Gun Brewery
Microbrewery
in
Heathfield,
East Sussex,
England 🏴
Associated Venue: Gun Brewery Saffrons Taproom
Established in 2015
Contact
Hawthbush Farm, Heathfield, East Sussex, TN21 0JY, Heathfield, TN21 0JY, England
Description
We brew at Gun Hill, on a beautiful 140 acre organic mixed farm in the Sussex Weald. The farm has a history of hop growing and some survive to this day in the hedgerows. It’s a lovely place to be and a lovely place to brew.
We spent a year refitting the barn, and installing all the equipment ourselves, before selling our first pint in January 2015. In making our beer we aim to tread lightly on our surroundings. We generate much of our own power from a 15kw solar array; heating from a wood powered boiler and our spent grains keep the local livestock happy.
All the water used for brewing comes from our own spring source deep below the organically farmed land. The water is microfiltered and UV treated to ensure its purity without the need for chemicals. It’s delicious and great for brewing.
Five years on from launch, plenty of awards and some 2 million pints later, by 2020 we were a team of 9 and when we started moving fermenters outside, it was obvious that to keep moving forward, we were going to need a bigger boat. We couldn’t expand in our current building, and really didn’t want to move away from the spring water and the farm. Both of which are part of our DNA. So we looked into the idea of actually building Brewery 2.0 from scratch here.
In August 2020 we were granted planning permission and began building in September. All being well, we hope to move in December 2021.
We spent a year refitting the barn, and installing all the equipment ourselves, before selling our first pint in January 2015. In making our beer we aim to tread lightly on our surroundings. We generate much of our own power from a 15kw solar array; heating from a wood powered boiler and our spent grains keep the local livestock happy.
All the water used for brewing comes from our own spring source deep below the organically farmed land. The water is microfiltered and UV treated to ensure its purity without the need for chemicals. It’s delicious and great for brewing.
Five years on from launch, plenty of awards and some 2 million pints later, by 2020 we were a team of 9 and when we started moving fermenters outside, it was obvious that to keep moving forward, we were going to need a bigger boat. We couldn’t expand in our current building, and really didn’t want to move away from the spring water and the farm. Both of which are part of our DNA. So we looked into the idea of actually building Brewery 2.0 from scratch here.
In August 2020 we were granted planning permission and began building in September. All being well, we hope to move in December 2021.
7.1/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7.5
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Draft at the Saffrons taproom. Poured a clear medium amber colour with a mostly lasting frothy white head. The aroma is big smoky bacon. The flavour is moderate bitter, with a smooth, malty, light toffee, salty, smoky, light hop bitter palate. Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Tried
from Draft
at
Gun Brewery Saffrons Taproom
on 08 Oct 2025
at 19:22
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
Draft the Saffrons taproom. Poured a clear golden colour with a short-lived, frothy white head. The aroma is malt, yeasty. The flavour is moderate bitter, with a crisp, dry, yeasty, light floral, hop bitter palate. Medium bodied with average carbonation.
Tried
from Draft
at
Gun Brewery Saffrons Taproom
on 08 Oct 2025
at 18:46
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6.5
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 6.5
Cask at the Gun Taproom @ The Saffrons. Poured a mostly clear yellow golden colour with a lasting frothy white head and some clingy lace. The aroma is malt, toffee, light apple. The flavour is moderate to light bitter, light sweet, with a smooth, fresh, malt, grassy, light apple, sweet toffee, light hop bitter palate. Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Tried
from Cask
at
Gun Brewery Saffrons Taproom
on 08 Oct 2025
at 18:31
6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Cask at Waterloo Tap. - Clear golden-brown. Thin foamy white head. Aroma has low key malts and spir berries. Flavourwise it combines more prominent spur berries with chewy malts. Slightly twiggy. Light-medium bodied. Slick. Soft carbonation. Long dry slightly astringent finish. Bang average twiggy bitter.
Tried
from Cask
at
Waterloo Tap
on 31 Aug 2025
at 16:11
6.4/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 6
Flavor 6.5
Texture 7
Overall 6
Tried
from Cask
at
Waterloo Tap
on 27 Aug 2025
at 17:26
6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Draft from the Saffrons taproom. Poured a clear pink red colour with little life. The aroma is big floral. The flavour is strong sweet, with a smooth, juicy elderberry, light floral palate. Medium bodied with soft carbonation. Super sweet and very one dimensional. Not for me.
Tried
from Draft
at
Gun Brewery Saffrons Taproom
on 24 Aug 2025
at 17:14
6.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6.5
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 6.5
Draft from the Saffrons taproom. Poured a hazy yellow golden colour with a thin broken white head. The aroma is grainy, light citrus hops. The flavour is moderate to light bitter, with a light, fresh, somewhat watery, light citrus, spicy hop bitter palate. Medium to light bodied with average carbonation.
Tried
from Draft
at
Gun Brewery Saffrons Taproom
on 24 Aug 2025
at 17:12
6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Draft at the Saffrons taproom. Poured almost clear with no head and a few bubbles. The aroma is crushed apples. The flavour is over moderate sweet, with a light herbal, sugary apple, acidic palate. Medium to light bodied with average carbonation. Too sweet for me.
Tried
from Draft
at
Gun Brewery Saffrons Taproom
on 20 Aug 2025
at 20:50
6.5/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 6.5
Draft at the Saffrons taproom. Poured a crystal clear golden colour with a thin white head. The aroma is herbal, yeasty. The flavour is moderate bitter, with a crisp, dry, yeasty, herbal, woody hop bitter palate and a lingering bitter finish. Medium bodied with average carbonation. A solid lager if that’s what floats your boat.
Tried
from Draft
at
Gun Brewery Saffrons Taproom
on 20 Aug 2025
at 20:28
6.6/10
—
Appearance 7
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 7
Overall 6.5
Draft at the Saffrons taproom. Poured a mostly clear yellow golden colour with a lasting frothy white head. The aroma is yeasty, light woody hops. The flavour is moderate bitter, with a fresh, crisp, yeasty, dry, woody hop bitter palate. Medium bodied with average carbonation.
Tried
from Draft
at
Gun Brewery Saffrons Taproom
on 20 Aug 2025
at 19:45