Big game hunting with the Southern Ale Safari

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recommended by Peter Harmer

  

  Southern Ale Safaris

It's 11.15am and I'm already in the middle of my first pint of the day. Before you start to worry about me though I should point out I'm on the Southern Ale Safari - a tour set up for ale lovers to hunt down the perfect pint - and it's purely in the name of tasting - obviously!

 

The tour started for me at Victoria station on a Saturday morning, about to embark on a new experience. I awoke on the train blinking in the sunlight of what was to become a glorious summer day.

 

Looking out of the window, watching the countryside drift by it suddenly occurred to me why the landscape seemed familiar. It seemed to be an image of a bygone England straight out of the wartime recruitment posters which confidently proclaimed - "This is what you are fighting for."

 

Our first stop was the Dark Star Brewery in Partridge Green. The brewery is part of a rich heritage in Sussex, a county which prides itself on its local beer, and this is where I found myself with that first pint in hand listening to one of the directors passionately explaining the brewing methods.

 

It was totally unlike my expectations - I've visited a few whisky distilleries, and the odd brewery in my time, but the control panel here was more reminiscent of something out of Battlestar Galatica than a small brewing set-up.

 

There are 21 breweries in Sussex, but even in this rich beer brewing area Dark Star stands out. Its American Pale Ale triumphed at this year's Aberdeen ale festival and it's beers are steadily starting to make an impact outside of Sussex, an excellent place to start our safari then.

 

Saturday afternoon, and indeed Sunday afternoon, was spent relaxing in a selection of gloriously old-fashioned country pubs, the pick of which was The White Horse, our lunch stop on Saturday, where the pub's renowned chilli sat very comfortably with my fantastic local pint. Being a Londoner but a born and bred country boy it was a fantastic release from the hustle and bustle of city life.

 

This feeling permeated the tour - schedules were relaxed and frankly made to be broken. If as a group we wanted to stay where we were there was no pressure to move on - definitely a welcome break from the rush of city life and a refreshing change from tours where the itinerary is obeyed as if it were the word of God.

 

Another reason for the tour's success was our driver, Mr Clive, who chauffeured us between stops. A passionate fan of both Sussex and ale (he is an honorary member of CAMRA) he was always on hand to recommend his favourite pubs (he is an excellent judge) to add to the tour, or to offer up some delightfully unexpected Sussex-based trivia.

 

It should be noted that this tour is not merely a glorified pub-crawl, it is comparable to the wine tours of the Loire valley. A tour to discover new flavours such as Dark Star's espresso flavoured ale.

 

This became clear as we moved into the evening. At our base, The Star, Alfriston, a lovely medieval building with reported paranormal activities (I cannot confirm them!), we were treated to an ale tasting evening. The tour gathered four local breweries, who came armed with a selection of the wares which they talked us through as we sampled them.

 

Waking up on Sunday morning the indulgent nature of the tour became clearer  still when, as we sat enjoying a late breakfast, a trail of struggling fun-runners streamed past the window.

 

Now I am very much aware that this sounds like a weekend of pubs, beer and not a lot else, but it isn't. The tour sets out to celebrate all Sussex has to offer in its country towns.

 

We visited Herstmonceux, former home to the Greenwich Observatory, it is now a working museum which opens its telescopes to the public on select evenings.

 

Keen to show off the quality food Sussex produces as well as the drink we were lucky enough to sample some delicious meals. Firstly at The Star, home to a simple but excellent British menu, and later at The Ram Inn where we settled in for that most English of meals - the Sunday roast.

 

And finally, the icing, quite literally, on the cake for the weekend a delicious traditional cream tea of cake, sandwiches and, of course, scones with jam and sumptuous clotted cream.

 

All told the Southern Ale Safari was a fantastically interesting, fun and above all a very ‘English' way to spend the weekend, and one I would heartily recommend to anyone wishing to escape the stress of city life, learn more about our national drink or simply to have an excellent weekend.

 

 

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Keeping it Real – A Southern Ale Safari

By Barney Savage-Mountain | Published: June 14, 2010

Sometimes I have a dream where idyllic, remote country pubs and the technology behind the Star Trek Transporter are brought together to allow us city-dwellers to fully appreciate all that these picturesque public houses have to offer, free from the shackles of the designated driver. Then I wake up.

A great country pub must, by definition, exist at a reasonable distance from town and so what makes it so great – its location – can also pose a conundrum to a large proportion of potential punters. Until teleportation becomes a reality Southern Ale Safaris (SAS) have created a cunning solution. In fact SAS go on to do so much more. In one fell swoop the issues of recommendation, location and accommodation are all addressed along with liberal doses of education, and fascination for good measure. Their three day ale safaris will allow you to safely experience the glorious countryside, local attractions, breweries, good food and great beer gardens of Sussex all wrapped in the happy glow that only a few pints of real ale can deliver.

It’s a safari of discovery. A safari on which you can hunt through many wonderful environments, peering through low oak doorways to discover dazzling arrays of local ales. A safari on which you will doubtless learn how a great ale is brewed and then slowly forget again as you befuddle yourself in search of the perfect balance of hops and malted grains. A safari on which maybe, just maybe, you’ll see Gok Wan mucking about on a beer garden bench whilst you tuck into your Sunday lunch (happened to me at The Ram Inn, Firle). This, my ale-loving comrades, is not a dream.

Southern Ale Safaris have chosen The Star at Alfriston as the base camp and, on arriving for a pre-match coffee and a freshly baked cookie, it was easy to see why. The three-star hotel, situated right on the high street of this picture postcard village, boasts some serious historical pedigree with the original 13th Century Inn still forming the lounge, bar and two feature guest rooms. Now extended to include a restaurant and 35 more double rooms, The Star Inn was perfectly equipped to keep us ale hunters comfortable and the staff could not have been more welcoming and helpful throughout our stay. (Note: Reports of paranormal activity could not be confirmed but we did hear the stories!)

We started our safari with a trip to the new premises of Dark Star Brewing Company at Partridge Green, a far cry from their humble beginnings at the Evening Star in Brighton. Day one and just shy of 11am but here was our first ‘sighting’ of our ‘quarry’, jugs of ale were being filled as we arrived and well… go on then, it’d be rude not to! Paul Reed, Director at Dark Star was engaging in his presentation of the story behind the company’s success and his introduction to the brewing process, so much so that even my ale-abstaining wife commented on how surprisingly interesting that part of the safari had been. I, on the other hand, was enthralled from the get-go by the sheer scale of the brewing apparatus. Giant silver silos connected by pipes and linked to a control panel not unlike that of the Star Trek Transporter room. I left satisfied, slightly squiffy and knowing that sometime soon I’d need a shed, a big shed.

The time had come to be transported to our first pub – “beam me up, Clive!”. Our driver for the weekend, Mr Clive, was one of SAS’s key assets. His friendly demeanor and extensive knowledge of the locality and the locals proved a hit with everyone. (You could drive on the A27 for many years without realising that you were passing the very spot where the actor Desmond Llewelyn, Q in the Bond movies, lost his life, but not if you’re travelling with Mr Clive.) As an honorary member of CAMRA, bestowed for driving many thousands of members to campaign meetings over the years, he also knew a thing or two about all the Taverns and Inns we didn’t have time to stop at. As we were chauffeured around the highways and byways of the Sussex countryside his commentary helped to keep us all refreshed and entertained as we awaited the next discovery.

Where the safari excels is in its choice of drinking establishments. Sussex boasts a bevy of corking countryside drinking establishments. For me the ‘find’ of the weekend was The White Horse at Maplehurst. How have I lived so long in Sussex without discovering this beautiful country pub? Perhaps it was the novelty, the early afternoon sun haze, or the incredible wisteria curtain that covered the front of the building, but everything about this pub shouted ‘Proper!’. The pump clips hinted that things were about to get even better and how right they were. My pint of 1648 Brew Master was stupendous. One of those magical moments when an ale and its surroundings harmonise perfectly to produce maximum satisfaction. These are the trophies that every ale safari hunter hopes to collect.

Later on I would meet the man responsible for brewing that pint. Dave Seabrook of 1648 represented one of four local breweries that came along to The Star on the Saturday evening. Dave’s passion for brewing was evident from the way he carefully coaxed the beers from their bottle-conditioned homes and I soon discovered another favourite of the weekend, ‘Hop Pocket’. Other breweries represented on the night were Beachy Head, Hepworth and Whites. The evening was complimented perfectly by a buffet dinner featuring favourites from The Star’s restaurant menu, showcasing some great cooking and some fine local produce such as Battered Cod, landed in Newhaven, and Sussex Lamb and Onion Skewers. This high-class finger food helped keep us fuelled as we worked our merry ways around the tasting tables.

As you would expect Southern Ale Safaris have put together a tour that rarely strays from your next ale. However, there is some planned respite from drinking. The trip to The Observatory Science Centre at Herstmonceux on the Sunday morning proved a great chance to muck about with the giant interactive exhibits and try to convince my body that another drink was going to be a good idea. Our SAS guide, James, was keen to point out that all safaris are designed to be adaptable enabling elements of the tour to be adjusted to suit the group taking part; no two safaris will ever be the same. This flexibility was evident on our tour as the scheduled visit to Lewes was switched to a pint and skittles at The Fountain Inn and a walk around Steyning. Later in the tour I was much relieved when we finally made The Cricketers, Berwick, on the third time of passing. Time pressures having kept it tantalisingly out of reach on the previous occasions.

One last glorious beer garden in which to drain one last pint, a rather excellent Harveys Copperwheat, and it was time to say goodbye to the ales. But the weekend wasn’t quite finished as we returned to The Star for a Cream Tea and to reminisce on a weekend well spent. Having grown up in Sussex it was a pleasure to spend the time basking in it’s finery. For those looking for a way to experience the area for the first time I can’t recommend a better way to do so (assuming you’re partial to an ale or five of course).

So I return home relaxed, with my thirst truly slaked but my passion for ale growing ever stronger and a warm-glow of pride for Sussex and all it has to offer. Southern Ale Safaris have recognised what rich resources this part of the world has to offer ale-lovers and are to be congratulated for making it all so incredibly easy to appreciate.

Safaris start from £299 (based on two people sharing) and are available now for dates throughout this Summer and Autumn. More information can be found on the Souther Ale Safaris website and bookings can be made by phoning The Star, Alfriston, on 01323 870495.

 

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A Southern Ale Safari

Ale bonding at its finest!

It has got to be said that Sussex is one of the most prized areas in the UK. Famous for its beautiful countryside, amazing attractions the jewel of the South is steeped in history and natural beauty, Sussex combines the perfect combination of coast and county. It also has some of the best ale in the world, yes that is the World served in some of the best pubs in the world- yes that’s world again!

For hundreds of years, Sussex has been home some the world’s best breweries and hostelries. Serving and perfecting a world class product in our quintessential villages and towns. An export that we chose not to export, a wonderful home grown secret that politely declines the offer to travel.

With this in mind you can have no idea how excited I was  to receive my invitation to join the inaugural press trip for a new business venture entitled Southern Ale Safaris. An opportunity to experience the best ales, pubs, sites and hotels that the county has to offer. I quickly scanned the website and gave a veritable squeal of manly excitement. I was to embark on a trip that includes a guided tour of some of the greatest public houses ever created. A brewery tour of the now legendary Dark Star brewery and some great points of interest throughout the county. Over my weekend I was to be chauffeured to sample the finest Ales and food that Sussex has to offer. I was just sublimely happy.

Built in the swinging sixties- that’s the 1260's The Star Alfriston is a historic hotel (one of England's oldest) in the Tudor village of Alfriston, East Sussex. It’s nestled between Brighton and Eastbourne, at the base of the South Downs National Park and the hotel's history brings with it a charm and character that truly make it unique.

The hotel is a good size despite looking like a haunt for the extras in Lord of the Rings. There are 37 well-appointed bedrooms, two of which are feature rooms from the original building, which is over 800 years old. We were treated to coffee and some of the best homemade biscuits I have ever tasted when we arrived on a glorious sunny June weekend. The staff and management are vibrant group of people who come from all walks of life and seem to really enjoy working at the hotel and taking care of its guests. There was a hugely enthusiastic bar manager on tap at 10am on a Saturday morning- he was on top form and had huge amounts of knowledge of the Safari and what we were about to do- I think given half the chance he would ditch his apron in a New York minute and take us on the tour himself. In the hotel there’s a great looking restaurant and a cute alcove of a bar. Here there was the dutiful appearance of two of my particular favorite ales from local Sussex breweries Hepworth of Horsham and at the delicious “Beachy Head” from East Dean. This was looking better each crucial second of my trip!

Staying in the village of Alfriston is like taking a step back in time. It’s both a very popular tourist destination and local gem serving the ultimate Sunday Roast. The hotel has a constant stream of interesting guests: tourists from Europe and America, walking groups who come to walk the South Downs, opera enthusiasts who come to go to Glyndebourne, as well as families (Drusilla's Animal Park is just down the road. As the sleek silver coach of Mr Clive our trusted driver for the weekend pulled up the butterflies were really having a field day in my tummy. I could sense this was going to be fun!

I quickly found out you'll find everything you need to unwind on an SAS (Southern Ales Safaris) tour. 3-Star accommodation at the Star, Alfriston including full English breakfast and Buffet meal on the first evening (everything was Sussex sourced and incredibly tasty) This was then followed by and a fantastic Tasting session conducted by brewers from 4 local companies. A very informative talk and a great way to really appreciate the ale we were here to enjoy.

Our chauffeured executive coach driver Mr Clive was a CAMRA member. Clive proved to be a hugely experienced guide and certainly knew his ale. He expertly navigated our tour and led the charge for the Brewery tour in Partridge Green. We visited 6 traditional pubs taking in the now legendary Ram at Firle serving a great selection of ales from the Harveys Brewery. Randomly we got to meet Gok Wan as he was actually holding court at this wonderful location tucked between Lewes and Eastbourne. I can confirm although not an Ale drinker Mr Wan was delightful and had wound his way through South London traffic just to visit the pub! We got well until I started pitching him my idea of a follow up to his hit TV show - “How to look good overdressed and tipsy” It fell on deaf ears unfortunately!

Other pubs included in the weekend included The Chequers in Steyning. This was really popular with my fellow tour guests as they served Dark Star and as we were fresh from the brewery tour it’s seemed rude not to pay a visit. We played skittles and supped Horsham Best bitter from the Hepworth Brewery at the The Fountain at Maple Hurst. The Cricketers Alciston was amazing and served an immense array of Harveys beers direct from the Keg. The White Horse also from Maplehurst was where we had the greatest Chili I have ever eaten and we drank 1648 in the garden. Could things get any better?

By breaking up the tour with some delightful points of interest- A visit to historic Lewes, the Observatory tour, shopping in Steyning was a great idea as were the weather dependent guided county walks. This was a staggeringly well thought out and sensitive look at what Sussex does so very well. I am busy telling all my lady friends to treat their menfolk to this as the ultimate gift or treat. I am also letting my friends and colleagues know that this is the most civilized way ever of sampling the best ales known to mankind in a county shaped by the gods.


With weekday and weekend safaris staring from £299 per person this has to be one of the greatest deals in The UK at the moment. I would recommend an early booking to get on the dates over this Summer and Autumn

www.southernalesafaris.com or call 01273 204200 for more information

To book call The Star, Alfriston on 01323 870495