Harvey’s Brewery has unveiled Lost Brew No 156, a 7.7% ABV Victorian strong ale, recreated from an original brewing journal dating back to 1890.
The story began in 2019, when brewing historian Ron Pattinson stumbled upon a journal held within the archives of the former Beard’s Brewery in Lewes. Although catalogued among Beard’s records, its pages bore the name Harvey & Son, Bridge Wharf Brewery, revealing a fascinating piece of Harvey’s brewing past.
The journal is believed to have belonged to Henry John Barrett, son of Henry Titlow Barrett, Harvey’s third head brewer. Henry John undertook his brewing pupillage at Harvey’s under his father before moving to fellow Lewes brewery Beard’s, taking his brewing notes with him. The journal remained among Beard’s records following the brewery’s closure in 1984, until its chance rediscovery more than a century later.
Recognising its significance, Pattinson contacted Harvey’s brewing team, setting in motion a project to bring one of the forgotten recipes back to life.
In April this year, Harvey’s marketing team visited The Keep, home to the East Sussex archives, where staff assisted in scanning the historic journal in its entirety. Harvey’s now holds a digital copy of the original records, providing a valuable resource for researching and recreating these long-lost brews.
Following extensive research into the original ingredients and techniques, Harvey’s head brewer Peter Yarlett and his team have recreated Brew No 156 in the very same grade II listed tower brewery where it was first produced. Remarkably, much of the brewery remains unchanged, with traditional methods such as whole cone hops and open fermentation still central to Harvey’s brewing today.
Brewed using heritage British barley and Sussex Fuggles and Kent Goldings hops, Lost Brew No 156 has another interesting distinction. Following the usual five-day fermentation, the beer continued fermenting for a further five days, an unusual approach for Harvey’s and one believed to be a first for the brewery.
“It’s not every day you get the chance to brew a beer from a recipe that’s been lost for over a century, particularly in the very brewery where it was first created,” said Yarlett. “Working from the original brewing notes has been fascinating, and the extended fermentation has given us something quite different from our usual beers.
“There are another five recipes recorded in Henry John Barrett’s journal, which we hope to recreate as part of our Lost Brews series. It’s an exciting opportunity to explore more of our brewing history and share these forgotten beers with a new generation.”
Deep golden amber in colour, Lost Brew No 156 is rich, full-bodied, and packed with flavour. Layers of sweet malt, toasted biscuit, and toffee meet ripe banana and caramelised fruit, creating a distinctive banoffee character. A firm hop bitterness balances the sweetness, delivering a satisfyingly smooth finish.
At 7.7% ABV, it’s a bold, characterful beer that offers today’s drinkers a taste of Victorian brewing. It launches today and is available in limited quantities in 440ml cans and on draught in selected pubs.
