If you enjoy reading please consider “buying me a pint”, this will help to cover my hosting and image hosting and help to ensure further trips can go ahead!
BUY ME A PINT
Headed to the Historic Town of Hastings today, starting off the day with a visit around the Smugglers Caves followed by visiting a couple of brewery tap pubs, Micropubs and bottle shops. Also headed to Micropubs in Rye and Bexhill before finishing at a couple of craft bars in Eastbourne.
First In Last Out
A steady walk from Hastings Railway Station to the “First In Last Out” took me about 20 minutes. The pub is located at the top end of Hastings Old Town. The building itself dating back to the 1500s, and it has been a pub since 1896. A great achievement aswell for the pub as the 2023 Good Beer Guide meant they had been in for 20 consecutive years.
This is the birthplace of “FILO Brewery” which is now located a few hundred yards away. A choice of six beers today, five being their own alongside a Harverys beer. I started with “Churches”, a great pale ale followed by their bitter “Crofters”
A great traditional looking pub (which also serves a really tasty looking menu), and has a great fire in the centre of the pub. Certainly stands out as something unique.
Waterworks
A short train journey on the like towards Ashford International to Rye. A quick 5 minute walk from the train station brought me to “Waterworks”. Housed in a building dating from 1718 and has seen former uses as the towns waterworks originally and later a soup kitchen, public conveniences and an antiques shop. The Micropub opened in May 2018.
A great warm welcome in here and it was busy with regulars inside and out. A fantastic range of beers and ciders to choose from (including one from their own Micro Brewery located nearby). I started off with “Uryenal”, a best bitter from their own brewery. Great play on words with this beer, linking back to the former use of the building.
Finished off with a “Pale” from Three Legs Brewing Company based in Brede, East Sussex. The locally sourced Scotch Eggs in here are amazing aswell, probably one of the best I have ever had. Definitely worth a try if you get down this way!
Eel & Bear
After a train journey back to Hastings from Rye, a short walk brings me to the “Eel & Bear”. A great bottle shop and taproom with lots of choice.
A choice of 3 keg beers to drink in here alongside a cider. I went with the “Strawberry Cheesecake” sour beer from Yonder Brewery. Really tart and fruity beer.
The Imperial – Brewing Brothers
Another short walk up to “The Imperial” which is the home of Brewing Brothers Brewery. A great busy place with a good choice of beers available. Also serving wood fired pizzas which smelt amazing.
A couple of cask beers which are dispensed on hand pumps made from plumbing accessories, alongside a keg selection with a range of styles and strengths. I started with “Reforestation” a 4% Pale Ale followed by “Stir Hazy Pale”, a delicious and tasty 4.5% Hazy Pale Ale.
Twelve Hundred Postcards
A short walk back down towards the railway station brought me to “Twelve Hundred Postcards”. A small Micropub serving a selection of both cask and keg beers. This opened in November 2018. The name comes from a former use over a hundred years ago when it was a sweet shop. The owner was secretly selling French Postcards for which he was imprisoned.
A good choice of four keg beers and two cask beers. A new brewery for me so went with “Table IPA” from Standard Brew Co based in London. A great tasting and easy drinking IPA.
Jolly Fisherman
A walk over the top of the cliff by Hastings Castle and all the way back down the other side to the “Jolly Fisherman” located along the front. A pub steeped in history, dating back to 1769 and being licensed in 1834. It closed its doors in 1959 and reopened 57 years later in 2016 as Hastings first Micropub.
Another good range of beers in here to choose from. Two cask beers alongside a choice of 6 keg beers. One of the sours stood out and sounded really tasty. “In a Gullaxy Far Away” is a Mango, Pineapple, Ginger and Vanilla sour beer from Elmeleven Brewery in Sweeden in collaboration with Stigbergets Bryggeri Brewery also in Sweeden. A really refreshing and fruity sour beer.
Brickmakers Alehouse
A quick bus journey up to the railway station to avoid the rain, and a train journey two stations down to Bexhill to visit the “Brickmakers Alehouse”. This opened in November 2019 and is less than 5 minutes walk away from the train station.
A lovely small Micropub serving a great selection of cask ales alongside a range of ciders. All served on gravity and you can see all the barrels where you are sitting. I went with a Kent brewery and had “Session Pale” from Kent Brewery who are based in West Malling. A really easy drinking pale ale.
Ninkaci
Back to Eastbourne by train to finish the evening. Over the road from the station into “Ninkaci”. A lovely craft beer and wine bar.
They currently had a “Verdant Brewery” tap takeover on here so had a brilliant choice of five Verdant Brewery beers alongside several others. I went with “Marylou”, a delicious hazy IPA.
Beerarama
Another call into “Beerarama” which was featured in Mondays blog. Went with one of Vault Citys new sours “Raspberry Roulade” this time around.
Bottle Grove
Last call of the evening to “Bottle Grove”. A bottle shop and tap room on a street with a number of restaurants and small bars. A really friendly welcome here and lots of choice.
A choice of five keg beers on keg alongside a couple of ciders. I started with “Warm Shade”, a tasty American Pale Ale from Floc Brewery based in Canterbury followed by a can from Vault City – “Tayberry Sour”.
Micropub Adventures 
Getting thirsty reading this. Good stuff Scott. Cheers.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I visited the area years ago as my spouses family is there, this is a wonderful post.
LikeLiked by 1 person