Lakedown Tap Room, Heathfield

Lakedown Fishery and Taproom is home to Lakedown Brewery, whose beers I’m seeing more frequently in venues around East Sussex. Their taproom is found in the fisherman’s lodge up the side of one of the lakes where inside is a serving counter that supports three hand pumps and a row of taps for the keg that are found along the rear wall. A board by the entrance listed the brews available on draught or in cans, picture attached. The left-hand side of the lodge has a few open plan tables and there’s an inglenook on the left-hand wall where a log burner was firing away. To the side of the lodge is an open sided food hut where a chicken wings company was set up, I believe the vendor changes regularly. The staff were all very friendly and the footfall was impressive during a recent Saturday afternoon for somewhere so remote, it was a large mingling of the middle classes. I liked it here and will return next time I can get a lift out this way.

Remote brewery taproom in a rather rustic-looking lakeside pavilion that also serves the related fishery business. Doing reasonable trade on a Sunday afternoon, with one of the rotating street-food vendors selling Vietnamese dishes. Despite initial appearances, the interior is quite homely, especially with some festive decorations up. Three of the four stillage spaces were taken up by Sussex Pale, Kicking Donkey and the Rivers of Gold hazy Christmas Ale (£4.75) being served by gravity. More difficult to spot was a pin of the 6.3% Big Little Donkey, only being offered in 1/2 pint measures. Four craft keg beers are also available from small electric counter-top tap units.