About
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.
Filter & sort
Show
madmitch76 (41486) reviewed
Blonde Beer from S43 Brewery
12 years ago
6.1/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 8 Overall 5.5
21st September 2013
Clapton Heart. Cask. Almost clear gold beer, residual white head. Light pale malt, slight rawness. Light citrus and marmalde. Subtle floral touch. Light dry finish with mild minerals. Fine.
Tried from Cask on 02 Oct 2013 at 11:04
danlo (13924) reviewed
Insular Art Mead Ale from S43 Brewery
12 years ago
5.8/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 5 Flavor 6 Texture 6 Overall 6
500ml bottle from Cheese & Wine shop Darlington. Browny gold colour, frothy white head that diminishes and aroma of spice, honey. Taste is similar, sweetish, honey, toffee, cinnamon spice, with a tangy light bitterness. Smooth watery mouthfeel, light bodied, medium carbonation, dry herby earthy lingering bitter finish. OK.
Tried from Bottle on 29 Sep 2013 at 09:24
daniele (14518) reviewed
Insular Art Mead Ale from S43 Brewery
13 years ago
7/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7
Ambrata speziata zenzero tendenza dolce miele iniziale erbaceo lieve nota fruttata idromele?
Tried on 20 Aug 2013 at 10:33
jamestulloch (10072) reviewed
India Pale Ale from S43 Brewery
13 years ago
6.2/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 8 Overall 6
Aroma: Green hop aroma and musty pale malt.

Appearance: Muddy amber body with a thin white head that holds well. No visible carbonation. Nice lacing.

Taste: Sharp lime, grass and earth. Smooth but not particularly interesting.

Palate: Medium body with an oily texture. Flat carbonation.

Overall: A decent beer, though I’m not quite sure what style it is - it’s listed here as a Bitter, it calls itself an IPA (despite being just 4.4% ABV) but tastes like a Pale Ale. Not too dissimilar to Caledonian’s Deuchars IPA (which really isn’t an IPA either).
Tried on 31 Jul 2013 at 12:05
LordAlwold1970 (10316) reviewed
Sonnet 43 Sun & Candle Light from S43 Brewery
13 years ago
6.8/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7
Cask at the Station Hotel, Hither Green. Amber pour with a white head. Strong citrus nose, bags of fruit in there. Spicy-fruit flavours. Splash of citrus. Fruity old number. Quite nice.
Tried from Cask on 30 Jul 2013 at 05:29
Leighton (35418) reviewed
Sonnet 43 Sun & Candle Light from S43 Brewery
13 years ago
6.6/10 — 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.
Tried from Cask on 27 Jul 2013 at 11:03
Theydon_Bois (48345) reviewed
American Pale Ale from S43 Brewery
13 years ago
6.4/10 — 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.
Tried from Bottle on 14 Jul 2013 at 07:29
danlo (13924) reviewed
Brown Ale from S43 Brewery
13 years ago
6.4/10 — 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.
Tried from Bottle on 14 Apr 2013 at 09:36
Olut (22669) reviewed
Brown Ale from S43 Brewery
13 years ago
5.9/10 — 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.
Tried from Bottle on 11 Apr 2013 at 15:34
Olut (22669) reviewed
American Pale Ale from S43 Brewery
13 years ago
5.5/10 — 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.
Tried from Cask on 11 Apr 2013 at 10:27