We give our verdict on lost Sussex beer created from a Victorian recipe

I tracked down the aptly named Lost Brew No.156, a 7.7% ABV Victorian Strong Ale, faithfully recreated from an original recipe dating back to 1890, a stone’s throw from where it was brewed at the John Harvey pub in Lewes.

Given the high strength, I opted for a half. At nearly eight percent alcohol, I was expecting it to be rather sweet and cloying but was pleasantly surprised.

Deep gold and amber in colourt, I was anticipating it to be similar to a Belgian Dubbel beer, but the first thing to say is the beer was like no other beer I have tasted. There was initial sweetness from the malts but this was nicely balanced out by a robust bitterness from the hop profile. The beer has a nice warming finish. It really did feel as though I was drinking something that our ancestors would have been familiar with.

The story of the revived brew began in 2019, when brewing historian Ron Pattinson stumbled upon a journal held within the archives of the former Beard’s Brewery in Lewes. Although catalogued among Beard’s records, its pages bore the name Harvey & Son, Bridge Wharf Brewery, revealing a fascinating piece of Harvey’s brewing past.

The journal is believed to have belonged to Henry John Barrett, son of Henry Titlow Barrett, Harvey’s third Head Brewer. Henry John undertook his brewing pupillage at Harvey’s under his father before moving to fellow Lewes brewery Beard’s, taking his brewing notes with him. The journal remained among Beard’s records following the brewery’s closure in 1984, until its chance rediscovery more than a century later.

Recognising its significance, Pattinson contacted Harvey’s brewing team, setting in motion a project to bring one of the forgotten recipes back to life.

In April 2026, Harvey’s marketing team visited The Keep, home to the East Sussex archives, where staff assisted in scanning the historic journal in its entirety. Harvey’s now holds a digital copy of the original records, providing a valuable resource for researching and recreating these long-lost brews.

Head Brewer Peter Yarlett and his team researched the original ingredients and brewing methods to recreate Brew No.156 as faithfully as possible.

A spokesperson for Harvey’s said: “Perhaps the most remarkable part of the story is that we’ve been able to brew it in the very same Grade II listed tower brewery where the original was made.

“And while plenty has changed in the world since 1890, much of what we do here at Harvey’s remains reassuringly familiar. We still brew using traditional methods, including whole cone hops and open fermentation, just as generations of brewers did before us.

“Using heritage British barley, alongside Sussex Fuggles and Kent Goldings hops, the team set about bringing No.156 back to life.

“There was, however, one particularly interesting difference from our usual brewing process. After the normal five-day fermentation, the beer continued fermenting for another five days. This extended fermentation is highly unusual for Harvey’s and is believed to be a first for the brewery.”

Peter Yarlett, Head Brewer at Harvey’s Brewery, said: “It’s not every day you get the chance to brew a beer from a recipe that’s been lost for over a century, particularly in the very brewery where it was first created.

“Working from the original brewing notes has been fascinating, and the extended fermentation has given us something quite different from our usual beers.

There are another five recipes recorded in Henry John Barrett’s journal, which we hope to recreate as part of our Lost Brews series. It’s an exciting opportunity to explore more of our brewing history and share these forgotten beers with a new generation.”

The Lost Brew is now pouring at selected pubs around Sussex including several in Lewes, The Lamb in Eastbourne, The Rose and Crown Burwash, The Cross Inn, Staplecross, The Alma Arms, Uckfield, The Grenadier, Hailsham and The Engine Room bar at East Grinstead. It is also available in cans from the Harvey’s shop in Lewes.