The Hopbine and the Halfway House - a visit that nearly didn't happen

West Kent CAMRA bus trips have a horrible habit of going wrong, and Wednesday’s journey out to two rural pubs was no exception. As I discovered a couple of weeks ago, when I set off on a bus trip to Lewes, gas main replacement works on a major road leading into Tunbridge Wells have caused absolute carnage on the town’s transport system.  This has forced beleaguered bus company operators to terminate all services that would normally approach the town from the south or the west, at the bus interchange outside the area’s main hospital in Pembury.

A shuttle service is then supposed to operate between the hospital and the town centre, following a torturous route through the local industrial estate. Despite knowing this I decided to take a rare day off on Wednesday, partially because both the Hopbine and the Halfway House, are hard to get to without a car, but more importantly because I wanted to catch up with friends who I hadn’t seen for some time.

Although the journey from Tonbridge to Pembury Hospital is theoretically unaffected by the gas main replacement, I thought it wise to catch an earlier bus. The plan was to meet up at the Pembury bus interchange and then take the 297 Tenterden bus, operated by Ham's Travel, as far as the edge of Brenchley village. We would then walk to the Hopbine, enjoy a few pints plus a bite to eat, before walking, across country, to the excellent Halfway House. Another benefit of the earlier bus service was the chance to grab a coffee at the hospital, whilst waiting for my friends to arrive. This was in sharp contrast to my earlier trip to Lewes, where the connection only allowed time for a pee stop, and nothing else.

Rather ominously, the 219 bus from the top of my road, was 20 minutes late in arriving, so I was rather surprised that the other local CAMRA members were not on it. In theory the later bus would still have got them to Pembury in time for the connection, even though the 297-bus pulled up at the stand 20 minutes early. It was then I that I noticed a WhatsApp message asking if anyone was at the hospital, because the Tonbridge contingent were stuck waiting at the bus stop for a bus that showed no signs of turning up.

With no sign of a bus, and nothing showing on the Arriva bus company app, the group from Tonbridge decided to abort the trip, leaving me thinking that I’d be visiting the pubs on my own. it was then that I received a WhatsApp message from a friend who lives in Pembury village, stating that he was intending to get on there, although from the sound of the other messages, it might only be him and me on the trip. After chatting to a group of people waiting at Pembury, I discovered that a lorry had got itself stuck beneath a narrow railway bridge, close to High Brooms rail station, and this was adding to the traffic chaos.

Knowing the cause of the problem was little comfort, but with our driver now clued up as to what had occurred, he departed the bus interchange, and we picked up Dave in Pembury. We then headed out along the A21 towards the villages of Matfield and Brenchley, although on the way, some additional messages came through from the WhatsApp group, advising that two members were cycling to the Hopbine and would meet us there.  Dave and I left the bus at the top of Brenchley Lane and walked along this quiet and secluded country road towards the attractive Hopbine Inn, at the top of a hill on the edge of the hamlet of Petteridge.

Before going any further, apologies for this long and rather drawn-out introduction, but it does illustrate the type of problems that seem to beset our CAMRA bus trips. It’s almost as though there’s someone up there who doesn’t like us!  Returning to the main narrative, we entered the Hopbine with a king size thirst, and surveyed the beers on the bar. They were Tonbridge Traditional, Harvey’s Best plus a house beer brewed specially for the pub by Cellar Head. My friend went for the Tonbridge beer, whilst I decided to give the house beer a go, even though Cellar Head are not my favourite brewery.

The girl behind the bar asked if we wanted to sit outside, and we thought this would be a good idea, especially as there is a nice shaded terraced area at the rear of the pub. She also asked if we would be eating, and thinking this was a good idea, so after looking at the rather limited options (pizza or burger), we both went for the latter. I knew I would be eating later on in the day, so I asked if I could have mine without the fries. “Yes,” was the answer but when she tried charging me the same amount (£14.95), I asked where was the deduction for the leaving off the fries. Unbeknown to us, the rather scruffy person, sitting in the raised area to the left of the bar, happened to be the chef (we should have guessed, really), so she shouted across, "How much for the meal, without chips?" “Knock a fiver off,” was the answer, which was fine for me, as I obtained a rather nice gourmet burger, at a far more realistic price!

We took our drinks outside and found a nice shady spot. There are three terrace levels behind the pub, each one lower than the one above. This is due to the Hopbine being built into the side of the hill. We were sitting there chatting, whilst enjoying our beer and food, when we saw one of the intrepid cyclists puffing up the steep hill below us. It happened to be branch chairman, Tony. I nipped up the steps to advise him of our presence, just as Lycra-clad Martin, the other cyclist arrived from the opposite direction. So in a short space of time, we had doubled our numbers.

Our newly arrived companions decided they wanted some food to go with their drink and after eating, the four of us sat there trying to make contact with other people we thought might be coming. We hadn’t done this earlier, as being on the O2 network, both Dave and I had no mobile signal, but fortunately one of the new arrivals was able to pick up a series of messages that had come through on the WhatsApp group. This indicated that two other members, having spent ages sitting on the shuttle bus to Pembury hospital, had managed to get a connecting service as far as Matfield, and would be walking from there.

We waited for them to arrive and were surprised at how quickly they turned up, as we weren’t expecting their presence so soon. In a short space of time our small party had trebled in size and made a nice little gathering. 

I switched to Harvey’s for my second pint, and after I newly arrived companions that whetted their whistle, we decided to move on to the second pub on the itinerary, the Halfway House a mile or so outside of Brenchley. Unfortunately, the late arrivals had missed the 2pm cut off for lunch and were doubtful of their chances of eating at the next pub either, but regardless of this, we departed.

The two cyclists set off by road, whilst the rest of us followed on foot, along a well-trodden route, across country. It’s a pleasant half hour's walk between the two pubs, through some a series of former orchards, and then down into a valley that is home to a number of fishing lakes. We eventually emerged onto a winding lane that runs in an easterly direction and brings one out, almost at the rear of the Halfway House.

This was my first visit to this attractive, destination pub, since before the pandemic, and the improvements that the owners had put in place, to enable trade to continue outside, during those periods when COVID restrictions were partially lifted, have added to both its charm, and versatility. These additions obviously came into their own, when the Halfway resumed its twice-yearly beer festivals, and the large, semi-covered area overlooking the garden offered some much welcome shade from the fierce, early August sun.

The Halfway House needs little in the way of introduction to pub connoisseurs, particularly as it majors on cask beer. Casks are kept in a temperature-controlled room, immediately behind the bar, with extra-long taps that protrude through the dividing wall, and out via false, wooden barrel ends, set into the wall. The result - beer kept at just the right temperature and served in the most natural way possible – straight from the cask. 

I headed for the Gents, as soon as we arrive, after foolishly neglecting to go before leaving the Hopbine. I didn’t dive into the bushes, as I was walking in mixed company. The rest of the group were waiting at the bar – the cyclists having arrived first, but there was one beer on the list that would really hit the spot, and that was Goacher’s Fine Light. The Halfway House also features a couple of “house beers”, one brewed by Cellar Head and another by Kent Brewery, but being something of a purist, I have never been keen on such brews.

We had around 90 minutes before the arrival of the 297-bus, that would take us back to Pembury, so we sat outside chatting and enjoying the well-kept beers. One of the cyclists (Martin), was off to the famous Cropredy Festival, early the next morning, so he didn’t stay too long, but with plenty of time for another beer, the rest of us stayed. Kent Session Pale was my second beer, pleasant, but not as good as the Goacher’s.  

We stood out in front of the pub in plenty of time, as whilst the bus will stop there, it is not an official stop, and it is necessary to flag it down. With a steep descent towards the pub, and the temptation for the driver to put his foot down, that isn’t always the easiest, or indeed the safest of tasks, and somehow that job fell to me. Fortunately, I managed it OK, and we boarded the bus back to the hospital. Dave alighted, just outside his house, and the rest of us didn’t have long to wait for our connections. Presumably the morning’s chaos had cleared by then, but never let it be said that West Kent CAMRA bus trips lack drama or are uneventful!

 

 

New kid on the block comes out fighting

I mentioned in a recent post that I received presentation pack, promoting a new Irish stout, and the good news is it’s one of the best dry stouts that I’ve tasted for a long time. For far too long, the choices for stout drinkers in the Irish Republic have been Beamish, Murphy’s, and of course Guinness, all of which are brands owned by large, multi-national, conglomerates.

There’s a new kid in the block now, as far as Irish stouts are concerned, and as I discovered through the surprise presentation pack that appeared, totally out of the blue, on my doorstep, not only is it extremely good but, like the pack itself, it’s a brand that has also appeared out of nowhere.

After doing a spot of online research, as well as reading the accompanying leaflet, I discovered that this smooth, roasted stout, is brewed in Dublin by Conor McGregor - an Irish professional MMA fighter who is signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship and has held both Lightweight & Featherweight Championship Belts.  Confused? Well so am I, as not only had I not heard of Mr McGregor, but I also had to look up the acronym MMA.

It stands for Mixed Martial Arts, which is something that is definitely not my scene. Then again, I would hesitate to call any physical activity designed to hurt or even maim one’s opponent, as a sport! Let’s not get too carried away though, as I’m sure the rigid disciplines, training – both physical and mental, associated with such activities concentrate the mind in a way that can, under the right circumstances, lead to even greater success in other areas, and this appears to be true in the case of Conor McGregor

After branching out into Irish whiskey, McGregor decided to divert his energies into brewing, and being born and raised in Ireland, where better to start than with that most iconic of Irish drinks - Irish Stout. Originally brewed in late 2020, Forged Irish Stout quickly gained popularity and became the number one stout at McGregor’s own establishment, the Black Forge, located in Crumlin, Co Dublin. “Forged” has been described as the smoothest, creamiest, and freshest stout that enthusiasts can experience, and its exceptional flavour profile is a result of a meticulously crafted blend of malts. For the beer enthusiast, these include pale malt, crystal malt, Munich malt, black malt, roasted barley, and wheat.

It is this carefully crafted combination that sets Forged Irish Stout firmly apart from other stouts in the market. After outperforming its biggest rival week after week, Forged has now reached the point where production needed to be scaled up, in order to introduce the beer to a broader consumer base. To do this, McGregor has recently acquired a brewery, which according to the Irish Independent, is none other than the Porterhouse Brewery in Dublin, where Forged Irish Stout is currently brewed. does not include any of its bars.

Independent.ie understands that this does not include any of the company’s bars, and that the Porterhouse craft beer brand will continue to be brewed at the facility under contract. Porterhouse currently has planning permission for a visitor centre, opening the possibility for McGregor to open a home for his stout, at the Dublin site. Forged was set to make its UK debut, at an exclusive launch in over 350 ASDA stores on 5^th August, thereby bringing this iconic stout to a wider audience, and marking a milestone for the MMA fighter’s venture into the brewing industry.

Speaking ahead of the launch, McGregor said, “We’re not here to take part, we’re here to take over. This launch comes as a culmination of 2 years of hard graft from myself and the Forged Irish Stout team and I’m immensely proud to finally be able to get it into the hands of the British public. We’ve huge plans for Forged in the UK, Ireland, the US and beyond and I can’t wait for you all to join us on the journey.”

Fighting talk and this was followed by Doug Leddin, head of marketing at Forged Irish Stout, who said: “Created by one of the most famous and successful Irishmen in the world and brewed in his very own Dublin brewery, Forged is a 100% Irish stout. With this launch in Asda, we’re only just getting started.” And looking beyond the shores of the British Isles, Conor McGregor plans to captivate the beer enthusiasts of the United Kingdom and beyond. A major international launch event is already in the works for later this year, promising an unforgettable experience for stout connoisseurs across the globe.

Having drank my two complementary cans, my verdict is there is nothing ordinary about Forged Irish Stout. It is as smooth and creamy as the hype suggests, and being Nitro-pour, the can actually roars when the ring pull is cracked open. Nitro means the beer isn't gassy, which makes for an easy-drinking stout that is packed full of flavours. The company describe it as absolute perfection, and a real champion - "the smoothest, creamiest, and freshest Stout you will ever experience," so give it a try if you see it on sale.

 

The return of the builders' summer party

In my rush to get the previous post out I'm forgetting about an event that took place a week ago, on a day when the weather was somewhat different to what we're experiencing at the moment. But that's an English summer for you, one minute it's sunny, dry, and baking hot, and the next it’s tipping down with rain. It was last Saturday that Mrs PBT's and I attended a barbecue at a pub at the other end of Tonbridge. It was her first trip out in over a fortnight, after being confined to quarters due to the Cellulitis that had affected lower right leg.

The occasion was a summer party, hosted by the owner of one of the construction firms Eileen does accountancy and book-keeping work for. Dan’s summer parties were legendary and were an annual event. They were noted for good food and copious amounts of drink, but the 2019 event was the last one, because eight months later COVID reared its ugly head and much of the world went into lock-down.

These summer parties had always taken place at the Carpenters Arms, an upmarket free house in Three Elm Lane, on the northern edge of Tonbridge. The pub was just right for that sort of event, and Dan would make sure to book the raised patio at the front of the pub, overlooking the road. There would be a free bar accompanied by a rather good finger buffet finger. A succession of different dishes would then be brought out, with a selection that included Scotch eggs, sausage rolls, chips, sandwiches, and similar sorts of goodies.

They were boozy, but good-natured events and it was a shame when, like so many other events, the pandemic put a stop to them. Fast forward four years and the summer party was back on, but this time at a different venue, with a slimmed down menu, and a trimmed guest list. I’m not sure whether the switch was due to a change of owners at the Carpenter’s, as the pub is now owned by Young & Co, but the garden of the George & Dragon, in Shipbourne Road, Tonbridge, was the new location for the bash. It ticked all the right boxes, and as the weather fortunately stayed dry, it proved the perfect location.

Last Saturday was my second visit to the George & Dragon in just over a year - the previous one being walkabout of north Tonbridge with friends from West Kent CAMRA branch. Despite its 19^th Century exterior, the pub has been opened up inside to create a modern and vibrant space for locals and visitors alike. It is very much a sporting pub, with televised football matches, and last Saturday, highlights of the 4^th Test match between England and Australia. It also boasts two pool tables darts, along with darts as well.

The pub isn’t all sports though, as there is a quiet area at the opposite end of the building to the right of the bar. In effect it's a friendly community- centred local, and whilst it no longer opens during week at lunchtimes, come the evening, and also weekends the pub is home to a vibrant groups of drinkers, and sports enthusiasts, having a good time. Eileen and I both know the pub, from the time we worked together at a Tonbridge engineering firm about 15 minutes’ walk away. Eileen was more familiar with the G&D than me, and whilst we were there last weekend, she recalled how her department, which was nearly all girls, would head off to the pub every Friday lunchtime for a bite to eat, plus a few drinks. Come evening opening time, her and a colleague would be sitting on the pub doorstep waiting for it to open. This, of course, was before all day opening came into operation.

From what I remember the G&D was a Courage pub, which is probably why I was less keen on the place, but it did serve up good food and had a nice welcoming atmosphere. Nothing much had changed on the latter score, and when we arrived shortly before 6:30pm the pub was buzzing. Matthew kindly gave us a lift there, and also picked us up later on, which was good as it allowed me to enjoy a few beers without worrying about driving. The two cask ales were the same as on my previous visit, namely Tonbridge Traditional and Harvey’s Sussex Best. I tried both, preferring the Harvey’s, as the Traditional was a little on the weak side for my tastes.

The numbers at the party were noticeably down on previous events, but this was no bad thing, as it's still a large outlay on behalf of the firm. In addition, I recall a previous event where guests were being very greedy and wasteful, behaving in a way they would not have done if they’d been picking up the tab. I’m talking here about half full glasses of wine, beer and other drinks being left on the table at the end of the evening, all ordered by people whose eyes were no doubt bigger than their bellies.

The George had laid on a decent barbecue that evening, with a good selection of meat for the flesh-eaters, that included some excellent burgers, sausages, chicken quarters, plus the odd kofta on a stick. I should have remembered though, from past experience that paper plates have an inherent weakness, and whilst they are fine with two hands on the job, they are less so with one, and are liable to flex. Playing the gallant partner, I picked a similar selection for both Mrs PBT’s and myself, and only just made it back to the table before the plates began to collapse.

The well laid out and spacious garden, with its well-kept borders and flowering shrubs, formed a good backdrop to the evening. In addition, with the rain holding off and the temperatures remaining warm, it was the ideal spot. I don't think I've been out in the garden before, but it was a real oasis of calm, well away from the busy road in front of the pub, and a credit to the owners. Matthew arrived to pick us up, shortly after 9pm, by which time I’d enjoyed two pints of Harvey’s and one of Tonbridge. I’m sure that getting out of the house was good for Eileen's recovery from what has been an unpleasant, and at times, quite a painful experience.

August, 2023 - so begins the eighth month

There's quite a lot going on in the world of beer at the moment, ranging from CAMRA’S flagship event, the Great British Beer Festival, a Kent brewery celebrating a significant anniversary, some significant changes to way in which beer duty is levied, and finally a promotional gift of a newly launched Irish stout that turned up on my doorstep, completely out of the blue, a couple of days ago.

First to GBBF, which draws to a close this Saturday, after what I gather has been a very successful week at London’s Olympia. I wasn’t tempted to go along, as the last such gathering I attended was back in 2019. That just happened to be the last GBBF prior to lock-down, and I didn't really enjoy the even, apart from the company of Retired Martin, who surprised me, and also himself, by turning up. 

I’ve gone over the reasons why, several times in the past, so I won't go through them all again, but I really should have left when Martin did, and joined him as he “ticked” a few more London pubs. Quite whilst you’re ahead, in other words.  explore a few pubs I should have done the same. This year though, looking at the press releases that CAMRA been putting out, the Great British Beer Festival certainly seems to have got its mojo back, which is good for all concerned.

2023, marks the return of CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Britain competition, the first such event since before the pandemic. This year’s contest has not been without controversy, but I shall come onto that shortly. The overall winner was 1872 Porter, a 6.5% abv beer produced by Yorkshire-based, Elland Brewery, who repeated the success they had with the same beer, exactly 10 years ago. The strange thing about this double triumph is most of the staff employed at Elland today, are not the same people who produced the winner back in 2013. The recipe however for this excellent porter has remained largely the same, apart from the odd tweak.

No dramas there then, as the Australians would say, but this was not the case with the runner up. The Silver award went to Abbot Ale 5.0%, brewed by Greene King, one of the best-known cask ales in the country and one that needs little in the way of introduction. The fact that a “big brewery beer” won second prize seems to have caused considerable consternation, judging by the howling, wailing, and gnashing of teeth, that has appeared as comments on various CAMRA Facebook pages. What most of those complaining probably don’t realise is, this is not the first time that a so-called “big brewery beer” has been awarded the Champion Beer of Britain title, because in 1990, Burton Ale, brewed by Ind Coope, won the coveted title.

Ind Coope are long gone, and their Burton brewery is now part of a mega complex owned by global brewer, Molson Coors, but being crowned national champion was no less controversial for Burton Ale 33 years ago, than it is for GK Abbot today. The same comments about CAMRA being in the pockets of big breweries, and selling out, are being made today, alongside the accusation that the contest was fixed. This is totally untrue, and I speak as someone who has been involved in judging beers in the past. I can honestly, say hand on heart, that the tasting sessions at the heart of judging these awards, are conducted on a totally blind basis. All samples are unmarked, apart from a simple A, B, C, etc, and even the people who place the jugs of beer in front of the judging panel, are unaware of the beer they are bringing out.

Others were asking, was the cask submitted for the contest, one just taken from stock, or had it been doctored in some way? Might it have been dry hopped, or left to condition and mature for longer, and whilst this could happen, to my mind the contest was fair and the results valid, otherwise CAMRA might as well pack up and go home. From a personally point of view, although Abbot is not my tipple of choice, it is still a very good beer, and is a fine example of a classic, English premium bitter, so well done, not just to Greene King and Elland, but to all those breweries who scooped up awards in the various categories.

I mentioned earlier that a Kent brewery is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and I am pleased to announce that the brewery in question, is Goacher’s of Maidstone. The brewery was established in 1983, at premises in the Loose valley to the south of the county town, by Phil and Debbie Goacher. The enterprise initially occupied part of an old paper mill, which was one of the last producers of handmade paper in the area. Several years later, following the closure of the mill, Goacher’s relocated to a nearby industrial unit, where they have remained until the present day.

Since that time the brewery has increased its range of beers and has acquired three tied pubs – the Royal Paper Mill, at Tovil, close to the current brewery, the Rifle Volunteer, a very traditional rag stone- built pub, in the centre of Maidstone, and finally, the Little Gem in Aylesford. This well-known pub was acquired just before the start of lock-down, and the enforced break in trading, at least gave Goacher’s plenty of time to get the place properly sorted, following years of standing empty and semi-derelict.

I've known both Phil and Debbie since they first started out, and this goes back to the time I lived in Maidstone. The couple launched its beers commercially, at a beer tent run by the Maidstone & Mid-Kent CAMRA, at a charity beer festival held in support of the local Cheshire Home in Maidstone's Moat Park.  The beer, which is sold today as Best Dark Ale, was an instant success with festival goers and CAMRA members, and was soon followed by Fine Light Ale, Old 1066 Ale, Silver Star and Gold Star Ales, plus Crown Imperial Stout.

Now, a new generation of the family is set to take over the company and is looking to expand. The couple’s 30-year old son Howard is the driving force behind this expansion, and the brewery, along with the company are looking to move into new premises at Friday Street Farm, at East Sutton, just outside Maidstone. Great news, especially as Goacher’s have stuck with what they do best – namely brewing traditional style, Kentish ales, brewed from floor malted barley, and flavoured with locally grown, Kentish hops.

The penultimate piece of news concerns changes to UK beer duty, that came into force at the beginning of August. Although these changes seem to have provoked much discussion, I can't really elaborate much on the new regulations, apart from saying they appear to be based on the principle that the stronger the beer, the more duty is charged. This seems fair enough to me, but there is another aspect that makes no sense at all, and is the one which many people are, quite rightly, complaining about.

It concerns the sale of draught beer in two or four-pint containers, for the take home trade, because for some reason, that I can’t get my head around, pubs are no longer allowed to sell beer in this fashion. It’s a ruling that makes no sense at all, and besides, I can't see how it could possibly be enforced. If it's a daft regulation then people will take no notice of it, although as far as I can make out, the inclusion of take away draught beer in this legislation is nothing more than a clumsy attempt at tidying up what was perhaps seen as a hangover, from the pandemic. This was when take- away draught beer was the only way in which pubs could make a living.

Moving swiftly on to the last item on my list, which was a mystery package that turned up on my doorstep three days ago. At first, I thought it was the new neck support pillow I'd ordered, but as it arrived whilst I was at work, I asked Mrs PBT’s to open it. It definitely wasn’t a pillow, but instead was a very nice presentation box containing two cans of a new nitro-pour, Irish stout called Forged. Brewed by a Dublin based brewery called FRGD, the box also contained a bottle opener, a rather posh baseball cap, plus some promotional material about the beer and the brewery.

Being an inveterate snob, I wouldn't normally wear a baseball cap, although I might try it back to front, like Kevin and Perry in the classic Harry Enfield - Kathy Burke sketch., but as I write this piece, I’m getting stuck into what is a rather stunning Irish stout. It looks good as well in the glass, so the makers have got me hooked already, but how they got hold of my name and my address remains a mystery. I certainly don't remember signing up for anything, and I’m not normally someone who’d pass at the chance of a free beer. Full report to follow in due course, by which time I might have discovered the who, what, why and where behind Forged Irish Stout.

 

 

 

Lewes and back, by bus

It's always a good idea to have a reason for heading off on a bus trip, or a day out by rail somewhere, even if that reason is really rather tentative. My reason for taking the bus down to Lewes last Friday, was to return the pile of empty Harvey’s beer bottles I’d accumulated since our last visit to the Sussex County town. I came across the bottles whilst tidying up our summer house, a couple of months ago, and whilst I could quite easily have driven to Lewes, in order to return them, as Mrs PBT’s and I had done prior to Christmas, making use of my bus pass meant that apart from a few hours of my time, the return trip from Tonbridge would cost me nothing. Also, by not taking the car, I could visit a couple of Lewes pubs and enjoy a few beers, without being a hazard on the road, or indeed putting my driving licence at risk.

But why did I want to return these empty bottles in the first place? The answer is Harvey’s, quite commendably, are one of the very few UK brewers in the country who operate a bottle return scheme, which operates by charging a refundable, 10p deposit on each bottle supplied. So, by returning these bottles and using public transport, I was doing my bit for the environment in two ways. I’d accumulated just under two dozen empty and washed beer bottles, but how to transport them without making too much of a racket, and without straining my back and shoulders into the bargain? Simples really, I placed half the bottles in my rucksack, and then shoved the remainder into a stout shopping bag.

“You want to watch out as they might not let you on the bus,” said Mrs PBT's as I set off to the bus stop. My initial destination was Tunbridge Wells, where I could pick up the No. 29 Brighton and Hove service, which runs half - hourly between the Wells and Brighton. It took me two buses to reach Tunbridge Wells, but this meant I missed the 20-minute walk down from Bailey Towers to the bus stop opposite Tonbridge station.

I arrived in Tunbridge Wells in sufficient time for a precautionary pee stop, although there was not enough time to grab the coffee I was craving. Bus drivers understandably, are not keen for food and drink to be consumed on their buses, and given the empty bottles I was carrying, a cup of coffee would not have been a good idea. Mind you, I was gagging for a caffeine fix by the time we reached Lewes. Given the load I was carrying, I thought it wise to sit on the lower deck of the bus, even though the upper one would always be my first choice. This was more to do with exiting the bus, given the steep stairs down from the upper deck, and the way that buses tend to lurch around when stopping (and accelerating).

The journey to Lewes took 20 minutes longer than it should have done, largely due to road works – that current scourge of any journey involving motor transport, so I heaved a sigh of relief when we finally reached our destination. The bus deposited us at the bottom of the town, and at the foot of the famously steep School Hill. I crossed the road and headed towards Cliff High Street, traversing the River Ouse by the bridge next to Harvey's magnificently brewery, with its adjacent and well-stocked shop.

I returned my bottles which were gratefully received by the staff at the shop, in exchange for the principal sum of £2.20, which went towards three new bottles of Harvey’s beer. The first one was an old favourite Prince of Denmark, a strong and complex dark ale, with an abv of 7.5%, whilst the other two were Southdown Harvest plus Georgian Dragon, a ruby ale named after the mythical beast slain by England’s patron saint.

Afterwards it was time to grab that much needed coffee, something I wanted more than beer, at that moment in time. I wanted to avoid the usual Starbucks and Costa outlets, as I like to support independent retailers wherever possible. I was also feeling rather peckish, but salvation came in the form off a local bakery called Bake Out, situated next to the River Ouse. Whilst queuing up for a flat white, I saw a freshly baked pasty beckoning to me, from a tray at the front of the glass countertop. It proved far too tempting, so after purchasing one of these appealing hot pasties, plus a coffee, I found a convenient bench, on the other side of the road, where I could sit down and enjoy this impromptu lunch.

Something to eat prior to starting on the beer, was definitely a good idea and it seemed like I wasn’t the only person stuffing their face. The pasty I bought was filling and wholesome, and many others had the same idea, as places like Bake Out and other similar outlets, were doing a roaring trade. The bench I was sat on, proved a good spot for watching the world go by, and it was nice just sitting there watching the world go by. Lewes has always had an alternative, and slightly offbeat feel to it, and it seems to attract like-minded people. I have always had a soft spot for the town, and the fact that it's the home to one of the country’s best traditional brewing companies, is one more factor that makes it a “must visit” destination, as far as I'm concerned.

It was now most definitely time for a beer. I had a couple of pubs in mind, the first one of which was an old favourite from the time that I worked in Lewes. The Gardener’s Arms is a slightly quirky offbeat pub of the type I hinted about earlier. It's situated in Cliff High Street just a stone’s throw from Harvey’s Brewery Shop. It’s also genuine free house, offering five constantly changing guest ales, usually sourced from small breweries, from all over the country. Harvey’s seasonal ales and one-off brews often feature, as well.

It must be a decade or so since I last visited, so I made a beeline to the pub, keen to see what beers were on sale. I walked in past the small crowd sat at a table in front of the window, having decided upon the Three Acre Ruby Porter, advertised on the “A” board in front of the pub. Unfortunately, the beer had just sold out, but the helpful girl behind the bar recommended the Rother Valley Blue, instead. It's a porter she told me, and she was right of course, but somehow over the years I've always regarded this pleasant Rother Valley dark beer as something different, although I'm not sure which. I sat at the bar, enjoying the beer, which was dark, full bodied and delicious, whilst soaking up the atmosphere of this classic Lewes pub.

It was time to move on, so I made my way back cross the River Ouse, stopping to take the obligatory photo or two of Harvey’s Brewery. Before heading up the hill, I wanted to check the location of the bus stop for my return journey, as well as the times of the buses. This information is readily available  on the Brighton & South Downs website, but just to make sure, it was the stop outside Waitrose. The pub I had in mind was the classic, Lewes Arms, situated at the top of the town, in the shadow of Lewes castle, but instead of making the steep School Hill, I followed one of the side roads, stopping to take some photos of the interesting buildings I passed on the way.

One particular building that really sparked my interest was the complex that was once home to the Star Lane Brewery of Beard and Co. The company ceased brewing in 1958, after reaching an agreement with their Lewes neighbours, Harvey’s that the latter would brew for them, but they would sell the beers under their own name. Forty years later, in 1998, Beard’s sold their 43 pubs to Greene King. Today the Star Brewery is home to a series of art galleries, and as the door was open, I managed to sneak a quick peep inside, to see if there was anything remaining from its days as a brewery. The plant had obviously been stripped out decades earlier, but an old staircase leading to both the upper and lower levels of the building, gave a clue and also a feel of the days when Beard & Co were producing their beers there. Behind the former brewery complex lies the Lewes Arms, a former Beard’s pub of course, and a real classic in so many ways.

Before venturing inside for a drink, I walked up the steep lane at the side of the pub, towards the castle, which I could see, towering over the town, as I looked out across the pitch of the local bowls club. I paused too, in order to look at the plaque commemorating the Battle of Lewes, which took place in May 1264. The skirmish saw an army of barons, led by Simon De Montfort, defeat a royalist force twice their size under King Henry III on the downs, to the northwest of Lewes. It is claimed that De Montfort’s victory led to the establishment of the first English parliament, which met at Westminster, in January of the following year.

I retraced my footsteps, down to the Lewes Arms, a pub that is as traditional as anyone could wish for, and popular with visitors and locals alike. Fuller's beers are served, alongside Harvey's Best, plus a guest. These are dispensed from a bank of hand-pumps, located in the atmospheric front bar, which has its own door off the corridor. Last Friday, as well as the Harvey’s, there were two Gale's beers on sale, Seafarers and HSB. on sale, I naturally went for the latter, having enjoyed a glass of the same beer, the previous day at the Nelson Arms in Tonbridge.

As with the Gardener’s, the Lewes Arms is another quirky pub that embodies everything I like about  East Sussex's county town. The lively, but well-behaved crowd in the front bar, were probably of a similar age to myself, but the young girl behind the bar kept them in order and had everything under control. She also served me up a first-class pint of HSB. I ended up sitting in the room behind the bar, which is one of three rooms in the pub, which was occupied by a family group and their dog.

I can highly recommend the Lewes Arms to visitors to the town, but two pints was sufficient, bearing in mind the bus journey home. I returned my glass to the bar and made my way back down School Hill to the main road at the bottom. I had about 15 minutes to wait before the bus arrived, and this time I climbed the stairs to the top deck.  This made the return journey far more pleasant, as I’d felt rather hemmed in during the outward journey, and the views across the Sussex countryside were a joy to behold.

Our first stop was the town of Uckfield, after which the road skirts the edge of Ashdown Forest as it makes its way towards Crowborough. We arrived back in Tunbridge Wells sometime around half four, by which time my bladder was rather full. A quick dash to the public toilets in the Royal Victoria Place shopping centre, followed by the bus back to Tonbridge, saw me home in plenty of time for tea. It was a long journey, just to return a couple of bags of empties, but it was good to renew my acquaintance with Lewes, and a couple of its pubs. I shall probably choose somewhere nearer, for my next bus trip, though.