S43 Brewery
Microbrewery
in
Durham,
Durham,
England ๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ
Associated Venue: Toronto Lodge (Sonnet 43)
Established in 2012
Closed in 2022
Contact
Description
Changed name from Sonnet 43 to S43 in 2019.
We started life back in 2012, focusing on developing our own British Style Cask Ales out of Country Durham based Brew House.
Back then we were known as Sonnet 43 back then (inspired by the Victorian poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, who was born and raised in Coxhoe, County Durham, the village our brewery calls home).
Three years into our brewing, in 2015 we had doubled production year on year and expanded our team and range of ales, including the award winning Raven and Aurora.
Another three busy years of brewing our beloved Cask Ales and, we noticed a change in our palettes. Whilst, we were still chugging cask specials at a rate of knots, we were getting excited by some of the more hop-forward flavours from over the pond.
This is when we got in touch with the Texan, to come and develop the craft arm of the brewery.
Brewing ceased at the end of 2022.
We started life back in 2012, focusing on developing our own British Style Cask Ales out of Country Durham based Brew House.
Back then we were known as Sonnet 43 back then (inspired by the Victorian poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, who was born and raised in Coxhoe, County Durham, the village our brewery calls home).
Three years into our brewing, in 2015 we had doubled production year on year and expanded our team and range of ales, including the award winning Raven and Aurora.
Another three busy years of brewing our beloved Cask Ales and, we noticed a change in our palettes. Whilst, we were still chugging cask specials at a rate of knots, we were getting excited by some of the more hop-forward flavours from over the pond.
This is when we got in touch with the Texan, to come and develop the craft arm of the brewery.
Brewing ceased at the end of 2022.
7/10
Tried
on 03 Apr 2023
at 20:22
7.5/10
โ
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7
Can. Black body under a dense mocha coffee type beige head. Aroma has malt and smoke, but less intense smoky flavor than expected from comments on various Facebook groups regarding this beer. In fact, a relatively moderate smoke note. Taste is quite straight forward malty, slightly roasted stout with a fine, pleasant smoke note. Balanced body and same aftertaste.
Tried
from Can
on 23 Mar 2023
at 20:30
7.4/10
โ
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
440ml can from S43. Black in colour, light brown foam head and aroma of dark chocolate, malt, roasty, berry fruit hint, nutty. Taste is sweet, malty, roasted, chocolate, cacao, dark fruits, strawberry hint, vanilla, coconut, with earthy nutty bitterness. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, chocolatey roast bitter finish. Nicely drinkable.
Tried
from Can
on 21 Mar 2023
at 19:40
7.2/10
โ
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7
440ml can from S43. Black colour, beige foam head and aroma of dark malt, cinnamon spice, vanilla. Taste is sweetish, roasted malty, chocolate, with cinnamon, milky, vanilla notes and ashy earthy bitterness. Smooth mouthfeel, medium bodied, soft carbonation, dry roast bitter finish. Quite drinkable.
Tried
from Can
on 21 Mar 2023
at 19:33
7.6/10
โ
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
440ml can from S43. Clear orangey gold colour, bubbly white foam head and aroma of grapefruit, pine, hop. Taste is malty, caramel, spicy citrus, grapefruity, pine, woody, tangy, with resinous hop bitterness. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, drying spicy resiny hoppy bitter finish. Nicely drinkable.
Tried
from Can
on 21 Mar 2023
at 19:28
7.4/10
โ
Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
440ml can from S43. Hazy yellow gold colour, white foam head and aroma of tropical fruit, citrus, hops. Taste is sweet, malty, grain, with juicy tropical fruits, spicy citrus, pine and resiny hop bitterness. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, drying hoppy bitter finish. Nicely drinkable
Tried
from Can
on 21 Mar 2023
at 19:24
7.1/10
โ
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
440ml can from S43. Slightly hazy yellow gold colour, white foam head and aroma of tropical fruits, melon, floral citrus, resiny hop. Taste is sweet malty, caramel, mellow fruits, ripe citrus, orange peel, grapefruit, with resinous hop bitterness. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, drying fruity hoppy bitter finish. Nicely drinkable.
Tried
from Can
on 12 Mar 2023
at 17:51
6.8/10
โ
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
440ml can from S43. Clear pale yellow straw colour, white bubbly foam head and aroma of grain, straw, grass. Taste is sweet, malt, cereal grains, hay, straw, fruity, with grassy bitterness. Medium bodied, soft carbonation, drying grassy bitter finish. Quite drinkable.
Tried
from Can
on 12 Mar 2023
at 17:44
7.4/10
โ
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
Panda at home, thanks to Ed Danlo, 11/03/23. Black with a tan covering that dissipates to a swirl. Nose is strawberry chocolates, dark malts, sugar dusting, strawberry creme, vanilla, nutty twang. Taste comprises sweet malts, chocolate, charr, lactic twang, strawberry compote, brown sugar dusting, toffee, mellow roast. Medium bodied with bite, fine carbonation, semi drying close. Decent enough pastry affair and doesn't run too sweet.
Tried
on 11 Mar 2023
at 19:20
7.5/10
โ
Appearance 8
Aroma 5
Flavor 9
Texture 10
Overall 7
440ml can from the Queens Road Tap, Leicester. Light pinkish gold and hazy with a small ring of white head. Berry and vanilla aroma with a little bit of an acrid note. Delicious sweet taste with just a hint of sourness and marshmallowy sugar in the finish. A bit of a slow start but my goodness this really grows on me. A brilliant beer.
Tried
from Can
on 02 Mar 2023
at 19:04