussex Pub Scratchings — continued
turned round ■■ WEST HOATHLY with Haji’s The Cat Inn trademark has gained a policy of fifth having good- handpump looking and Firebird women on Parody is now the firm”. a regular “When beer, Greece won alongside Harvey’s Best Bitter and Larkins the European Traditional. The other two handpumps usually feature other Sussex brews, such as Harvey’s seasonal beers or one from Haji Bedlam Brewery. The pub now opens all Championship in 2004, the roof came off day on Sunday and accommodation is the Gun and Haji gave away free drinks all available. night. He left the Gun in October 2007. Haji was only 60 when he died, he was a good ■■ WORTHING friend to real ale and should still be with us.” The Brunswick & Thorn, named after two streets found just off the western seafront, ■■ TICEHURST was one of the town’s oldest pubs but is In Dale Hill the increasingly popular country now primarily a café and coffee shop that pub, the Cherry Tree Inn, now has beer also offers a varied range of craft beers. from the nearby Flimwell microbrewery, Cellar Head. The Grizzly Harvey’s Best Bear in Bitter is ever- Tarring has no present too. cask ale but Their home has now cooked food added to its is varied and varied craft available keg beers a inside in the wide range of bright and fresh-looking restaurant, or canned outside in the attractive garden. The pub is versions of its popular with walkers, cyclists and other Coridor and visitors to the nearby Bewl Water Area of Kombucha’s beers. Outstanding Natural Beauty, and locals, The lease of the New Amsterdam recently families and dogs are all welcome here. changed Their well-designed website has details of hands and the menu, accommodation and local now has new attractions. licensees Joel ■■ WASHINGTON & Flur Penny Having closed suddenly in May 2018, the at the helm, Frankland Arms, a popular Ei Group pub who initially company property, reopened at the end of look to be March 2019 with new licensees Mat & Yan at attracting a the helm. younger clientele. The New Amsterdam was formerly the Swan, and is another of the
14 Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 Sussex Pub Scratchings — continued town’s oldest pubs and was previously ■■ DYKE PUB, BRIGHTON LATEST referred to by its former lessee as the The man behind the plans to re-open the ‘country pub in the town’. Dyke as a pub, albeit in a much smaller The historic form, is Will Farmer a former soldier who Tarring High has lived for most of his life in Brighton and Street is who is one of the directors of Veterans home to the Brewing. He has successfully negotiated a Parsonage 15 year lease to run part of the Dyke ground Bar & floor as a pub again, and he has launched a Restaurant, a Crowdfunder campaign to raise the extra former capital required to cover essential works to CAMRA branch Pub of the Year in the pub so it can be open for business as successive years and offers four well-kept soon as possible. Sussex brewed LocAle beers. From The new pub won’t be the entire ground Tuesday to Saturday lunchtime, there is also floor – it will be divided into two sections a £10 bar menu that includes a pint of and the pub space will be the left side of the Burning Sky Plateau or small glass of wine building (when facing it) including the which, during the warmer months, can also kitchen. The area contains the fire place, be enjoyed in the sun trap patio garden. two toilets and an additional side door onto Highcroft Villas. The main pub entrance will be from Dyke Road and will be the left door. Upon entering, there will be a dividing wall to the right (separating the pub from the other side of the ground floor). The pub will both child and dog friendly, it is On the first Sunday in April a huge crowd anticipated that there will be a reasonable gathered outside the Brooksteed Alehouse cut off point in the evenings when the pub in Worthing to help hosts Aaron and John will become child-free. The pub will be open celebrate their second amazingly seven days a week, and during daytime successful year at this popular micropub, hours dependent on trade. The more with the pub’s newly formed choir treating people that use the pub during the day, the those present to a brilliant selection of easier that it will be to justify opening all music and songs. Choir member Jim Brown day. The pub will shut at 11pm apart from is also the man behind the award-winning Christmas Eve (midnight) and New Year’s Sussex Small Batch brewery that cuckoos Eve (1am). at nearby Goldmark In Poling, so the In addition, 10% of the pub profits will be celebrating masses were able to savour his given to a local charity or community group superb Raspberry Wheat and Chili (kids sports kits, school PTA initiatives, local Chocolate Stout. individuals fundraising for charity etc.). Those who pledge more than £50 to the Crowdfunder will be invited to help choose these local causes. www.crowdfunder.co.uk/reopen-the-dyke
Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 15 Bus to the Pub
The Sussex Bus to the Pub Group Join us on our travels!
The Sussex Bus to the Pub group (BttP) has lane for White Horse. R/T same way on been running since May 2009 and attracts ST3 at 14.50 for Malt Shovel. participants from many areas of the county, so if you enjoy visiting different pubs with fine ales June and informal convivial company without the Thursday 6th Fittleworth & Byworth; constraints of the car, then BttP may just Catch 11.05 Stagecoach 1 from Worthing appeal! Itineraries and the number of pubs South St alighting at Fittleworth School visited vary but often it is possible for Lane stop, then short walk to Swan. R/T participants to dip in or out of a trip to suit. on S/C 1 to Welldiggers and Black Please see our page on the Sussex branches website sussex.camra.org.uk/BttP for more Horse. details. Some of you reading this may also be Friday 14th Littlehampton; Steam Packet interested in Pete Brown’s bi-monthly Trains to beer festival meet from noon. London Pubs (TTLP) group (see the Diary Friday 21st Lewes Beer Festival; Dates). Lunchtime session (11.00 – 15.00) Friday 28th St. Leonards & Bexhill; Catch May 10.31 train from Brighton station for Tower. Wednesday 1st Fernhurst & Henley; Catch Then back to Bexhill for Albatross. 10.43 Stagecoach 60 from Chichester bus station to Midhurst bus station then 12.00 July Stagecoach 70 for Red Lion. Then 13.45 Thursday 4th Littleworth & Steyning; S/C 70 to Kings Arms. Later road walk to Catch 11.00 Stagecoach 17 from Brighton Duke of Cumberland. Churchill Sq for Windmill. Later catch Southern Transit Route 3 for Star. Thursday 9th Mystery Tour; Meet at Chichester West St bus stop (opp Thursday 11th Elsted & South Harting; Cathedral) for 10.45 Compass 99 Catch 11.25 Stagecoach 54 from (variable-route bus). Route to be Chichester bus station (opp Foundry confirmed 6 days before travel. pub) to South Harting then a 2.3 mile road / country path for Three Horseshoes. Thursday 16th Newdigate & Crawley; Catch 12.15 Metrobus 21 from Crawley bus Later either walk back or catch 16.14 station (stop H) to Parkgate for Surrey Stagecoach 91 for White Hart. Return to Oaks. Then r/t to Crawley on 14.19 Chichester on 17.09 S/C 54. Metrobus 21 for Brewery Shades. Wednesday 17th Faygate & Horsham; Catch 10.29 Metrobus 23 from Worthing Saturday 25th Adur Valley Beer Walk; Catch 11.55 B&H 2 from Shoreham High St Pier or 11.33 from Horsham railway station to Riverside Brewery at Upper Beeding. to Faygate Roundabout then 35 minute Then either walk or bus to Adur Brewery field walk to Frog & Nightgown, later walk with various pubs enroute. back to Holmbush Inn. Then 15.07 Metrobus 200 for Anchor Tap. Thursday 30th Horsham & Maplehurst; Meet at Lynd Cross from 10.40 onwards, Friday 26th Rye; Catch 10.01 train from then 11.40 Southern Transit Route 3 from Brighton station (involves changing trains bus station to West Grinstead Camila at Eastbourne) for Waterworks (micro Botner bus stop then walk up Maplehurst pub) and Ypres Castle.
16 Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 August Thursday 1st Arundel & Littlehampton; Catch 10.47 Stagecoach 9 from Littlehampton Anchor Springs (stop C) to Arundel Riverside for Norfolk Tap (hotel), later catch S/C 9 to Crossbush for Arundel Brewhouse Project. Much later return for George and Steam Packet. Friday 9th Hastings; Catch 10.31 train from Brighton station for John Logie Baird at noon. Then Twelve Hundred Postcards (micro pub) followed by other pubs most of which will be GBG ones.
Before setting out please check each relevant timetable as timetables are due to change later this month (April) after this programme has been sent in to Sussex Drinker. For all enquiries about trips please contact me on max.malkin@ mypostoffice.co.uk or phone me on 01243 828394. Bru News
81 ARTISAN Lavant BLO tbc ABYSS Framfield, 01825 840561, 07919 445345 No major developments to report since last time. The Information here is brewery is still extremely generally supplied by the busy coping with the Brewery Liaison Officers demand for its existing (BLO) named at the end of range of beers which each report. Where remain only available in keg percentages are shown or cans. after beer names, this is the BLO John Quick alcohol by volume, (ABV). The Brewery Liaison ADUR Coordinator for the South Steyning, 01903 867614 East area is Peter Page- www.adurbrewery.com, 360 DEGREE Mitchell. This report is [email protected] Sheffield Park, 01825 compiled and edited by BLO Nigel Watson 722375 Peter Adams, Deputy www.360degreebrewing.com ARUNDEL Brewery Liaison April saw the launch of Coordinator for Sussex. Ford, nr Arundel, some colourful new 01903 733111 1648 branding and new beers www.arundelbrewery.co.uk East Hoathly, 01825 including Low Rider Extra The Arundel brewhouse at 840830 Pale Ale (3.3%) and Double Crossbush is now open, www.1648brewing.co.uk Act (4.7%) both in cask, (8am - 6pm Tuesday to Unique in the area, the 1648 with the return of the Thursday and 8am - 9pm Brew Pub offers a selection popular Blood Orange IPA Friday and Saturday and of standard and seasonal (4.7%) in keg and can as a 10am - 4pm Sunday, with ales. In the coming months, limited edition. Plans are in the full range of Arundel’s some of the regular brews place for regular limited beer range being served will vary in availability to edition beers with a New including the brand new accommodate the England Pale (4.4%) due Dragonfly (7.5%). The newcomers, namely next project has been a joint Chocolate Orange Mild An on-site shop is now venture with local coffee (3.6%), La Blonde (4.0%) open on Saturdays for walk producer Edgcumbe’s, the and Bee Head (4.6%). The in sales with draught beer brewhouse is selling fresh overall interesting and available to take away. coffee alongside the fresh diverse range of beers is Opening times and beer beer. It is a stylish bar with produced using traditional availability is updated on outside seating too.Two methods in the ‘pocket’ the website. new Brewhouse cask ales brewery. BLO Jason Phillips are Brewhouse Best Bitter BLO Philip Bannister (4%) and Brewhouse American Pale Ale (4.5%). Phase one was to open the
18 Sussex Drinker: SummerSpring 2019 2019
Bru News taproom and coffeehouse with Six Nations IPA and They will be working and start small batch the limited edition alongside Brolly and can roasting and test brewing Redroaster Coffee Porter. produce 5bbl per week on site. Phase two will be to By popular demand they which will be mainly cask start large scale brewing have brought back their beer, but some and roasting. This is very SMaSH (4.4 %) cask special experimenting with keg. much an evolving project for a limited period only for There will be a new beer which will be a unique the second year running. launch at the Selden Arms, venue in the area. BLO The ‘hero’ malt in this brew Worthing on a date to be Glenn Johnson is Golden Promise, with the confirmed in July, this will Mosaic hop used to bitter, showcase the new ‘Image BATTLE late hop and dry hop the result for symbol for shuffle: Battle, 01424 772838 beer. Track 1 - 99’ which will be [email protected] Bedlam will help quench brewed with a different Planned production the warmer months with an combination of malts and increases have been East Coast Pale Ale, Wilde; hops each time but always implemented with an a limited edition ale. at 4.2%, the summer launch increased availability of the BLO Peter Mitchell will be the first instalment, core range in cask and Track 1. bottle. Tostig (3.2%), a new, BEER.ME BLO Lee Argent refreshing session pale ale Eastbourne, Belgian Café, has been added to the list. 01323 729967 BREWHOUSE & The beer was launched and www.thebelgiancafe.co.uk KITCHEN went down really well at the The brewery this month Horsham, 01403 788140, brewery’s very enjoyable embarked on its first barrel horsham@ second birthday bash; a aged beer project. A 250 brewhouseandkitchen.com two-day event with quiz litre Jack Daniels oak barrel The Horsham branch of this night, live music, barbecue is now filled with Belgian chain of brewpubs opened and mini-beer festival with Trippel. The new take away in late 2018, with brewing guest beers from Sussex bottle system direct from on the premises starting in based breweries and local the tap is already proving January this year. The plant cider. very popular in the café. is two and a half barrels in More new beer styles are in BLO Scott O’Rourke length and is all copper. development and due in Four cask ales are brewed: BESTENS the coming months, to be Rock (3.6%), a session Lower Beeding, 01403 launched in the brewery bitter; Saxon Warrior 892556 taproom or at future events. (4.2%), a golden ale; www.bestensbrewery.co.uk BLO Mac McCutcheon Scarfoulkes (4.6%), an BLO John Goodsell amber ale and BEDLAM Comic Genius (5%), an IPA. There Ditchling, 07955 684041 BREW STUDIO are also various keg beers www.bedlambrewery.co.uk Sompting, 07980 978350 including a stout. Bedlam returned from the www.facebook.com/ BLO Terry Shouler recent SIBA awards with a daBrewStudio/ Bronze Medal for their Spring has been a landmark BREWING BROTHERS season as the main Amagansett American Hastings production plant has been Pale Ale (5%) after the www.brewingbrothers.org relocated in a unit run by successful start to the year Six of their beers, five keg Brolly Brewing Company.
20 SussexSussex Drinker:Drinker: SummerSpring 2019 2019 We are a country pub situated deep in the heart of The Sussex Oak Sussex. Here you will find a 2 Church Street large selection of local and national ales on 8 hand Warnham pumps. Nr Horsham We have an extensive food menu prepared from fresh RH12 3QW local ingredients. Fresh local food served lunch and dinner Monday to Sunday.
In the CAMRA 2019 Good Beer Guide and CAMRA Good Pub Food Guide Large Garden and field. Celebrating 18 years in the Good Beer Guide Come and celebrate Great Beer in front of our roaring log fire 01403 265028 The-Sussex-Oak-at-Warnham Bru News and one cask, are always BRIGHTON BIERHAUS Estate to provide further available at the brewery www.brightonbier.com dedicated capacity for tap, the Imperial, Hastings. Nothing new to report. barrel aging. Marley’s Stout (4.2%) can BLO Peter Mitchell BLO Ian Hodge also be found regularly at Ypres Castle, Rye and the BROLLY CELLAR HEAD Crown, Hastings. All their Lowfold Far, Wisborough Flimwell, 07391 557407. beers are unfined and Green www.cellarheadbrewing.com suitable for vegans. BLO Timothy Ayre Cellar Head moves into its The regular cask beer is third year with a couple of BURNING SKY new recipes and expanding now Wells IPA (6%) brewed Firle, 01273 858080. with a similar malt base to capacity to meet demand. www.burningskybeer.com Proving popular at the tap Gallagher’s with the The Brewery remains very addition of Motueka hops. room are the Hop Project busy. To complement their trial red rye ale and the New beers of similar core cask ales, Plateau and strength are planned on exotic Kiwi fruit IPA. In Aurora, they are planning a other beer news the cask, each one showcasing series of one-off seasonal a different lead hop. Flapjack Stout will soon be brews. Expected 750ml available in keg. The highly regarded Kray’s bottle conditioned releases (7.3%) is about to return on For spring is here, for include a version of exercise, great views and a keg as a double dry hopped Monolith aged with fresh special featuring Amarillo tasty beer, then see website raspberries. That is for walks from the Tap and El Dorado hops. expected to be available in Schumacher’s Micro IPA Room, but book early these late April or early May 2019 are proving popular. (3.3%) has been re-brewed (7.8%). A strong Belgium BLO Barry Blewitt with a slight increase in Pale (8.5%) is planned soon strength and has a lot of after. Many more to come CHAPEAU BREWING body for its ABV. through the year, all should Horsham Wachowski’s Hibiscus Pale be available from the Coming up is Golden Ale (5%) continues to feature recently launched on-line for the summer, a small using Mosaic hops and shop, (see website). batch of it was trialled in hibiscus flowers. Recent collaborations have the taproom and it was very Brewing Brothers are taken place with The popular! Col Beans, a exploring the possibility of Bruery, (United States). This coffee brown ale significantly expanding is a mixed fermentation collaboration with Chimney their capacity by moving using yeast strains from Fire Coffee will go into industrial premises in both breweries. It is now mainstream, after it did so the Eastbourne area. aging in brandy barrels. The well at Spring Equinox BLO Robin Hill Ascension Cider Company Festival. Later in the BRICK HOUSE delivered half a ton of their summer there will be more Patcham, Brighton, 07708 apples and the resulting small batch releases for the 384604 Saison is now aging in oak taproom. [email protected] and should be available by BLO Paul Sanders the summer. Nothing new to report, DARK STAR brewing would appear to Planning permission is Partridge Green, 01403 have ceased. being sought to convert another barn on the Firle 713085. BLO Paul Free www.darkstarbrewing.co.uk
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The canning line is now in were heard concerning the bar in a horsebox at full flow, Session IPA and beers. Future events will summer events, see Tropical KO have been feature different beers and Facebook page for details. canned with many more will take place on the last The brewery shop was planned in the coming Saturday of each month. relaunched on 13th April as months. The Barrel Ageing BLO Richard Saunders a craft beer shop, not Room is complete and they restricted to Firebird beers, look forward to seeing the FILO using returnable glass first beers from this project Hastings, 01424 420212. growlers. The upstairs bar is ready before Christmas. filobrewing.co.uk to be provided with a tap The brewery also looks Nothing new to report, wall, as in the shop, so that forward to the already sold FILO’s popular seasonal the full range can be out Sussex Beer Yard Party beer Thirst of May (4.2%) to available, and there are on 1st June, welcoming 22 celebrate the Hastings ‘Jack plans to make food from other breweries from In The Green’ weekend will various local suppliers across the County to be available from early May. available on Friday nights. Meanwhile the regular celebrate Sussex Beer and BLO Dave Sharp raise funds for Prostate range continues to remain Cancer UK. popular in pubs throughout FRANKLINS Sussex and Kent. Ringmer, 01273 814447. BLO Clive Watson BLO Bill Turner franklinsbrewery.co.uk DOWNLANDS BLO Mac McCutcheon Small Dole, 01273 495596. FIREBIRD downlandsbrewery.com Horsham, 01403 823180 GOLDMARK No fresh news from the firebirdbrewing.com Poling, nr Arundel, 07900 brewery. Festive 51 (4.8%) has been 555415 / 01903 297838. doing so well that it has goldmarks.co.uk BLO Peter Mitchell been decided to make it a BLO Jim Waterston ENGINEER permanent beer, in place of GOOD THINGS High Hurstwood, 07841 Paleface APA which will 669096 now be brewed on demand. West Hoathly theengineerbrewery.co.uk A new single hop beer goodthingsbrewing.co.uk [email protected] called Ekuanot is planned BLO tbc The first of the planned for the summer along with GOODWOOD monthly tap takeovers took the return of Elderflower Pulborough place at The Cooper’s Summer Ale. All the above BLO Les Johnson Arms, Crowborough on are gluten-free. In keg, a 30th March. As well as the new Brut IPA (5.5%) is GREYHOUND usual beers on offer there planned, vegan but not Smock Alley, West were four beers from gluten-free. Chiltington, 01798 815822 Engineer. On this occasion The brewery has reviewed greyhoundbrewery.co.uk these were Pink IPA, Sussex its use of cans and Two f:greyhound brewery Altbier, Golden Ale and Horses and Bohemia will t:@greyhoundbrew Whisky Imperial Oatmeal return to bottles shortly, In March, the brewery had a Stout. The event was well followed by Fireweisse and visit from local MP, Nick attended with a visit by a Coffee Porter by the end of Herbert, to present a coachload of West Kent the summer. certificate for Amber Eyes CAMRA members; many The plan is to deploy the as a guest beer served at very favourable comments the Strangers’ Bar, House of
2424 SussexSussex Drinker:Drinker: SpringSummer 2019 2019
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Commons. evening on 7th March at the These are all available in 30 The Big Hat beer festival Duke of Wellington, litre key keg which will be held on Good Friday was Shoreham. collected for re-cycling very successful. A new fermenter with a wherever they are Greyhound & Ballards are capacity of over 10,000 delivered. All keg and excited to be at the Great pints is on order and other bottled ales are vegan. The British Beer Festival again equipment, all aimed at regular and current for 2019. The brewery bar growing capacity and seasonal cask ales are all will have firm favourites to continually improving beer still available and there are exciting newly developed quality, is due to arrive plans to add to the keg ales. soon. Online ordering with range. BLO Roger Kille collect from the brewery or BLO Rob Gowland free delivery for over GRIBBLE £45.00, see website. HAND BREW The Gribble Inn, Oving, nr Brighton, 07508 814541 BLO Steve Obey Chichester, 01243 786893 handbrewpub.com gribbleinn.co.uk HAMMERPOT Nothing new to report. BLO tbc Poling, nr Arundel, BLO Peter Mitchell 01903 883338 GUN hammerpot-brewery.co.uk HARVEY’S Gun Hill, Heathfield, Preparations have been Lewes, 01273 480209. 01323 700200 underway for the launch of harveys.org.uk www.gunbrewery.co.uk their keg craft ales. Three Harvey’s remains as busy as [email protected] initial brews are available: ever. Construction work is The brewery remains very underway to enhance the Coastal IPA (4.0%), a full busy with all of its beers flavoured refreshing golden visitor experience within much in demand. The session IPA, combining malt existing traditional awards keep coming with and grain flavours with buildings in the rear yard Zamzama IPA (6.5%) voted fresh citrus orange and area. This will include a new Champion in the South East fragrant floral notes. Hops sampling room and vastly Sussex Branch Beer of the are Amarillo, Ahtanum, improved toilet facilities, Year award for the second Pekko and Columbus. Malts including for the disabled. It year running and Numb are Pale, Crystals and is hoped the work will be (4%) voted completed by the end of Angel Lager Toasted Barley. Regular “Best Session Lager in the May. New tenants have Nebular (5.5%), a hazy South East at the Society of amber NEIPA with tropical been appointed to run the Independent Brewer’s flavours. Mosaic, Citra, Dorset Arms, Lewes. annual conference in Pekko and Amarillo hops. On 30th March volunteers Liverpool in March. Malts used are Pale Ale, who worked at the Spa The Smallbatch range Light Crystal, Oat Malt and Valley Beer Festival visited continues to grow, with a the brewery and presented Torrified Wheat.Baltic new IPA (5.7%) in keg only, Head Brewer, Miles Jenner, Porter (7.4%), a smooth a Dunkelweisse (5.1%) in chocolate porter with with their Beer of the keg only and an American complex malt flavours, Festival award for Bonfire Brown Ale (5%) in cask chocolate and treacle, and Boy. Harvey’s BLO took only, among recent good hop bitterness, using that opportunity to present releases. The latter was Cascade hops. Malts used him with a Silver award for launched at a well attended are Pale and Chocolate. their Old Ale in the Old
26 SussexSussex Drinker:Drinker: SummerSpring 2019 2019
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Ales/Strong Milds category Scratchings). Kissingate’s new Ripple of the Champion Winter Andy was delighted to Raspberry Stout (4.0%) will Beer of Britain at the Great receive the silver medal be launched at the British Beer Winter Festival award for Chronicle in the brewery’s annual Spring in Norwich. Aside from their standard bitter category at Festival on Saturday 4th beers, Harvey’s gained two the recent Gosport May, (11am-9pm). awards at the International Winterfest XXVII, decided It will be a softer, fruity Spirits Challenge 2019. Malt by customers’ votes. session stout and available Gin was awarded a Silver The brewery continues to throughout the summer Medal and, their relatively produce their core range of months. new, Hop Gin a Bronze ales for sale at festivals and Gary and Bunny have been Medal in their respective pubs, with aspirations to busy hosting a variety of classes. This all goes to broaden out into some events such as Curry demonstrate Harvey’s experimental brews when Nights, Gin Evenings, Beer continuing traditional, but time permits. & Cheese Evenings. diverse and relevant, BLO Jonathan Samways The new bar is coming on character. Plans for the well, the Brewery Taproom micro-brewery remain HOLLER is open Monday to business in hand. Brighton, 01273 894563 Saturday. hollerboysbrewery.co.uk BLO Ian Hodge BLO Roy Bray BLO Jamie Cooper HEATHEN LAINE Haywards Heath, HURST The North Laine, Brighton, 07825 429428 Hurstpierpoint 01273 683666. heathenbrewers.co.uk Hurst is pleased to have drinkinbrighton.co.uk/ Heathen supplied both extended their delivery to north-laine cover the whole of Sussex. their established ISA, India BLO Billy Tipping Session Ale, (3.9%) and Look out for the launch of their newer Mocha (7%), an the One Hurst Wonders LANGHAM oak aged Stout with coffee range of new, small run, one Lodsworth, Petworth, and dark chocolate aromas, off limited edition brews. 01798 860861. both well received at the BLO Steve Floor langhambrewery.co.uk The brewery remains busy, CAMRA Sussex Branches KILN Real Ale & Cider Festival. and a new batch of Saison Burgess Hill, 07800 556729 (3.9%), a farmhouse style of BLO Paul Free thekilnbrewery.co.uk pale, yeasty, very slightly HEPWORTH Session IPA (4.0%), a fruit hazy beer has sold very Pulborough, 01403 269696 flavoured session IPA, well. Next seasonal beer is hepworthbrewery.co.uk balanced by a little Flor-Ale (3.9%), a pale BLO Les Johnson bitterness, was supplied to golden, zesty floral beer for the CAMRA Sussex spring. A New England IPA. HIGH WEALD Branches Beer & Cider East Grinstead, (about 5.5%) is being Festival in March. brewed for the 30th Yapton 07836 291430 BLO Paul Free [email protected] Beerex, it will be hazy and The Engine Room, High KISSINGATE well hopped. Weald’s new brewery tap Lower Beeding, 01403 BLO Pete Luff and bar is open in East 891335. LISTER’S Grinstead (see Pub kissingate.co.uk Ford, 07775 853412
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Lister’s continues to return to the Small Batch quality brews. Next up is a innovate and add new calendar, with Session IPA New England IPA. beers to its core range, (3.8%), Golden Tipple BLO Gemma Mackay most recently, Springtime (4.7%) and Sleeping Giant (3.8%), a lightly hopped (3.8%) being released at RECTORY spring beer. Lister’s also the beginning of each Streat, 01273 890570 continues to develop its month. Future plans include Due to health problems, the additional distribution base a wider range of events and re-start of the regular in Merseyside with weekly produce at the Brewery brewing process has been deliveries to surrounding Shop. delayed. It was hoped to have taken place in April. areas and to Yorkshire. BLO Scott O’Rourke BLO Paul Free Lister’s is proud to be the LOST & FOUND only House Bitter at the BLO tbc RIVERSIDE Liverpool CAMRA Pub of Upper Beeding, 01903 Year 2018 and now also at LOST PIER 898030 Winchester’s CAMRA Pub BLO tbc riversidebreweryltd.co.uk of Year 2019. LOUD SHIRT BEER The canning machine has BLO Glenn Johnson Brighton, 07901 856436 been delivered and will LITTLE MONSTER loudshirtbeer.co.uk; soon be in use. The initial Tillington, Petworth f, t, i: @loudshirtbeer brew of a craft lager is BLO Tom Priestley BLO Keith Newell conditioning at the time of LONG MAN MISSING LINK writing. The brewery will be open and serving beer from Litlington, 01323 871850 / West Hoathly the cask for the Adur Beer 07976 777992. missinglinkbrewing.com Walk on 25th May. They will longmanbrewery.com BLO tbc also be at the Steyning The brewery have OLD TREE Country Fair on 27th May. welcomed lots of Brighton, 07413 064346 BLO Ian Bolt enthusiasts to the new shop BLO tbc and tasting room, with ROTHER VALLEY cask, mini cask and bottled PIN UP Southwick, 01273 411127 Northiam, 01797 252922 / beer to drink in or 07798 877551. takeaway. Pre-booked pinupbrewingco.com More bottling is now done rothervalleybrewery.co.uk brewery tours and tastings [email protected] in-house with better launched in March and have Rother Valley can now equipment and a couple of already sold 95% of supply vegan versions of new staff. ThePale Ale availability for the year their beer range. In May the (5.1%) was well-received at ahead, more dates will be brewery will celebrate their the Sussex Beer Festival in released on social media. 3500th brew with a 3.5% March. Long Man produced their tawny beer simply called BLO Adrian Towler first ever hazy vegan beer, 3500. BLO Dawn Lincoln Long Man Session NEIPA, a POLARITY double dry hopped beer Worthing, 07872 105300 SPENCER’S with hints of citrus, apricot, polaritybrewing.co.uk Chichester, 01243 604978 and tropical fruits, With the success of the new www.spencers-brewery.co.uk hopefully this will be beers last year, this year will BLO Jerry Goodman bottled later in the year. The see them continue to focus next three months see the on offering a variety of top
3030 SussexSussex Drinker:Drinker: SummerSpring 2019 2019 Bru News
SUSSEX SMALL BATCH THREE LEGS brewed, including a Poling, 07718 222425 Brede, 07939 997622 collaboration with [email protected] thethreelegs.co.uk Unbarred. The Sussex Small Batch [email protected] BLO Peter Mitchell Brewery started up in No new developments this August 2018 focusing on time. WELTONS producing quality Stouts BLO Peter Harrison Horsham, 01403 242901. with a difference. Tiramisu weltonsbeer.co.uk Stout was trialled in cask at TOP NOTCH Six Nations IPA all sold out the Brooksteed Alehouse Haywards Heath, and Export Stout is to be and the GeorgiFin 07963 829368 brewed again with some of micropubs in Worthing and topnotchbrewing.co.uk it to be aged in whisky very soon after won Beer of It is hoped to start brewing barrels. June makes the the Festival at the 2018 again in June, new beers 75th anniversary of the Worthing Beer Festival, a alongside some old D-Day landings in tremendous achievement favourites. Normandy and to for the first commercial BLO Keith Newell commemorate this Weltons brew! In March, it was will brew some specials and available at the Sussex Beer TWO TRIBES donate part of the profits to festival and was one of the Horsham, 01403 272102 the British Legion Poppy first to run out; it is now twotribesbrewing.com, Appeal. Beers will include widely available in cans in [email protected] Churchillian Stout, Juno, pubs, bars & beer shops BLO tbc Gold, a single malt and throughout Sussex. single hop (English UNBARRED Further well received cask Pioneer) beer, Omaha with Hove, 07850 070471 trials included a Whisky US hops and a D-Day Stout unbarredbrewery.com, Cask Stout and a Recess (7.4%). Weltons beers are Stout, (Chocolate/Peanut). [email protected] now regulars at the Zucotto Stout (Chocolate/ BLO tbc Holbrook Club in Horsham. They will at the Stout House Raspberry) is the most VINE recent creation, selling well on May 11th for the Day of Tarring, 01903 201121 at The Selden Arms beer Dance and 1st June for a The latest in house bitter festival in January and is Live at the Brewery evening has gone down well and now available in cans and with a covers band in more is on its way, with has recently been ordered Foundry Lane, Horsham. some spring and summer for the Surrey Oaks festival. Look out for the new pump ales to come. Both the Tiramisu and clips. BLO Gemma Mackay Zucotto have high ratings BLO Nigel Bullen on the Untappd app. (Brewery at the) Two new brews are WATCHMAKER’S ARMS underway, a Smoked Chilli / Hove, 01273776307 Chocolate Stout (5.8%) and The Watchmaker’s Arms for the Summer, a Vegan celebrates its 4th birthday friendly Raspberry Wheat / with its annual beer festival Rye, (5.5%); both will soon over the early May Bank be on tap at The Holiday weekend so some Brooksteed Alehouse. one-off beers will be BLO Stuart Elms
Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 31 Beer Festival Reports Another hugely successful which is brewed with the rare Harlequin Equinox beer festival in Horsham hop. Looks like we will need to get two After last year’s weather and travel dramas, casks of the Rum Stout in next year, to record numbers enjoyed another highly ensure we have some left for Saturday successful North Sussex CAMRA Equinox evening festival goers. Beer and Cider festival at the Drill Hall in Local brewers again scored highly in the Horsham at the start of March. beer of the festival voting, notably Weltons The event started this year with the Churchillian ale, Chapeau Col Beans and unveiling of our new Cider bar, built and Kissingate Nooksack. named in memory of our Regional Director Voting for Cider of the festival was as close and one of the main Festival organisers, as ever, with this year’s award going to a Chris Stringer. newcomer to the area. Ray from Camrose Cider moved to Billingshurst last year and his Luvvly Jubbly medium cider lived up to its name. The festival again featured some KeyKeg beers, in addition to the traditional cask ales. Setting up the brand new CAMRA KeyKeg bar was a challenge, but the team’s perseverance and skill along with assistance from local supplier Morepour and the timely arrival for a few minutes of one of the team from local brewery Unbarred, meant that the six kegs went on sale only a few minutes late, and had sold out by the end. Pictured with Penny, Chris’ wife, are David Maddison who designed and built the bar, We again chose the Samaritans Horsham Festival Organiser Mike Head and Branch and Crawley branch to be our festival chair [now Regional Director] Paul Sanders. charity, and the donations of money, beer Thanks to Glyn Baker for the photo. tokens and unwanted glasses raised just under £600. Their presence and support Festival goers may have been surprised to was greatly appreciated, and thanks to all see local sparkling wine from Bolney who donated. Vineyard also on sale this year. The experiment was successful, and is almost As ever, huge thanks to the volunteers, certain to be repeated for future festivals. sponsors, Gareth of Beer Essentials and to the pubs for selling tickets and publicity. The festival also welcomed new caterers. Garlic Wood did a great job, were very Cheers from CAMRA North Sussex branch popular, and are already planning some new ideas for next year’s event. For the first time ever, one brewery won both the Light and Dark beer of the festival awards. Horsham ale fans certainly like Dorset brewer Cerne Abbas’ beers, who not only repeated their success from last year with the Gurt Coconuts Rum Stout, but also narrowly won with their Harlequin IPA
3232 Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 Beer Festival Reports Sussex Branches Beer and Cider Lawday, Pete Coppard, Peter Mitchell, Paul Festival 2019 Free, Ursula Lockyer. In addition I would like Oops we did it again, Sussex CAMRA to thank our friends in the industry for branches took over the Racecourse on assistance, support and ticket sales; Dark Freshfield Road in Brighton, and offered Star, the Tower in St Leonards, the Evening 120 real ales, 22 ciders and perry. Nearly all Star in Brighton, the Selden Arms in the breweries of Sussex were represented Worthing, the Brewers Arms in Lewes, Duke by a cask in the Grandstand bar, the premier of Wellington in Shoreham-by-Sea, bar hosted an eclectic mix of favourite Gardeners’ Arms in Lewes, Eagle in beers from around the country. Eastbourne, the Brewery Shades in Crawley and last but not least the Beer Essentials in Horsham. I would like to thank the staff at the Racecourse for their assistance and patience. The last call out to all of you that attended, we hope you enjoyed it, please come again, or visit another festival, or join in and volunteer if only for a few hours! Paul Sanders Festival Organiser Although we opened for three sessions Sussex Branches Beer & Cider Festival over two days there is far more work done both in advance and afterwards to present the festival. This includes erecting the stillage and loading up the casks, then laying out the tables and chairs before we The open, and then taking everything down Foresters afterwards to return the venue to the state we found it in. This was done by volunteers Arms who took time out of their lives to make the festival happen. Thanks to all our volunteers Graffham without whom these festivals cannot happen. Welcome to The Foresters Arms Come in and relax. We have comfortable rooms, a beautiful garden, delicious food and great beer. We offer three rotating guest real ales sourced from local breweries. Open: Mon closed; Tue-Sat 11am-11pm; Sun 12pm-7pm
The Foresters Arms, I would like to thank the following for their The Street, work in getting this year’s event off the Graffham, Petworth, ground, John Kirkland, Jo Buckland, Chippy GU28 0QA Da Souza, Steve Lucas, Steve Leyfield, Mark 01798 867386 forestersarms-pub.co.uk
Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 33 Pressing News PRESSING NEWS
One of the privileges of being the Regional Cider House, Shoreham-by-Sea Cider Co-ordinator is that I get to organise • North East Sussex – Kings Head, East the regional cider competition. This is held Hoathly before the bar opens on the last day of • North Sussex – Brewery Shades, SBBCF. I would like to thank all the judges Crawley who took part for without their • South East Sussex – George Hotel, commitment and taste buds the Hailsham competition would not happen. After much • Western Sussex – None tasting, note taking and discussions the judges decided that Winner of the Surrey Seasonal Reminder and Sussex Regional cider competition was The new year’s cider will be coming to pubs Camrose Luvvly Jubbly, the runner up was and bars near you. May Cider (and Mild) Batchelors JB cider. month is a great time to get out there and try cider and perry; the real stuff is worth The Freehaus seeking out, especially as Sussex produces Brighton Bier have taken on the Reservoir, some really fine examples. given it a makeover and a new name - The Paul Sanders Freehaus. Brighton Bier intend that this Regional Cider Coordinator tavern will differ from their other pubs and be a true free house but also offer an extended range of ciders, when visited on their opening night there was Trenchmore Silly Moo on draught plus seven still ciders including ciders from Ascension and Bignose & Beardy. Regional Cider Pub of the Year Sussex branches have nominated the following pubs to enter the regional cider competition. Please note that not all branches have submitted a pub to the competition, this is often because they are unaware of a pub that may be a contender. Conversely you may disagree with your The Hampden Arms branch choice. In either case if you consider Newhaven’s Secret Pub a pub a contender for next year’s Hidden away on the hill above Newhaven, competition please engage with your The Hampden boasts a log fire in the winter branch. It is not unusual for our ale drinking brethren not to notice that a pub sells real and a beautiful garden in the summer cider and perry, so give them a hand to One Regular Ale Home-Cooked food and a make sure that your real cider pub is One Guest Ale Sunday Roast. considered. Variety of Spirits & Wines Dogs & Children Welcome • Arun and Adur - Green Man Ale and Live Music Monthly Quiz Nights. Cider House, Worthing • Brighton South Downs - Old Star Ale & Heighton Road, South Heighton, BN9 0JJ - 01273514529
34 Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 New Regional Director
several years holding the post of secretary A structure of acronyms and latterly as chairman. As a result of Hello, I’m becoming active, I got the bug for Paul Sanders attending CAMRA meetings including the new Sussex branches, regional and national Surrey and members weekend. I have attended the Sussex RD. Houses of Parliament to lobby my local MP RD I hear you in support of CAMRA campaigns. I enjoy say what is campaigning for beer and pubs, I believe that? RD without the latter we will have no real ale, stands for there is still much for us to do. I have for the Regional last two years been the festival organiser of Director. This the Sussex Branches Beer and Cider is an elected Festival. volunteer
role; RDs are Paul Sanders Regional Director, Surrey & Sussex elected by the branches Have you wanted to publish? Do you feel forming the you can edit? We are looking to put region at a together a team to support the editor of regional meeting. The role is to support this great magazine. If you are interested branches and to act as a conduit between please contact your branch or me at branches and the National Executive. This is [email protected]. done through several regional meetings and NERDS (there goes another acronym; National Executive and Regional Directors) meetings each year. Regions come in all shapes and sizes, Surrey and Sussex cover the best part of two counties, Kent for comparison forms a region on its own. To assist the RD the role of AO (Area Organiser) can be appointed; in Surrey and Sussex there are two areas one for each county, the Sussex AO is Peter Page-Mitchell (again for comparison Kent consists of two areas). AO’s also act as deputies for the RD. One the ‘lighter’ side of being RD (apart from visiting pubs in more branches) is organising the regional rounds of Pub of the Year and Club of the year competitions, the winners of which go forward to super regional round. A little more about the person behind the acronym. I live in Crawley, and work in Information Technology for a pension provider based in Crawley. I have been an active member of North Sussex branch for
Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 35 Branch Trips
North Sussex Branch On Tour (Again) from further afield were Brass Castle Bad Once again, the North Sussex Branch Kitty, Moor Amour and a trio from the decided to organise a bus trip to the Swannay Brewery up in Orkney. There was Cooper’s Arms in Crowborough, for their also a few keg beers, plus plenty of nibbles annual Dark & Delicious Winter Ales to soak it all up. Festival. This year the event was held over Once again, we were able to socialise with the first weekend in February, due to some members from the neighbouring another event clashing at the pub the West Kent Branch, but after a few hours, it previous weekend, so a plan was put was time to re-board the bus, after thanking together to run the trip on Saturday 2nd our hosts, Dave & Judith, for their February. A suitable vehicle was hired from hospitality. Sussex Coaches and the itinerary was sent out via various sources. It was good to We then headed off to Hartfield, to stop for welcome some first-timers on the tour. an hour at the Anchor, before departing to drop everyone off at the various stops back Departing from Horsham, with Vanessa to Horsham. A good day out and thanks to Mason-Hill in charge as Clippie for the day, all those who came along, also to Vanessa the bus proceeded via the Surrey Oaks at Mason-Hill and Thomas Black for their help Newdigate, then on to Crawley, Three with organising the day out. Photos Bridges station, East Grinstead, provided by Thomas Black. Ashurstwood and Forest Row to pick up the other participants. We all enjoyed a Peter Spooner rather scenic ride across Ashdown Forest, well into Winnie the Pooh country, before reaching the pub in good time. Once everybody was inside the pub, it was obvious that Dave had sourced an interesting An ever changing range selection of of five cask conditioned Five Bells ales that always includes light and dark ales, of varying strengths, so Smock Alley one mild, one session West Chiltington plenty to keep us amused for the afternoon. bitter, two best bitters The dozen and one strong bitter. West Sussex RH20 2QX handpumps Plus one changing craft featured keg beer, Hacker Pschorr 01798 812143 seven fairly genuine Munich lager, Arun & Adur local beers and Weston’s Old Rosie CAMRA Country cider on gravity. from Burning Pub of the Year Sky, Dark Star, Homemade traditional Engineer, food, plus 5 en suite 2016 Harvey’s, bedrooms. Holler, Three All of this in a very 2017 Legs & traditional pub! 2018 Tonbridge www.thefivebellsinn.com breweries,
36 Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 Adur Valley Beer Walk
from Shoreham, Brighton or Rottingdean to Adore Valley Beer Walk take you to Steyning, and get off No, not a mis-print, but what my spell- immediately outside Riverside Brewery checker keeps writing for ADUR Valley Beer ('Shoreham Rd.' stop) for some great real Walk, which takes place on Saturday 25th ale, served up by the two brewers. May this year. Never heard of Adur? (My spell-checker obviously hasn’t.) Then trek the two-and-a-half miles to Adur Brewery, a co-operative run by beer It’s the river enthusiasts, which is up Mouse Lane on the that comes picturesque Wiston House Estate. There are out at footpath leaflets at the breweries to guide Shoreham, you, and you’ll pass a selection of Hostelries and runs on the way, depending on your route. through Bramber close But beware, the quirky Norfolk Arms in to Steyning. Steyning shuts at 2.30pm and no amount of Probably the most picturesque Through an pleading will persuade her to stay open. So pub on the Walk is in Bramber: The area rich with if you want to enter this ‘time-warp’ free Castle Inn Hotel charming house you may have to wait until the pubs, wildlife including swans and lovely evening. The No.2 bus runs quite late so you footpaths. Plus four breweries and two will should be OK getting home again. See you be open for the Beer Walk, between noon there. and 6pm, selling their wares. Adrian Towler Brighton & South Downs Branch If you fancy joining in just grab a No.2 bus
Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 37 Ale Trail All Systems Go For 26th These are the Ale Trail Pubs signed-up so far, where you can get a stamp this Brighton CAMRA Ale Trail summer… The Ale Trail is heading Anchor Inn & Cock Inn, Ringmer; Black for the stars this Horse, Brewers Arms, Elephant & Castle, summer – the stars Gardener’s Arms, Lewes Arms, The Patch, being some of the best Rights of Man in Lewes; The Admiral, real ale pubs in the Brighton Beer Dispensary, Brighton Brighton-Lewes- Bierhaus, Brighton Tavern, Evening Star, Shoreham area. Free Haus, Hand in Hand, Haus on the Hill, Actually the theme is Lord Nelson Inn, Prince Albert, & Prince the First Moon Landing George, Brighton; Cock Inn, Wivelsfield – yes, 50 years ago this July – so the Green; Crown Inn, Newick; Duke of souvenir T-shirts, polos etc. will probably Wellington, Old Star Ale & Cider House, have a lunar design. Shoreham-by-Sea; Five Bells, Chailey Green; Hope Inn, Newhaven; Laughing Fish, If you’d like to join in, and hundreds do each Isfield; Neptune Inn, The Brunswick, The year, the Launch is on Sunday 26th May at Foghorn, Watchmakers Arms & The Lord Nelson, 36 Trafalgar Street, Westbourne in Hove; Old Boot Inn, Seaford; Brighton, from 7pm, where you can collect Schooner Inn & Southwick Beer Engine, your free Passport, maybe free food Southwick; Stanley Arms, Portslade; White because there’s a buffet and your first Horse, Ditchling. stamp in the Passport. Another 19 stamps gives you a commemorative T-shirt but if you collect more you can win a polo shirt or sweatshirt when it ends, at the end of September. Alternatively ask for a Passport, sponsored again this year by Harveys (thank you) at one of the participating pubs. A parallel “Cider Rider” scheme, if you prefer cider and perry, gets you the Cider Rider T-Shirt. You get a stamp when you buy a pint of ale in each pub but how to get there? Well, the Passport has bus and train information and a special bus trip takes place on Saturday 20th July, (on the actual Moon Landing Anniversary – how cool is that!) at noon from Brighton, to visit those hard-to-reach country pubs. Tickets are £10 at the Launch Night or by post (info in the Passport). So maybe you should get out more this Summer – and do The Ale Trail: “The First Lun-Ale Landing”. It’s not rocket science. Adrian Towler Brighton & South Downs Branch
38 Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 Book Review It’s The Beer Talking: Adventures weren’t in each others lives. It’s The Beer in Public Houses by Ian Clayton Talking follows a similar template. There’s I’ve always written plenty of beer in it, a lot of laughter, one or close to home. When two tears and now and again a bit of bawdy I first started writing, banter. It’s just a book of stories that take everybody I asked place against a backdrop of the public said that I should house. These stories are about the joy of write about what I joining in, celebrating who we are and the know about. I’ve quest to find the perfect pint. There are stuck to that ever journeys here and discovery, but because since, so all of what I our favourite pubs are usually in our own write takes place back yard, it’s a book that takes place near were I’m from. home. In many ways it’s a book that takes Wherever I have delight in localness, the simple pleasure of lived, I have never where we are from, wherever that might be. been more than a The book starts with my first taste of beer, stone’s throw from a local pub. My new in a smoke-filled working men’s club, then book It’s The Beer Talking: Adventures in rattles like a boxful of dominoes through Public Houses has just been published. I more than half a century of backstreet suppose the title tells you most of what you boozing all over the world in that rare old need to know about what is inside its haunt we call the public house. In a time covers. Yes it’s about beer and pubs and when local pubs are closing down at an because it’s a memoir, it’s about what I’ve alarming rate, the book is a bit of a call to got up to in ale houses over the years. I treasure them. I say this because I believe hope it’s funny. I wanted to write a comedy, that pubs are like libraries. More than any so it would be a bit of a bugger if it didn’t other buildings near where we live, they are make folk laugh. There are one or two sad storehouses of our communal knowledge. bits in it as well, because even in pubs, life At times snapshots of our neighbourhood, isn’t always funny ha ha. Like my other at other times a refuge from what’s going writing, it is based on memories and on outside, but always somewhere familiar emotions and characters I have known. and welcoming. I love the pub most of all, Most of it is true, some bits are made up and because that is where over the years I have the rest, well, if it isn’t true, it ought to be! found a lot of friendship. Come to think of it, I’ve written a lot of books, but I’m not It’s The Beer Talking is a book about always sure what to say when people ask friendship. As a matter of fact, all of my me what my books are about. Perhaps my books are about friendship. If you like books best known book is Bringing it all Back about beer, pubs, fun and friendship, you Home. It’s about music. All sorts of music, might want to give it a try. from music hall to the blues and pop. Then Ian’s book is brimming with laughter, tall again it’s not really about music at all, it’s stories, great memories and endless rounds about where music has taken me and how it of wonderful beer. It’s also a call to arms to shapes me. Another more recent book is save this unique institution. Roger Protz, Song for My Father. I generally say that one Editor Good Beer Guide 2000-2018 is a book about my dad. Yet I didn’t know my dad for most of my life, so it’s a book It’s The Beer Talking: Adventures in Public about looking for him, what happened in Houses is published by Route. For more the few months after we were reunited and details visit www.route-online.com mostly about what happened when we
Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 39 NERDs Weekend
NERDS (National Executive and Regional Directors) Weekend in Hastings CAMRA’s National Executive and Regional Directors travelled from as far as Scotland, the Isle of Man and Cornwall to gather at the White Rock Hotel in Hastings for the NERDS weekend on Friday 15th and After a long day of meetings, Saturday Saturday 16th February. evening saw almost all visiting participants These meetings are arranged across the congregating in the Albatross Club in country and are usually the responsibility of Bexhill, which has regularly been voted one the local Regional Director. The format of of the best clubs in the country by CAMRA. the individual meetings is as follows: Then it was time to hit the pubs in the St Regional Directors meet on Friday evening Leonards and Hastings areas again. followed by further meetings on Saturday The weekend was a real success, with morning and afternoon. The National several local branch members popping in, Executive meets on Saturday morning and either to the meetings, the pubs, the club or afternoon too. all three. Following the recent passing of The White Rock Hotel was chosen because our own Regional Director Chris Stringer, it has several meeting rooms, a couple of we were particularly happy that his wife them large enough to accommodate big Penny joined us for the weekend. groups at the same time. So, with 21 hotel National Chairman, Jackie Parker said rooms booked, meetings rooms prepared “unless you have been involved with the and four excellent real ales on in the hotel organisation of one of these weekends, you bar, we were all set. The weather even did cannot appreciate just how much hard its part; it was fine, sunny and, for February, work goes into ensuring that everything is relatively warm. just right. It’s not just a case of booking the Following the Branches Committee venue, it’s being on hand all weekend to Meeting on Friday evening, the Regional answer any queries or resolve any issues Directors and their partners set out on a which may arise. This weekend was tour of the pubs in Hastings Old Town. The perfectly organised, there were no hitches, most popular starting point was the Jolly and we also had stunning weather”. She Fisherman micropub. Then many headed continued “it was lovely for those of us who on to the Dolphin, the Crown, the FILO and were unable to attend Chris Stringer’s the Jenny Lind, while others were scattered funeral to spend some time with Penny who around almost all the other pubs in the area, joined us for the weekend. A big thank you including recently opened micropub, to all involved”. Twelve Hundred Postcards. Peter Page-Mitchell Saturday’s meetings started at 9am; by 1pm everyone was ready for the excellent Ploughman’s buffet the hotel had laid on. The afternoon session finished with all participants discussing present concerns openly with the National Executive members in the main meeting room, followed by a group photo on the promenade. One member even braved the elements and went for a swim in the sea!
40 Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 Spotlight on Breweries Spotlight on
Bid to become ‘world’s first’ self- available. The three day festival is now one sustaining brewery of the largest to be held in the south east Good Things Brewing Co in Brighton that and unique with its three locations as well makes flour from leftover beer grains says it as beers being available on the train, and hopes to become the world’s first self- will feature other favourites from Harvey’s sustaining brewery. For every pint of beer this year. This award for the Lewes brewery made in the UK, two porridge bowls’ worth is very appropriate for a town with a of spent grain is produced. Traditionally, renowned reputation for its Bonfire Night breweries have given their waste to farmers celebrations! who use the feed for cattle and pigs, but if Craig was the grains are not used within 48 hours of joined by delivery they go off, and have to be thrown Ian Hodge, away. In an attempt to stop waste, the BLO for brewing company have just unveiled the Harvey’s, world’s first ‘spent grain dehydrator’. The who on brewery are currently working with behalf of foodstuff and agricultural brand Carr’s, CAMRA which supplies Hovis and Gales to create officially flour that can be used in bakeries and pubs. presented Miles with More Accolades for Harvey’s the Silver Award certificate for Harvey’s Old A double presentation was recently made Ale in the Old Ales/Strong Milds category in to Miles Jenner, Head Brewer at multiple the Champion Winter Beer of Britain award-winning Harvey’s brewery in Lewes, competition at the GBBF Winterfest held in East Sussex. Norwich in February. A coach full of West Kent CAMRA and other We would like to thank Miles for his volunteers who served over 14,000 pints of hospitality and the time and effort he beer at the 8th annual Spa Valley Railway devoted to making the occasion so beer and cider festival in October 2018, the enjoyable and look forward to welcoming largest and most successful to date, were Harvey’s beers among the 200 which will greeted by Miles in the brewery yard who be available at the 2019 festival to be held then proceeded to provide an engaging over the three days 18th-20th October. The and entertaining tour of the brewery main bar will be in Tunbridge Wells West culminating in the tasting of a range of Victorian engine shed with additional bars Harvey’s fine cask ales in the racking room. on the platforms at Groombridge and Emerging into the spring sunshine Craig Eridge stations and beer also available on Beeson, West Kent vice chair and festival the train. organiser, presented Miles with a Gold Don Croker Award certificate for Bonfire Boy, having West Kent CAMRA branch been voted “Beer Of The Festival” by the public who chose from over 200 beers
41 Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 The Pubs of Hove
The Pubs of Hove: Part 1: Not Quite Hove my last visit these included Big Hug, Lost There are over forty pubs in BN3, the and Found, Bedlam, Burning Sky and Holler. postcode that covers Hove. To do it justice I The food’s pretty good too. have split the area into three chunks. Part 1, Further along is which covers Hangleton, Aldrington and the Three Graces, a part of Portslade, I have called Not Quite small, single-bar Hove. pub with sofas and Hangleton is a quiet, residential area with a a TV screen. It has scattering of shops and three pubs. The two cask ales and most isolated is the Nevill. I visited on a when I visited Sunday afternoon, thinking it would be full these were Bedlam of families eating Sunday lunch. It was Phoenix and virtually empty and although the separate Hammerpot Bottle dining area was quite welcoming, the main Wreck Porter. bar looked neglected and the beer, Harvey’s Directly opposite is Best, was only OK. Ten minutes up the road the Stoneham, a is the Grenadier, which was full of families. large Brakspears pub, with tables for dining, It was smarter than its neighbour and the sofas and space for live music. The beer was Harvey’s here was better and cheaper. undistinguished and it has the feel of a pub you’d only go in if you’d already had a few. Hangleton’s third pub, the Hangleton Heading up Manor, like the past Grenadier looks to Stoneham be hitting its target Park, you market: families come to the and couples who George want good pub Payne, the food. It’s a lovely first Hove pub old building, but to get the Zoe Rodgers treatment. It’s very it’s owned by Hall and Woodhouse and different from its former self, the Kendal whilst the beer is well-kept, I’ve never drunk Arms; big and welcoming, with good food a memorable pint of either Tanglefoot or and a decent cask ale offering – Harvey’s Fursty Ferret anywhere, not even here. Best and Bedlam Phoenix, when I visited. Aldrington isn’t much bigger than Zoe’s second pub in Aldrington, the Poet Hangleton but has Smoke and Alehouse, is a Harvey’s tied a lot more pubs. house, with three of their cask ales Starting on available. It’s smaller than her other pubs Portland Road, first but just as popular. up is the A short walk from Westbourne, now the Poets is the a fixture in the Ancient Mariner, a Good Beer Guide. Laine Pubco venue. It’s also a craft beer Many of their pubs mecca, with mostly have had what I’d independent describe as a brewers Hipster Junkshop represented. On Chic makeover, but
42 Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 The Pubs of Hove not this one. It’s a small, rowdy, single-bar barely pub with a good mix of cask and keg. When drinkable I visited they had Bedlam Phoenix and Harvey’s Best. Dorking Smokestack Lightning on cask, I’ve saved the with kegs from Laine, Lagunitas, Magic best till last. Rock, Tiny Rebel and Chorlton. The Foghorn, Heading towards the coast we come to the is the Gather Inn, a bed and breakfast brainchild of overlooking Hove Lagoon. When I visited three chums, on a Tuesday afternoon it was Tommy, Niall and Tim, and their pub, in what unsurprisingly empty. It was a pleasant used to be the Portslade Learning Centre, is space, recently refurbished, with one cask a square, cosy room with space for around ale on offer - Harvey’s Best - in decent nick. sixty customers. They have five ales on cask and three on keg. Many of the breweries are At the Portslade end of Portland Road lies local - Holler, Downlands, Burning Sky, Dark the Garden Bar. This used to be the Star - but they also have interesting and less Jamaica Inn, and served terrific reggae obvious brewers from further afield, such as roasts. Since that venture failed, owners EI Squawk, Great Divide and Cromarty. Group have failed to do anything worthwhile with it. The walls are painted You can read a longer version of this article blood red, with cheap and tacky looking at Phil’s blog : https://bit.ly/2SpOYDr paintings of famous Brits, and TV screens everywhere. The one handpump dispensed
Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 43 Sussex Branch Pubs of the Year Awards Arun & Arur certificate was made to Ali Charlesworth by Pub of the Year for 2019 is the Green Man Steve Pardoe of the Pub of The Year sub- Ale & Cider House, Tarring. The results were committee on behalf of the branch, on the very close, and so we have given a Highly 28th February. Commended award to The Steam Packet, For the fourth year running the Cider Pub of Littlehampton. The Green Man was also the Year is the Old Star Ale & Cider House, chosen as our Cider Pub of the year. Shoreham-by-Sea. Steve Pardoe presented the certificate to Richard Hasler. The Rural Pub of the Year is the Swan Inn, Falmer. In the photo Steve Pardoe presents the award to Daren Little of the Swan Inn, Falmer on the 26th of January. North Sussex For the second year running, and for a record 7th time, the Peter King Memorial Shield has retaken its place above the fireplace at the White Horse in Maplehurst, as CAMRA North Sussex’s Pub of the Year.
In the photo are Les the landlord and Colin our Pubs Officer with the certificates. Brighton & South Downs Pub of the Year is the Brighton Bier Haus, Edward In the photo are Simon and Beth, being Street. The presented with the shield by new branch presentation Chair, Penny Stringer, in the middle. Thanks of the to Ralph Streamer for the photo. Anthony Jenner In a very close vote, the White Horse just Shield and retained its title ahead of the Brewery
44 Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 Sussex Branch Pubs of the Year Awards
Shades in Crawley, the branch’s Cider Pub of the Year. The other finalists this year were the Malt Shovel in Horsham, the Jolly Tanners in Staplefield and the Red Lion in Turners Hill. The White Horse now has a chance to retain its title as CAMRA Sussex Pub of the Year. North East Sussex The King’s Head in East Hoathly are well deserved winners of both the North East Sussex branch Pub of the Year, 2019, and The photo shows, left to right, Steve Obey, Cider Pub of the Year. The presentations Branch Chairman, Robert, Tracie and were made on 20th March to landlords barman Owen. Robert and Tracie Wallace. South East Sussex The King’s Head are Brewery Tap for the The Tower in St Leonards is the Pub of the adjacent 1648 Brewing Company and as Year. The George Hotel in Hailsham is the well as achieving respect for the high Cider Pub of the Year. quality and variety of the beer they serve there’s real cider too, with always an ever- Western Sussex changing local cider on the bar. It’s a fine The Hornet Alehouse, Chichester is the Pub example of a historic village pub. of the Year. This branch did not award a Cider Pub of the Year.
Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 45 Diary Dates
CAMRA EVENTS IN BOLD. For FREE inclusion in this column, contact the Editor; for PAID advertisements contact Neil Richards. Copy-by date and contact details on the contacts page. For up to date information on beer festivals and other beer and cider related events in Sussex, please visit the Sussex Branches website, sussex.camra.org.uk/festivals. 24-25 May Southwick Beer, Cider & Music of London, plus perhaps others in the Festival, see page 43. Twickenham and Kingston areas. To be included on mailing list contact Pete Brown, Kings Head Cacklebury 24-27 May [email protected] (Hailsham) Beer Festival. A variety of guest ales and ciders. Live music every day. All day 7-9 Jun Old Boot Inn, Seaford, Beer Festival, barbecue. See kingsheadcacklebury.co.uk for see page 51 (inside pack page). more details. 14-16 Jun The Steam Packet, Littlehampton 24-27 May King’s Arms , Arundel May bank Beer and Sausage Festival. 20+ ales, craft beers holiday weekend beer festival. 16 real ales, 1 and ciders. 54 River Road, Littlehampton, BN17 craft lager, 2 ciders. Street food Saturday and 5BZ. See page 19. Sunday, Music Saturday and Sunday afternoons 14-16 Jun The Crown, Newick - Beer outside on the Hill. Festival, see page 27.
24-26 May 2019 South East Sussex Branch 14-16 Jun Albatross Club (RAFA), Bexhill by the Eastbourne Beer and Cider Festival Beer Festival. 11am to 11pm, Saturday 15, 11am to Sea, Western Lawns, Eastbourne. 60 Ales plus 11pm; Sunday 16 June, 12 midday to 5pm - 30 Ciders and Perrys. Details and tickets subject to beer still being available. Open to eastbournebeerfestival.co.uk 01323 410611. non members. 14 ales on stillage plus 5 on 25 May Third Adur Valley Beer Walk. Just handpump and 6 ciders. Food available plus start at one of the two breweries, Riverside or live music. Thursday 13th June preview evening Adur, which will be open from noon to 6pm for club members & CAMRA members only. then walk from one to the other, passing up to 15-16 Jun Alested festival at the Elsted Inn. seven local pubs. The No.2 bus to Steyning 3rd Alested Ale and Music festival. Hosting well stops outside Riverside. Footpath info will be known musicians, morning yoga workshops, on leaflets at breweries & pubs and morris dancing, folk sessions, and a family www.brightoncamra.org.uk. See page 37. ceilidh. Interesting and award winning local 26 May Launch Night for the 26th Brighton & ales, and a BBQ including vegan, allergen free, South Downs summer Ale Trail. From 7pm at and seriously meaty options. The Lord Nelson, Brighton. Free buffet, see 21-22 Jun 23rd South Downs Beer & Cider page 38. Festival, Old Corn & Hop & Corn Exchange, 30 May - 3 Jun Beer Engine, Southwick - Lewes Town Hall, Lewes, see page 3. London Cask Ale Fest. See page 9. 21-23 Jun Wilkes Head, Eastergate, Ale, 31 May - 2 Jun Glastonwick 2019, Church Cider & Gin Festival, see page 22. Farm, Coombes (north of Shoreham). 75 mainly 28-30 Jun Three Moles, Selham Beer unusual real ales, farmhouse cider, perry, and Festival. See page 7. kombucha. Live music all weekend (there is a quiet room for just conversation). Free shuttle 24-30 Jun Lewes Beer Week, a week of bus from and to Shoreham, with a daily journey events including Meet the Brewer talks, home from and to Brighton. Full details at www.cask- brew competitions, bottle shares and more; ale.co.uk/beerfestival.html culminating in the second town-wide Lewes Tap Takeover 27-30 June. 31 May Train to London Pubs – TTLP47: An investigation of the growing number of Big 4-8 Jul Beer Engine, Southwick - American Smoke Brew Co pubs in the Southwest corner Pale Ale Fest. See page 9.
46 Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 5-6 Jul 13th SIBA South East Beer Festival, 22-26 Aug Duke of Wellington Shoreham By Tonbridge Juddians Rugby Club, Tonbridge. Sea, Riverfest Beer & Music Festival. 30 Beers & 150+ Real Ales + Cider. Free Admission. 10 Ciders; BBQ food all weekend provided by www.tj-beerfest.com. See page 52 (back page) EAT FOOD LOVE FOOD; entertainment every day - a plethora of world folk styles. Holly Tree, Walberton Summer 12-14 Jul See dukeofwellingtonbrewhouse.co.uk. Beer Festival, see page 51 (inside pack page). Three Moles, Selham Beer Wellington Brighton Beer Festival, to 23-25 Aug 1-5 Aug Festival. See page 7. celebrate the 25 year tenure of Steve and Nadia. Themed evenings, Sunday; barbeque, 24-26 Aug Wheatsheaf Inn, Willingdon, Beer black powder Morris, free raffle, up to 6 rotating Festival. ales, hopefully a cider and Perry too. Langhams Mini Beer and Music Culminating in a 1994 themed quiz on the 24 Aug Festival 1-11pm. See page 19. Monday evening. You can find out more on our twitter account, facebook or popping in! 31 Oct - 4 Nov Beer Engine, Southwick - Britain’s Finest 16 Cask Ales Fest. See page 9. 6-10 Aug Great British Beer Festival, Olympia, London. 15-17 Nov Albatross Club (RAFA), Bexhill Beer Festival. 9-11 Aug Plough Inn, Crowhurst, Summer Beer Festival.
Pubs in Sussex Frogshole Farm: 10% off Sussex Cricketer: 20p off a offering a discount to Jubilee Oak: 50p vouchers pint Red Lion: Icklesham: Robin Hood CAMRA members Snooty Fox: Lewes Full details can be found at Eartham: George Brewers Arms: 5% off sussex.camra.org.uk/ East Grinstead: Dorset Elephant & Castle: 10% off discount. Below is a list of all Arms: 10% off Gardener’s Arms: 5% off of the 56 pubs. East Preston: Clockhouse Littlehampton: New Inn: 20p Brighton Bar: 10% off off a pint Brighton Bierhaus: 10% off Eastbourne Rottingdean: White Horse: Druids Head: 10% off Dew Drop Inn: 10p per pint 10% off Market Inn: 10% off Rodmill: 10% off Rye: Queen’s Head: 20p off a Mucky Duck: Fontwell: Old Stables: 20p pint North Laine Brewhouse: off a pint Seaford: Old Boot Inn: 5% Preston Park Tavern: Goddards Green: off Prince George: Sportsman Shoreham Beach: Waterside Spanish Lady: 10% off Halland: Blacksmith’s Arms: Inn: 10% off Victory Inn: 50p off a pint Shripney: Robin Hood: 10% Burgess Hill Hassocks: Friars Oak: 20p off Block & Gasket: 5% off off a pint Southwick: Schooner Inn: Quench Bar & Kitchen: 10% Hastings 35p per pint off Dolphin: 30p per pint St. Leonards on Sea: Six Gold Martlets: 50p Pissarros Dripping Spring Alehouse vouchers Horsham Telscombe Cliffs: Smugglers Chichester: Chichester Inn Anchor Hotel Rest: 20p off a pint Climping: Oystercatcher: Beer Essentials Worthing 20p off a pint Brewhouse & Kitchen: 10% Bulls Head: 10% off Crawley Crown: 10% off North Star: 20p off a pint Beehive: 50p vouchers Piries Bar Thomas A’Becket Brewery Shades: Hove Flying Horse: Palmeira: 10% off Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019 47 CAMRA Branch Socials All CAMRA branches organise socials, North East Sussex typically in good local pubs, and these Wed 15 May Wheel Inn, Burwash Weald, events are open to all and not just CAMRA Heathfield Tavern & Star Inn, Waldron. members. Please join us and enjoy a few Wed 19 Jun Greyhound and White Hart, tasty beers and some interesting Wadhurst and Old Vine, Cousley Wood. conversation. Wed 17 Jul Roebuck, Laughton, Blacksmiths Arms, Halland and Arun & Adur Brickmakers, Uckfield. Sat 11 May PotY Minibus Trip (visiting Kings See northeastsussex.camra.org.uk/diary for Head, East Hoathly; George, Hailsham; more details. White Horse, Maplehurst). 12:00 from The Green Man Ale and Cider House, Tarring. South East Sussex Please contact Nigel ([email protected]. Sat 4 May PotY Trip Pick ups: 0930 Tower, org.uk) to book a place. St. Leonards; 1010 Kings Drive, Eastbourne Contact [email protected] Tue 14 May Two Sawyers, Pett (Champion or see aaa.camra.org.uk/socials.html. NBSS Pub Award); Queens Head, Brighton & South Downs Icklesham. Sat 8 Jun Ramsgate Micropub Tour. Train First pub 7.30pm to about 8.30pm. Second from Eastbourne 09:49, St. Leonards WS pub 9pm to 10pm. 10:22, arrive Ramsgate 12:15. Sat 4 May Lewes, Publicity Crawl for the Tue 25 Jun PotY Presentation: Tower, St. South Downs Beer Festival, meet outside Leonards Lewes station at 12 noon or 4pm - all Sat 6 Jul Sussex Beer of the Year Award: welcome Kissingate Brewery. Thu 9 May Hove-Portslade, Foghorn Tue 9 Jul Red Lion, Brede; New Inn, micropub, 55 Boundary Road BN3 4EF, Westfield; Queen’s Head, Sedlescombe. then Railway Inn. Tue 23 Jul Hurst Arms, Eastbourne; Victoria Thu 16 May Seaford, Old Boot Inn 16 South Hotel, Eastbourne Street BN25 1PE, then Wellington. See southeastsussex.camra.org.uk/diary for Thu 23 May Brighton, Bevy 50 Hillside BN2 more details. 4TF, then (using No.49 bus) Admiral. Sat 25 May Third Adur Valley Beer Walk. Western Sussex Launch Night for the 26th Sun 26 May Tue 14 May Social, starting at the Spotted Brighton & South Downs summer Ale Trail. Cow, Hunston, at 9pm. Then on to the See brightoncamra.org.uk/EventsList.html Blacksmith’s, Donnington, finishing at the for more details. Chichester Inn, Chichester. North Sussex Tue 21 May Social, starting at the Red Lion, Fernhurst, at 9pm. Then on to the King’s Sat 18 May Yapton Beerex Day out, Yapton Arms, Fernhurst, finishing at the Duke of & Ford Village Hall Cumberland Arms, Henley. Tue 21 May Rusper Mini Crawl, starting in Tue 28 May Social, starting at the the Plough then heading to the Star Inn Richmond, West Ashling, at 9pm. Then on Tue 23 Jul Lamb Inn, Lambs Green to the Fox & Hounds, Funtington, finishing Sat 27 Jul Mystery Bus Tour - Back on the at the Barley Mow, Walderton. Road tour. Please contact Thomas Black to Contact [email protected] book a seat ([email protected]) or see westernsussexcamra.org.uk. See northsussex.camra.org.uk/events for more details.
48 Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019
Contact Information
Sussex Branches of CAMRA Surrey & Sussex Regional Director: Paul Sanders, 07778 035971 [email protected] Sussex Area Organiser: Peter Page-Mitchell, 01424 547049, (St. Leonards-on-Sea), [email protected] Website: sussex.camra.org.uk Beer Festival: Brighton, March 2020 Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019. No. 98 *PotY: TBD, *CotY: TBD Arun & Adur Circulation 13,000 Pete Barlow, 07902 166071, Published by Sussex Branches of [email protected], the Campaign for Real Ale www.aaa.camra.org.uk Editor: Beer Festival: Worthing, Oct 2019 Andy Shaw PotY: Green Man Ale and Cider House, Worthing Email: [email protected] CPotY: Green Man Ale and Cider House, Worthing; COTY: none Advertising: Brighton & South Downs Neil Richards MBE John Kirkland, 01293 519844 Email: [email protected] [email protected] www.matelotmarketing.co.uk www.brightoncamra.org.uk Tel: 01536 358670 Mobile: 07710 281381 Beer Festival: South Downs, 21-22 June 2019 Next Publication Date: 3rd August 2019 PotY: Brighton Bier Haus, Brighton CPotY: Old Star Copy: First call 1st July; Ale & Cider House, Shoreham-by-Sea; CotY: none copy deadline 15th July North Sussex Paul Sanders, 07778 035971 Copy Submissions: [email protected] The Editor invites submissions that celebrate www.northsussex.camra.org.uk the real ale scene in Sussex. Please keep to a Beer Festival: Equinox, 6-7 March 2020 maximum of 700 words. Please use plain text PotY: White Horse, Maplehurst CPotY: Brewery or Word files. Please send good quality Shades, Crawley; CotY: none pictures separately, preferably in JPG format. North East Sussex (Sub Branch of South East Sussex) Standard Disclaimer: John Packer, 07841 669096, Views expressed in this magazine are those of [email protected] the individual authors and not necessarily www.northeastsussex.camra.org.uk supported by the editor or CAMRA. PotY: King’s Head, East Hoathly; All content © Sussex Branches of CAMRA CPotY: King’s Head, East Hoathly CotY: none For Consumer Advice: South East Sussex If you have a complaint about goods or Phil Cozens, 01323 460822 services, please contact Citizens Advice for [email protected] information and advice: www.southeast-sussex-camra.com Beer Festival: Eastbourne, 24-26 May 2019 Visit the Citizens Advice Website PotY: Tower, St Leonards CPotY: George Hotel, www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/ Hailsham; CotY: Albatross Club (RAFA), Bexhill on Or you can call the Citizens Advice consumer Sea helpline on 03454 04 05 06 Western Sussex Please note: National Trading Standards Max Malkin, 01243 828394 cannot help members of the public with [email protected] specific complaints or advice about goods, www.westernsussexcamra.org.uk services or specific businesses. Beer Festival: Yapton, 17-19 May 2019 Campaign for Real Ale Ltd PotY: Hornet Alehouse, Chichester CPotY: none 230 Hatfield Road, St Albans, AL1 4LW CotY: none Tel: 01727 867201 Fax: 01727 867670 *PotY: Pub of the Year; CPotY: Cider Pub of the Year; Website: www.camra.org.uk CotY: Club of the Year
50 Sussex Drinker: Summer 2019