Craft beer festival returns to Brighton

The festival, which runs from April 27 to 29, sees 15 city centre pubs dedicated to craft beer for the whole weekend, creating the world’s biggest craft beer pub crawl.

More than 100 different craft beers from 18 breweries will be available on tap; from porters to extra pales as well as several gluten-free and vegan beers.

Breweries taking part include New Zealand’s Yeastie Boys, Somerset’s Wild Beer Co, Leeds’ North Brew Co, Newcastle’s Wylam and London’s One Mile End, Gipsy Hill and Four Pure. First Chop from Manchester and Berkshire’s Wild Weather will be bringing vegan brews to this year’s festival.

Leading Sussex breweries are also represented at the festival with local favourites Two Tribes, Laine Brew Co and Lost & Found, taking over a pub each for the weekend. Others, including Hand Brew Co, Burning Sky and Cloak & Dagger, will showcase craft brews at the Fiddler’s Elbow.

The North Laine Brewhouse serves again as the festival hub, where wristbands and maps will be available – as well as a brand-new range of keg beers for sampling across 36 separate taps.

The theme of this year’s festival is ‘collaboration’ with attending brewers bringing some of their most exciting collaborative beers, most of which will be pouring in Brighton for the first time. The North Laine Brewhouse will collaborate with record shop Resident, producing a mash-up of sound and brewing, with a special music-inspired beer and festival playlist.

In addition to the beer takeover, festival goers can look forward to entertainment and events curated by the guest breweries in most of the venues. For those keen to find out more about craft beer and how it’s created, several talks from leading beer writers and educators will take place at the North Laine Brewhouse, and other participating pubs across the city.

The Brighton Tap Takeover is a collaboration between leading Brighton-based pub operator The Laine Pub Company and Sussex beer distributor The Beer Collective.

More than 4,000 beer lovers attended last year with the number of visitors expected to grow in 2018.

Gavin George, CEO of the Laine Pub Company, said: “It’s going to be an incredible weekend. Festival goers will experience the unique ambience of Brighton as they wander from pub to pub, sampling great beer, tasting delicious food and enjoying great music. By taking craft beer out of the usual festival venues: conference centres, town halls and marquees, and putting it back in the pub where it can be enjoyed best, the Brighton Tap Takeover is one of the most unique beer festivals in the country.”

Niki Deighton, director of the Beer Collective, said: “It’s so exciting to have all of these amazing brewers in our city for the whole weekend, I can’t wait to see which beers they will bring, especially as this year’s theme is collaboration. But as well as great beer, each of the brewers will be bringing their own personalities to the party by putting their own stamp in each and every pub.”

Wristbands for the event - which come pre-loaded with four beers, a can to take away, swag bag and priority entry – are available now for £15.

To find out more, visit: www.taptakeover.co.uk