Beer Engine, Brighton

Official site of Beer Engine - southwickbeerengine.co.uk

Official site of Beer Engine - southwickbeerengine.co.uk

Beer Engine is a micropub with a premium and craft keg selection as well as lots of canned and bottled beers in a fridge for those with brimming pockets. During a recent Tuesday early afternoon visit two of the six hand pumps were in operation drawing a decent Dark Star Hophead alongside Young’s Special. There’s also a cocktail menu. The interior is decorated with music stuff including tables with vinyl inset in resin. The music was from my era so I wasn’t complaining, although it was unfortunate that I visited when the only other customer was having a heated conversation down her phone with her parole officer. There’s a collection of old beer clips on the wall, but for a place that’s been open over six years I thought they’d be more. I like a micro and the service was polite, but this was a long way off my favourite.

More of a beer bar than a micropub I feel. I visited on a warm spring day, the bar is in a parade of shops and is just a short walk from the railway station and the 700 Coastliner bus route. Quite a number of locals were sat outside enjoying the sunshine where there are a good number of outside chairs and tables. Going inside I was very pleasantly surprised to see normal height tables and comfortable seating. There were three hand pumps in use, the house beer Engine Oil (I don't know who brews this), Thornbridge Late Star (a strong bitter), and Titanic Plum Porter. I tried both of the last two and they were of good quality. As well as the cask beers the bar sells craft keg and a selection of lagers, a large chalk board above the bar lists what is available. A pinball machine was in the corner at the front of the pub, but wasn't switched on or not working. There's background music in the bar, I'm not sure about this as it wasn't loud enough to hear properly, although I guess complaints would follow if it was any louder.

Just a short way up the road from Southwick station, situated in a row of shops, this is a very nicely presented micropub that seemed popular with locals and visitors alike. Presumably a simple shop-conversion, the compact, narrow single room interior is bare boarded throughout with the servery along the rear part of the right-hand wall. Some nice padded banquettes line the left-hand wall and have been supplemented with low stools, a few more of which serve another couple of tables in the front right part of the room. Unusually, all of the tables are very low, a bit like coffee tables, with Perspex screen installed between each table down the left side of the room, creating what felt like a series of small booths. The bar has a chunky corrugated metal counter front with a more typical wooden top, plus a plain bar back decorated with various coins and bank notes. One of the keg fonts has been housed in an old engine block, which I thought looked quite cool and was a nice play on the pub’s name/beer engines. Blackboards across the bar canopy list the full drinks range, but with the new one-way system set up through the room, you can’t stand far enough back to read them. The room has been decorated with some striking modern art prints, many of which related to music and film – a theme that also saw an electric guitar suspended above the front window. There’s also a long row of pump clips running around much of the room just below the ceiling, creating a colourful frieze effect. Loud pop tunes were playing on an early Saturday afternoon, which perhaps explained why most punters were sat outside on the many picnic benches and metal tables and chairs that line the pavement. There were three ales available across five handpulls when I arrived – Thornbridge Brother Rabbit, Old Dairy Blue Top and a house beer called Engine Oil – with Gun Pale Ale coming on during the course of my stay. The Brother Rabbit was a nice pint in good condition which set me back £4.00 for a pint. The craft keg range covered breweries such as Brewdog, Lervig, Tiny Rebel and Wild Beer, with a couple of mainstream options including Guinness also available. This seemed like a really nice micropub which perhaps flaunts a rule or two but still offers the typical drinking environment you’d expect of such an establishment. The beer range was interesting and my pint was in fine condition, the staff were friendly and there was plenty of comfortable seating both inside and out. I could’ve done without the loud music but aside from that, there was plenty going for this place and I’d be more than happy to return again some time.

So, the question that must be asked: is the Beer Engine a micropub at all? It's in a former shop, not too large, with 6 cask ales, so perhaps "yes". On the other hand, there's piped music and lager (3 types of Krombacher) on draft! It does have the feel and aroma (spilt beer?) of a proper pub, though. The cask ales are, unusually for a micro in this part of the world, dispensed from hand pumps (no cool room here), and are primarily local. In addition to the Krombachers, the taps also offer Hepworths Conqueror Stout, plus 5 craft keg. Not only that, you also get a fridge full of interesting bottles and cans. So much choice! Table & seating options vary; you can choose from lounge style chairs, some high stools and even table-topped oil drums. A reasonable crowd, but prompt and friendly service, as well as a couple of quality beers (from Long Man & Thornbridge) marked my visit and I'd be happy to call again. Finally, to answer the opening question: not sure it really matters. If the beer's up to scratch and the locals are welcoming, that should be recommendation enough.