Cask Ales

Cask Ale is also known as cask conditioned beer or real ale.  It is not pasteurised, it is very much alive; the brewer's yeast is still active - conditioning the beer from a fining bed (or lees) at the bottom of the cask. This conditioning takes the form of natural carbonation which has a much more subtle stimulation of the taste sensors than the artificially added gases used to dispense modern beers from pressurised containers.

At its best, it is the champagne of beers and requires diligent cellar craftsmanship. This skill of the British publican is one of the key elements defining the quality of the British pub. In bars the world over, no matter how good they may be, the absence of cask ale tends to be why they are simply not pubs. The beer is served from a barrel shaped container, as opposed to the pressurised keg cylinder more typically available internationally for pasteurised draught beer dispense.

Harveys Beer in Cask

Harveys is best known for the cask ales it produces for the region's pubs.

The Principal Brews are:

• Sussex Best Bitter ABV 4.0% - BUY

  A superbly balanced session bitter with a prominent hop character. Our most famous and popular brand - it makes up over 90% of our total brewing capacity. Winner of the Champion Best Bitter of Britain title at CAMRA's Great British Beers Festival in 2005 and 2006. First brewed as recently as 1955.

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• Sussex Old Ale (aka XXXX) ABV 4.3% (Winter only) - BUY

  A Victorian style dark winter brew produced from higher proportions of crystal malt. XXXX is extremely popular and eagerly anticipated in October when it returns from summer recess. It was Harveys first beer to win a National Award in 1952 and has won many other accolades since.

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• Armada Ale ABV 4.5%

  A premium bitter ale with vibrant hop tones. A brewer's choice. In 1988 the Maritime Museum in Greenwich commissioned Harveys to brew a 400th anniversary beer in celebration of the defeat of the Spanish Armada - many of the ships were sunk off the Sussex coast.

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• Hadlow Bitter ABV 3.5%

  This hoppy pale ale is a recent evolution from the successful bitters of the last century and is an ideal lunchtime pint. The Kent village of Hadlow, in the fertile Medway valley, is in one of England's last hop growing areas and has a great brewing tradition. When Harveys acquired a pub in Hadlow the brew to celebrate this event used only these local hops and the beer has been produced by popular demand ever since.

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• Sussex Mild ABV 3.0%

  A dark malty mild. Ideal sustenance when there is physical work to be done. Harveys awards for milds date back over half a century and this style of beer enjoys a long heritage at the brewery.

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• Olympia ABV 4.2% (Summer only)

  A cool golden summer ale. Very refreshing with a balanced complexity. The latest in our main range of beers it was first produced in 2005 to celebrate our major summer award at Kensington Olympia for Best Bitter. It became an instant hit and is especially appreciated when served at 11 degrees Celsius.

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Harveys also produce a range of Seasonal Draught Brews - each available for roughly a month. Trade customers should note that due to popular demand, pre-orders are advisable on all Seasonal Draught Brews and to purchase the Armada Ale, Hadlow Bitter, Sussex Mild or Olympia to contact either the Lewes or Midhurst shops.

Celebration Beers

Many of these beers were conceived as Celebration Beers with no plans to continue brewing them regularly. Harveys is always open to new brewing opportunities - so if you or your organisation wishes to celebrate a particular event our Brewing Team would be pleased to discuss the logistics.

The brewery can now produce short lengths of bespoke beers to suit individual needs thanks to our recently installed micro brewing plant.