Harvey’s Brewery wins beer of the year award

Harvey’s Brewery says it is ‘delighted’ that one of its ales has been crowned beer of the year in a consumer organisation’s competition.
From left, brewing team Peter Yarlett, Miles Jenner and Christine Gibson. Photograph: Howard MillichampFrom left, brewing team Peter Yarlett, Miles Jenner and Christine Gibson. Photograph: Howard Millichamp
From left, brewing team Peter Yarlett, Miles Jenner and Christine Gibson. Photograph: Howard Millichamp

The Lewes firm’s seasonal beer Bonfire Boy has been awarded the title from the South East Sussex branch of Campaign for Real Ale.

Head brewer Miles Jenner, production manager Christine Gibson and second brewer Peter Yarlett received the award on January 25 from chairman of the branch Peter Adams.

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Vice chairman Phil Cozens also presented the team with the branch’s beer of the festival award, which Harvey’s Star of Eastbourne ale won at Eastbourne Beer Festival.

Harvey's Bonfire Boy ale. Photograph: contributedHarvey's Bonfire Boy ale. Photograph: contributed
Harvey's Bonfire Boy ale. Photograph: contributed

Mr Jenner said: “There are few more stringent judges than CAMRA so this is a tremendous achievement.

“We value our local awards above all others and they don’t come any better than this.”

The beer of the year award is decided after a 12-month period after members have assessed beers available in pubs in the South East Sussex CAMRA branch’s boundaries.

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Bonfire Boy, said to have a ‘full malty palate’ with ‘slightly burnt, bitter aftertaste’ and ‘smokey flavour’, is brewed at the end of October in time for the Lewes Bonfire celebrations on November 5. It was first made to mark the fire service’s work during a fire at the brewery in July 1996 and was called Firecracker for the first two years of production.

In 2019, the brewery says it produced roughly 15,000 pints of Bonfire Boy as draught beer and 9,000 pints for bottling.

Independent organisation CAMRA was founded in 1971 to promote real ale and cider and traditional pubs. The South East Sussex branch covers the area of the coastal strip from the Cuckmere River to the Kent border beyond Camber, in the Rother district, up to a line including Hailsham and Robertsbridge to the north.