Brighton – Craft Beer Co

Primarily a London company, as this is their only pub outside of the capital, the Craft Beer Co have a reputation for excellent beer. They claim that they have the most beers on keg in Brighton with 22 to choose from, along with a selection of 200 bottles and cans. That’s certainly an impressive array of options….

I asked about the dark beer selection and the staff member was positively enthusiastic about explaining them. I liked that engagement and the staff member seemed knowledgeable about what was available. This is the Sadako beer from the Weird Beard brewery in London.

It’s a 9.5% imperial stout and so I asked about the price before ordering, and it’s a cool £13 per pint. I chose a third which cost just over £4, but it’s a drink to savour like wine, so the price didn’t seem entirely unreasonable. And it was excellent, with a rich taste and notes of vanilla and coffee. Beautiful and it was also at the appropriate slightly chilled temperature.

And here’s some more of the beer menu, with numerous other options that were worth consideration. This is what is frustrating about visiting a Greene King pub which has the option of Greene King IPA and, er, Greene King IPA. The pub also serves food which are primarily burger based options, although I visited on the only night which it doesn’t (Tuesdays).

Tastefully decorated, I only realised that there was an upstairs lounge area as well later on after I had left.

There was a fire which the staff kept alight (it was meant to be on fire, this wasn’t some sort of Brexit protest), meaning that the atmosphere was nice and warm. It was actually too warm for me, but I like Arctic conditions, so I can’t blame the pub for that.

I like this chain of pubs and I know I’ve visited one of the branches in London, although I’ve rather unhelpfully completely forgotten which one it was. So that story was slightly irrelevant. Anyway, the prices are expensive, but the surroundings are comfortable and the selection is interesting and pretty exceptional. All that comes at a cost, as no doubt does the competence of the bar staff who were engaging and knowledgeable.