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.
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madmitch76 (41486) reviewed
Imperial Strawberry Cream Pastry Stout from S43 Brewery
4 years ago
6.5/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 6 Texture 8 Overall 6
26th December 2021
Can. Opaque dark brown beer, small tan head. Smooth palate, decent fine carbonation. Smooth dark malts, a reasonable amount of chocolate, not enough to deliver the concept for me. The strawberry is obvious but very slightly tart, some lighter strawberry candy. Light finish. A bit basic and clunky, doesn't feel anything like the confectionery it's based on.
Tried from Can on 05 Jun 2022 at 12:35
madmitch76 (41486) reviewed
Imperial Toffee Pastry Stout from S43 Brewery
4 years ago
7.4/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
25.12.21. Opaque dark brown beer, small tan head. Smooth palate, quite airy, good fine carbonation. Smooth dark malts, mellow but pretty sweet chocolate. Chocolate icing sugar. Toffee? A trace. Light fruity esters. Smooth finish. Does it hit the QS nail? Not really. But a decent pastry Impy anyway.
Tried on 05 Jun 2022 at 12:34
madmitch76 (41486) reviewed
Imperial Caramel & Hazelnut Pastry Stout from S43 Brewery
4 years ago
6.9/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 6 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 6.5
8th February 2022
Can. Almost opaque dark brown beer, small tan head. Palate is fairly light and smooth, decent fine carbonation. A pleasant if mellow and sweetish dark malt base. Some vanilla lightens things, whisper of nuts. It's all good but then again for this series, too much esters creep in and blend with a touch of coffee to give a clunky coffee bubblegum vibe. Light finish. Was looking forward to this trio of 'Quality Street' beers. Nice concept but the delivery has left me unsatisfied. .
Tried from Can on 05 Jun 2022 at 11:24
jjsint (8914) reviewed
Taika from S43 Brewery
4 years ago
7.4/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 10 Overall 6.5
Keg draught at the Blue Boar, Leicester. Light gold and hazy with a small white head and lacing down the glass. Gooseberry and melon aromawith white grapefruit and light notes of pine. Sweet taste at first with loads of citrus and light tropical fruit flavour but there's massive hop oil on the back end making the finish bitter, bitter, bitter. Thick body with little carbonation. Just right.
Tried on 31 May 2022 at 18:47
SHIG (14422) reviewed
Taco Cat from S43 Brewery
4 years ago
7/10 — Appearance 6 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7
Sample thanks to Danlo: Poured a unclear golden with a white frothy head. Aroma is fruity juicy hops, citrus, orange, mango, pine. Taste is hops forward, then into sugary fruits, orange, citrus, mango, yeast esters.
Tried on 30 May 2022 at 11:20
Tommann (7797) reviewed
Schitthott from S43 Brewery
4 years ago
7.6/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 8 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
440ml can. Pours jet black with a small head. Aroma is liquorice, a little maple and a touch of raw alcohol. Taste has coconut and maple syrup throughout with liquorice on the finish.
Tried from Can on 27 May 2022 at 22:01
SHIG (14422) reviewed
1202 2021 from S43 Brewery
4 years ago
7.2/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7
Sample thanks to Danlo: Poured an orange golden with a creamy big white head. Aroma is danky, hops, fruit, citrus. Taste is funky, evergreen, citrus, fruity, floral, yeast.
Tried on 27 May 2022 at 18:07
ianwelby (4915) reviewed
Horchata from S43 Brewery
4 years ago
7.2/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7
Black beer, off white head. Malty cinnamon aroma. Cinnamon flavour, a bit of vanilla, dried fruit, a little boozy. Decent body. Some brown sugar comes through at the end. Quite nice.
Tried on 21 May 2022 at 18:49
rumore (5874) reviewed
All Roads Lead to Nowhere from S43 Brewery
4 years ago
7.4/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 7 Flavor 7 Texture 8 Overall 7.5
Tap at Murphy's Law, The Hague, The Netherlands. Pours hazy blonde, with very fine white foam. Aroma is citrus, grapefruit, but also piney and tropical. Body is average, with good carbonation. Taste is moderately bitter, rather aromatic. Final is average, but for some reason feels really nice. Nicely refreshing beer.
Tried from Draft on 20 May 2022 at 20:51
Stuu (35163) reviewed
Schitthott from S43 Brewery
4 years ago
7.4/10 — Appearance 8 Aroma 8 Flavor 7 Texture 6 Overall 7.5
Can at Joe's. Pours black, nose is chocolate, coconut, liquorice, nutty, taste is similar, sweet.
Tried from Can on 20 May 2022 at 17:22