Beer dating back to 1890 revived after journal find

A Sussex brewery has recreated an 136-year-old beer from a long-lost recipe after it was re-discovered in an archive.

Harvey's Brewery in Lewes has brewed its latest ale after a recipe dating back to 1890 was recreated from the journal of the son of one of it's head brewers.

The brewery now says that it also aiming to recreate more lost recipes from the journal, which was originally unearthed in 2019.

Peter Yarlett, the current head brewer at Harvey's 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."

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

The beer, a 7.7% ABV ale, was revived after its recipe was discovered by historian Ron Pattinson in the Henry John Barrett, whose father Henry Titlow Barrett was Harvey's third head brewer since .

Henry John Barrett learned how to brew beer from his father before moving to Beard's, another Lewes brewery which closed in 1984, and taking his notes with him.

The Harvey's recipe, dubbed Lost Brew No.156, was discovered in the Beard's Brewery archives alongside another five recipes which the brewery also hopes to recreate.

Barrett's journal has now been digitized at The Keep in Falmer to further preserve the recipes, a Harvey's spokesperson said.

Follow BBC Sussex on Facebook, X, and on Instagram and listen to BBC Radio Sussex on Sounds. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.