International Beer Day falls on 7 August, and if there is one thing we do well in Sussex, it’s our Sussex beers and breweries. So, whether you are searching for a thirst-quencher, a social sip or a long lunch lingerer, perhaps it’s time to get to grips with some of our great Sussex beers.
360°
A Sussex-born brewery with a simple mission: “make bold, modern beer people love to drink.” Not far from Sheffield Park, these guys are very honest about the tough times of the last few years, but they are still going strong and their cans come with gorgeous artwork. Perhaps choose their Brighton Session IPA for a bold hop impact. This is dry-hopped with Amarillo & Chinook (plus Mosaic) for a burst of citrus and tropical notes. Or try their Sussex Haze, for “those who want flavour without the heavy finish”.
Three Acre Brewery
Based just outside Uckfield, the Three Acre folk state their beer mission as “it must be easy-drinking, full of flavour, and sippable all day long.” Founded by born and bred Sussex boys, they brew cask beer as well as keg. As you’d expect, they have a selection of wonderfully named ales, but for long summer evenings, try their Citra APA, which they describe as “distinctively exotic …light, moreish and vibrant”.
Firebird Brewery
Firebird near Horsham are famed for their very funky taproom and for building on the legacy that was King and Barnes in Horsham. If you are getting together with friends this summer, well then hop (excuse the pun) online and order some of their Table Manners IPA. It’s described as “juicy, succulent and zesty” but at 2.8% it’s a bit lower on alcohol.
Harvey’s Brewery
You cannot talk about Sussex beer and not talk about Harvey’s of Lewes. They are the oldest independent brewery in Sussex and a family business that has been operating since 1790 and brewing beer since about 1820! In their core range is the well known Sussex Best Bitter but they also have a great seasonal range which includes their South Downs Harvest and their Olympia (a hoppy summer favourite) – both ideal for a picnic up on the Downs above Lewes.
Fauna Brewing
These Arundel brewers are also big on conservation and raising money for their overseas partners – a fact reflected in their artwork. But they also have a cool taproom in the town and their own brewery in The Old Engine Shed; a Victorian building that was once home to a magnificent electricity generator which powered Arundel Castle.
Leaving aside their African allies for a moment, this summer why not try their Meadow Maker, an English golden ale that uses both traditional and modern hops, described as “Sweet and malty with a hint of tangerine, low to medium hop bitterness with a light aroma.”
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Long Man Brewery
Named after the iconic chalk figure not far from where they are based, you’ll find Long Man Brewery in an old flint barn in Litlington, not far from Alfriston. Long Man beers are brewed using regeneratively farmed barley, grown on site and their brewhouse is solar powered, their waste water is used for irrigation and their spent grain is fed to livestock.
As this summer stretches on long and hot, it really has to be the Long Man Long Blonde for the hot summer days. It’s smooth, light and refreshing with a zesty taste.
Hepworth Brewery
Founded by Andy Hepworth, one of the few godfather’s of Sussex brewing, at Hepworth, they have embraced industry leading energy-efficient processes and advanced recycling techniques, while combing tradition and innovation on the brewery floor.
From here, you really have to start with a bottle of their Sussex, a classic, well-hopped Pale Ale and as they call it, “the real taste of Sussex!”
Missing Link Brewing
This microbrewery has an on-site taproom and brewery in heart of the Sussex Weald on Chiddinglye Farm. For easy summer sipping, why not try their Howler NZ Pilsner. They call it their “summer smasher” with aromas of tropical fruit, lime, gooseberry, melon and hints of white grapefruit.
Langham Brewery
In between Petworth and Midhurst, Langham Brewery has been brewing award-winning beer since 2005 and is based in an 18th-century granary barn. They promise an evolving range of beers with fresh seasonal releases, keg and can beers, and taproom exclusives.
For anyone looking for a low alcohol option, their Rise Pale Ale is sweet citrus and zesty flavours with floral aromas with 0.5% ABV.
Gun Brewery
Over near Heathfield, Gun Brewery is inspired by brewing styles both old and new, with most of their beer vegan and a growing number are also gluten free. They now have two taprooms, one at Gun Hill and the other at The Saffrons in Eastbourne.
Their Scaramanga Extra Pale Ale is described as “light, refreshing … brewed using Sussex spring water, extra pale malts and zesty, floral hops that deliver hints of lemon, grapefruit and mango”.
Heathen Brewers
Crafted in Haywards Heath, one of the best places to enjoy a Heathen beer is in their Hop Sun Taproom in Triangle Road in the town. The brewery and taproom have an urban chic about them and the brewers confess to loving a bit of seasonal experimentation.
If you’re in Haywards Heath this summer, you really do need to stop by for a pint of their Guys, I’m the Werewolf which is described as having hints of rich ripe peaches, white grapes, and thick cut orange marmalade. Well, it is summer after all.
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