Horsham brewery launches new Sussex range of canned beers

The range – from Pulborough brewers Hepworth & Company – will be available from this month in pubs, shops and through Hepworth's shop and web store.

All four beers in the range: Sussex Premium Lager, Sussex Premium Pale Ale, Sussex Premium APA and Sussex Low Alcohol Lager, are all gluten-free and vegan-friendly and brewed from mainly local ingredients.

The beers are the first new brews from Hepworth's to roll off the brewer's canning line which was installed last summer. The 3,000 cans per hour capacity line is already used for contract canning, for a range of customers including M&S, Hiver, Coalition and Prime Time.

Hepworth's has secured listings for the Sussex range in Abel and Cole and a number of independent free trade customers in Sussex. The beers will retail at £2.50 for a 330ml can.

Hepworth's now also has a new senior team with Andy Hepworth, founder and chairman; Leo Murphy, managing director since autumn 2022; Tim Goacher, founder and production director; Ed Wray, head brewer, and Dave Paterson, head of sales and marketing.

Leo said: "The launch of the Sussex range marks a step change for Hepworth's. We have always had a reputation for brewing top-quality beers and for leading the way on sustainable brewing – we installed the world's first beer source heat pump, among other measures.

"However, the way we presented our beers to the world, in terms of branding and pack design, didn't always communicate that combination of brewing excellence and innovation. We're seeking to do that now with the launch of the Sussex range, which places Hepworth's firmly in the craft beer space, while keeping the brewing tradition that has been at the core of the brewery since it was founded by Andy Hepworth in 2001."

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The brewery moved from its site in central Horsham in 2016 to a purpose-built brewery in Pulborough.

The Hepworth's portfolio also includes traditional ales and more contemporary craft beers, available in cask, keg, bottle and cans.

The brewery has won an impressive number of regional, national, and international awards including SIBA National Beer Competition, Taste of Sussex, and the International Beer Competition.

See www.hepworthbrewery.co.uk