S43 Brewery
Microbrewery
in Durham,
Durham,
England 🏴
Associated Venue: Toronto Lodge (Sonnet 43)
Established in 2012
Closed in 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.
Leighton (34888) reviewed Sonnet 43 Sun & Candle Light from S43 Brewery 12 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Cask at the Earl of Essex - London. Pours lightly hazy gold with a slight, filmy white head. Lots of yeasty dough and floral notes in the nose. Light to medium sweet flavor with sugary white bread, mild bitter hay, perfumey elderflower, faint orange. Medium bodied with fine carbonation. Lightly sticky sweet to finish, some bitter hay, more floral elderflower, a bit of lime and green pepper, pale bread. It’s OK.
Theydon_Bois (45766) reviewed American Pale Ale from S43 Brewery 12 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 6.5
Bottle at Rilesters pad - cheers Steve, 08/07/13. Clear light golden with a good sized off white head. Nose is light floral hops, orange sherbet, sugars. Taste comprises muted hops, orange, hint of minerals, sugars. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, dry finish with a touch of bitterness. Average stuff. NOT an APA - simply a golden blonde ale.
danlo (12875) reviewed Brown Ale from S43 Brewery 12 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 7 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
500ml bottle from the Crafty Pint, Darlington. Pours a clear copper-brown ruby colour, initial foamy tan head that quickly dissipates away and aroma of malt, toffee, fruity. Taste is malty, sweet, with dark fruits, toffee & caramel and a light lingering bitterness. Slightly watery smooth mouth feel, light to medium bodied, medium cabonation, warming finish. Nicely balanced, quite drinkable.
Olut (21691) reviewed Brown Ale from S43 Brewery 12 years ago
Appearance - 4 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6.5
Bottle at Pearls Bar in the Great Western Hotel in Hartlepool. This is a very dark red ale in colour with no head. It has a sweet aroma and a milder but still sweet taste.
Olut (21691) reviewed American Pale Ale from S43 Brewery 12 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 4 | Overall - 5
Cask @ Pearl, Hartlepool. Golden glowing without much of a head. It has plenty of tropical fruits in its aroma although its texture is a touch soapy so doesn’t have a great aftertaste.
Olut (21691) reviewed Blonde Beer from S43 Brewery 12 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 5 | Flavor - 5 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 5
Cask @ Pearl, Hartlepool. Pale yellow with a small head that stays the course. Has a small malt aroma and is quite dry in the palate.
Olut (21691) reviewed Steam Beer Amber Ale from S43 Brewery 12 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 4 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 4.5
Cask @ Pearl, Hartlepool. Glowing amber coloured ale with a small creamy head. It has a fruit hop aroma and is dry in the palate.
danlo (12875) reviewed The Raven Bourbon Milk Stout from S43 Brewery 12 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
330ml bottle from the Crafty Pint, Darlington market. Black colour, thin foamy beige head and aroma of roasted oats & coffee. Taste is similar, roasted oats & coffee along with dark fruit & chocolate notes. Initial sweetness, smooth mouthfeel, medium bodied, medium carbonation, and smokey bitter finish. Quite OK.
danlo (12875) reviewed Blonde Beer from S43 Brewery 12 years ago
Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 6 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 6 | Overall - 6
330ml bottle from the Crafty Pint, Darlington market. Pours a clear golden amber colour with a thin white head that dissipates and a floral, fruity & wheaty aroma. Taste is light malt & grain with a slightly fruity bitterness that lingers. Light bodied, soft carbonation, dry finish. OK.
McCash (15986) reviewed The Raven Bourbon Milk Stout from S43 Brewery 12 years ago
Appearance - 8 | Aroma - 7 | Flavor - 6 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 7
33cl bottle thanks to Lewis. Pours opaque black with a thin crema head. The nose has coffee and hazelnuts maybe chocolate too. The taste has more hazelnut and light chocolate. The palate is medium bodied with a creamy texture and a fairly elegant finish. Overall, a nice beer.
Brewery Stats
| Score | 6.87 |
| Beers | 224 |
| Ticks | 1173 |
Top Reviewers (Not including batches)
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danlo | 140 |
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Grumbo | 74 |
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Stuu | 49 |
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Mr_Pink_152 | 49 |
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allmyvinyl | 43 |
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Olut | 36 |
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fonefan | 31 |
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jamestulloch | 31 |
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Rasmus40 | 29 |
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cagarvie | 27 |