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.
5.6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
Cask at Craft Islington. It pours clear amber with a bubbly white head. The aroma is fairly subdued...bready malts, cereal and grain. The taste is dry, very bitter, earthy, grainy, cereal, alcohol, resin, bread and grass. Medium body and soft carbonation. A fairly forgettable malt - forward strong ale.
Tried
from Cask
on 02 Dec 2016
at 05:07
6.4/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Cask shared at the Craft beer Co tasting 24/11/2016 . A clear golden coloured pour with a small white head. Aroma is nutty malts, faint citrus lemon and English hop. Flavour is composed of sugary, nutty malts grassy, . Palate is semi sweet. Flabby, sticky. Ok.
Tried
from Cask
on 26 Nov 2016
at 10:23
7.8/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7
Catching up on ratings from GBBF 2016. From cask. Poured almost black with a small beige head. Aroma is quite sweet, malty, with chocolate, coffee and vanilla. Medium to heavy sweetness, light roasted bitterness. Medium body, slick texture, soft carbonation.
Tried
from Cask
on 16 Nov 2016
at 13:24
6.4/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
7th September 2016
T42 tasting on me Birfaday. Clear deep amber - brown beer, decent tan head. Smooth palate, semi dry. Reasonable fine carbonation. Mellow dark malts, mild dark chocolate. Trace of paper. Little floral bitterness. Bitter dried fruits. Tangy dry finish with a spicy bitter linger. Seems like a UK hopped CDA.
T42 tasting on me Birfaday. Clear deep amber - brown beer, decent tan head. Smooth palate, semi dry. Reasonable fine carbonation. Mellow dark malts, mild dark chocolate. Trace of paper. Little floral bitterness. Bitter dried fruits. Tangy dry finish with a spicy bitter linger. Seems like a UK hopped CDA.
Tried
on 26 Oct 2016
at 09:47
7.6/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 7.5
6th October 2016
Cask Pub & Kitchen. Keg. Light haze on this gold beer, tidy pale cream colour head. Palate is light, semi dry and has decent fine carbonation. Smooth malts bring a light creamy sweetness. Full gamut of Sorachi here - lemon cream, floral lemon and a touch of herby lemon. Trace of orange peel. Crisp semi dry finish. Nice Sorachi IPA.
Cask Pub & Kitchen. Keg. Light haze on this gold beer, tidy pale cream colour head. Palate is light, semi dry and has decent fine carbonation. Smooth malts bring a light creamy sweetness. Full gamut of Sorachi here - lemon cream, floral lemon and a touch of herby lemon. Trace of orange peel. Crisp semi dry finish. Nice Sorachi IPA.
Tried
from Cask
on 26 Oct 2016
at 05:41
7/10
—
Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6
Keg at Craft Clerkenwell, on the final Thames Tipple Saturday 22nd October 2016 Pours light/mid gold, a little hazy. A little creamy edge on the nose, quite sweet, the fruitiness is a touch tropical but overripe, it’s boozy, quite different and unusual but V.good. A fewer further sips and we both detect just a little butter on nose and in the mouth. A7 A4 T7 P4 Ov12 3.4
Tried
on 22 Oct 2016
at 15:12
8/10
Tried
on 17 Oct 2016
at 16:42
8/10
Tried
on 17 Oct 2016
at 16:42
6/10
Tried
on 17 Oct 2016
at 08:05
5.4/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 5
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 5.5
Bottle split at Chris & Ruth’s pre GBBF Shindig, 07/08/16. Pale yellow with an off white cap. Nose is light yeast esters, lemon rind, straw, grains. Taste comprises light funk, lemon rind, peppery spice, tarte citric peel. Medium bodied, fine carbonation, drying close. Ok refreshing number for the ABV but not one I’d choose to revisit.
Tried
from Bottle
on 11 Oct 2016
at 05:22