Harvey’s Revives a Forgotten Victorian Brew
LOST FOR 136 YEARS: HARVEY’S BRINGS FORGOTTEN VICTORIAN BEER BACK TO LIFE
It’s not every day you get the chance to brew a beer from 136 years ago, especially in the very same brewery where it was first made.
But that’s exactly what we’ve been doing here at Harvey’s, thanks to the chance discovery of a Victorian brewing journal that had been tucked away in the East Sussex archives for more than a century.
The result is Lost Brew No.156, a 7.7% ABV Victorian Strong Ale, faithfully recreated from an original recipe dating back to 1890.
A LITTLE PIECE OF BREWING HISTORY
The story 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.
BREWING THE PAST IN THE PRESENT
Fast forward to 2026, and our Head Brewer Peter Yarlett and his team have been busy researching the original ingredients and brewing methods to recreate Brew No.156 as faithfully as possible.
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.”
A VICTORIAN ALE WITH A MODERN APPEAL
Deep golden amber in colour, Lost Brew No.156 is rich, full-bodied and packed with flavour. Layers of sweet malt, toasted biscuit and toffee meet ripe banana and caramelised fruit, creating a distinctive banoffee character. A firm hop bitterness balances the sweetness, delivering a satisfyingly smooth finish.
At 7.7% ABV, it’s a bold, characterful beer that offers today’s drinkers a taste of Victorian brewing.
Lost Brew No.156 launches on 26 October 2026, available in limited quantities in 440ml cans and on draught in selected pubs.
Keep an eye on Harvey’s social media channels over the coming weeks for more on the story behind Lost Brew No.156, the brewing process and where to find it.
A lost brew, brought back to life. Some things are too good to stay lost.
