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Breweries in Sussex

There are TWENTY ONE listed breweries in Sussex (as at April 2008) ranging from the largest which is Harveys, to the smaller ones like Beachy Head and those not yet brewing, like Adur, or Cuckoo which has gone quiet. We try to carry up-to-date news of them in each edition of the quarterly publication Sussex Drinker. I have not listed very many beers as some of them are seasonal and CAMRA's Good Beer Guide or each brewer's website has more detail.

The following five/six are in our Branch Area:

ADUR BREWERY, planning to brew (Apr 08) but currently having beer brewed for them

Adur Business Centre, Little High Street (aka Ropetackle) Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex BN43 5SW, tel 01273 454006. www.adurbrewery.com . Director and brewer is Andy Dwelly. From press release: "The brewery ran a pilot plant in 2007 and while the brewery is awaiting planning permission the beers are being brewed under contract." First beer was: Merry Andrew 6.2% dark and strong, with obvious references to name of 'brewer' but historical reference to 'merry-andrew' meaning clown, from Dr Andrew Borde (Borde Hill House, Sussex) an amusing Tudor medic who entertained at country fairs. Second brew: Velocity 4.2% slightly-strong session bitter. Press launch (by invitation) at The Red Lion, Shoreham, 10th May 08, so more news later including who brews their beers and where their brewery will be..

CUSTOM ALES, on Isaacs Lane near Haywards Heath

Little Burchetts Farm, Isaacs Lane, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 4RZ, tel 01273 504988. (Peter Skinner Mobile 07901 976 105) Peter Skinner's five barrel brewery is on a farm site not far from Dark Star's. Apart from four regular beers, beer is brewed to order if you buy sufficient quantity - 'Think it, Drink it!'. There may be some bottling in the future?

DARK STAR, Ansty near Haywards Heath

Moonhill Farm, Burgess Hill Road, Ansty, Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH17 5AH. tel/fax 01444 421311. www.darkstarbrewing.co.uk Originally set up in the cellar of The Evening Star pub in Brighton, in 1994, by Peter Skinner and Peter Halliday. A year later Rob Jones from Pitfield Brewery in London joined them, adding 'Dark Star' to the Skinners range of beers. Peter Skinner left (see Custom above). In July 2001 the brewery moved to Moonhill Farm to cope with increasing demand. Their beers are regular prizewinners at CAMRA Beer Festivals. They now have three tied houses: Evening Star Brighton, Stand Up Inn Lindfield and Duke of Wellington Shoreham-by-Sea.

HARVEYS, Lewes, East Sussex

Bridge Wharf Brewery, 6 Cliffe High Street, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 2AH. tel 01273 480209. www.harveys.org.uk A large, family-run brewery on the banks of the River Ouse in East Sussex's county town, its popular beers winning numerous CAMRA awards - eg Aug 2006: Champion Best Bitter and Runner-up to Champion Beer of Britain Earls Court, London. Their beers are fairly widely available in Sussex, parts of Kent and Surrey and they have one tied house in London.

KEMPTOWN at The Hand in Hand pub, Kemptown, Brighton

33 Upper St. James Street, Brighton BN2 1JN tel 01273 699595 (No current website) Pub brewery built 1989 in the tower tradition behind and above The Hand in Hand pub, Brighton. Bev Robbins, the founder and brewer, died July 20th 2006 and the pub (lease) & brewery are still for sale (Apr 08) – we await developments.

RECTORY ALES, Streat, East Sussex

Streat Hill Farm, Streat Hill, Streat, Hassocks, East Sussex BN6 8RP. tel/fax 01273 890570 sales@rectory-ales.co.uk. Founded 1995 by Rev. Godfrey Broster, the Rector of Plumpton, to generate funds for the maintenance of three parish churches, with 107 parishioners as shareholders.

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The other 15 Sussex Breweries are below. Horsham is unusual in having no less than three small breweries. The "King & Barnes" beers originally from Horsham are now brewed in Dorset by Hall & Woodhouse (aka Badger Beers). King & Barnes was put up for sale and bought by Hall & Woodhouse in 2000 and the brewery site sold. Bill King later set up his own small brewery and three people from K&B set up Hepworths.

1648 BREWING COMPANY, Mill Lane, East Hoathly, Lewes, East Sussex BN8 6QB. tel. 01825 840830. www.1648brewing.co.uk East Hoathly's Village Brewery and Brew Pub. The Kings Head, in the centre of the village, is the primary outlet for the beer and the brewery can be found at the start of Mill Lane, just to the left of the pub.

ADUR BREWERY This may end up in Steyning but see 'our branch area' entry above - awaiting planning permission?

ARUNDEL ALES, Unit C7, Ford Airfield Industrial Estate, Ford, Arundel, West Sussex BN18 0HY. tel 01903 733111. www.arundelbrewery.co.uk e-mail arundelbrewery@dsl.pipex.com. Founded in 1992, it was the historic town's first brewery for 70 years, and marked the rebirth of a tradition dating back more than 200 years. The brewery, which is on an industrial estate south of Arundel, changed ownership 2004, and continues its range of core brands and seasonal beers. There are occasionals and in 2005 bottled beers. Steve Wade, head brewer left in 2007 and has been replaced.

BALLARDS Brewery, The Old Sawmill, Nyewood, Petersfield GU31 5HA. tel 01730 821301. www.ballardsbrewery.org.uk (the postal address may be Hampshire but Nyewood is in Sussex). Ballards have been at the current site since 1988, and at Cumbers Farm before that, supplying about 60 free trade outlets and bottling some of their beers which can be bought at markets and food fairs around the area each summer. The 'Ballards Walk' from the brewery is on the first Sunday in December, and from about 10am people arrive at Nyewood site to taste the new winter beer, then walk the West Sussex lanes to various local hostelries dispensing Ballards (etc) beers.

BEACHY HEAD Brewing Co., Seven Sisters Sheep Centre, Gilberts Drive, East Dean, Eastbourne, BN20 0AA. tel 01323 733603. Brewer Roger Green, with landowner Charlie Davis-Gilbert, started brewing Nov 2006 - set up mainly for bottled beers to be sold locally (Beer Essentials Horsham ot Beer Box Worthing?) One or two beer festivals, eg Sussex and Eastbourne, are supplied with cask versions.

(CUCKOO Brewery, at the First In Last Out (FILO) pub, High Street, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 3EY. tel 01424 425079. A brewery which used the FILO equipment in Hastings Old Town for a while, but has now gone very quiet, Apr 08).

FALLEN ANGEL MICROBREWERY, PO Box 95, Battle, East Sussex TN33 0XF tel 01424 777996. www.fallenangelbrewery.com Brews only for bottling and appears at Farmers markets, Food Fairs and the like, locally. Have been going since the start of 2005. There's more info on their website, and they sometimes do casks for Sussex beer festivals.

FILO BREWERY at the First In Last Out (FILO) pub, High Street, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 3EY. tel 01424 425079. www.thefilo.co.uk You can see the brewery area through a window at the back of the pub, which is in the attractive 'Old Town' of Hastings and has been brewing since 1985. Their beers are difficult to find outside the pub itself, but occasional beer festivals and events are supplied. Logo is a cat on the tiles.

The Independent GRIBBLE Brewery, Gribble Lane, Oving, near Chichester, West Sussex PO20 2PB. tel 01243 786893. e-mail gribblebeers@hotmail.co.uk The name comes from Rose Gribble who set up a pub in her cottages years ago in the small village of Oving. The brewery is at the back of the pub and the beers were usually only available in the pub. In Feb 2005 it severed from Hall & Woodhouse (Badger) who own the premises. Now independent, still with Rob Cooper as brewer and was managed by Brian Elderfield who is to retire and the brewery for sale (Apr 08.) Gribble Inn still safest place to try their beers though they do get out and about.

HAMMERPOT Brewery, Unit 30, The Vinery, Poling, Arundel, West Sussex BN18 9PY. tel. 01903 883338 www.hammerpot-brewery.co.uk. Set up in April 2005, based in The Vineries just south of the A27 at Poling. They have 2.5 barrel plant - first beer Meteor 3.8% then Red Hunter 4.3% Vinery Mild 2.9%- see website for more.

HEPWORTH & CO., The Beer Station, Railway Goods Yard, Nightingale Rd., Horsham, West Sussex RH12 2NW. tel 01403 269696. www.thebeerstation.co.uk Horsham's now oldest and largest brewery was launched by three ex-King & Barnes employees (Andy Hepworth was head brewer) when the brewery closed, to preserve and maintain local brewing traditions. They produce regular range of bottled beers, speciality and seasonal beers, and an increasing amount of cask ales and some keg beers. Their bottling line can produce and pack 20,000 bottles a day (and a certain amount of contract bottling and brewing is done for some 'famous names'!)

W. J. KING & CO, 3–5 Jubilee Estate, Foundry Lane, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 5UE. tel 01403 272102. www.kingfamilybrewers.co.uk Bill King – the King in King & Barnes – says, "After the takeover of King & Barnes Ltd in 2000, Kathy (my wife) and I began to plan the return of the King Family brewing in Horsham ... As it would only be possible to sell to free trade accounts we decided to invest in a fairly small production facility in leased industrial premises ... we have extended capacity regularly and have a brewery capable of producing 50 barrels a week."

LANGHAM BREWERY, Langham Stables, Langham Lane, Lodsworth, PETWORTH GU28 9BU. tel 01798 860861. langhambrewery.co.uk Started brewing May 2006. Steve Mansley and James Berrow are the owners/brewers of the 10 barrel plant previously used at Wickwar Brewery. First beers were Halfway to Heaven 3.5% and Sundowner 4.2% with Hip Hop 4% winning accolades and awards at local beer festivals.

ROTHER VALLEY BREWING CO., Gate Court Farm, Station Road, Northiam, East Sussex, TN31 6QT. tel 01797 252922. Established 1993 on a hop farm near the river that is the Sussex/Kent boundary. Fifty outlets are supplied and special beers brewed to order. They have also ventured into the supermarket trade with a bottled version of their 5% dark beer 'Blues'.

WELTONS, Foundry Lane Industrial Estate, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 5PX. tel 01403 242901. www.weltonsbeer.com Ray Welton has his own small brewery across the railway line from Hepworth's, and supplies local pubs and festivals direct with his ever-changing range of beers, some brewed or badged for special occasions. Brewing around 50 different beers a year and one of his regular beers (Pridenjoy) featured in Roger Protz's best-seller '300 Beers to Try Before You Die' .

WHITE BREWING COMPANY, (1066 Brewery) Pebsham Farm Industrial Estate, Pebsham Lane, Bexhill, East Sussex TN40 2RZ. tel. 01424 73 1066. Husband and wife team David & Lesley White founded this small brewery in 1995 as well as running a bar dispense equipment/service company and running bars at outdoor and special events. A small bottling plant has been installed so they can bottle their own plus other beers from small brewers in the area. About 20 outlets are supplied – plus summer events where their bars appear.

You might also like to look at Arun & Adur Branch's site for their comments on the same Sussex Breweries or quaffale.org.uk.

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