The Brickworks, Burgess Hill

Yes, in some ways a typical trading estate unit, but it looks less functional than most. This starts with a tidy yard garden at the front along with a good-sized and well-presented taproom to the left of the brewery. Ten craft keg taps on the bar-back, featuring six of their North Garden beers and another sold under the Brickworks brand. The cask Fields best bitter (£4.90) was also on with one of the four handpumps, with an old ale coming next apparently.

We're back on the taproom trail and its another variant B. Having alighted the bus, I made my way past dozens of nondescript grey and brick-clad sheds in the light industrial estates of Burgess Hill to this venue promoting the brews of both Bestens and North Garden, who each provide a couple of cask ales. 10 or so keg taps add to the variety. Once you've finally made your way here through the dreariest examples of the modern British economy, you'll encounter bench seats, though not all with shade from the strong June sun. You'll have to venture inside to get to the bar and here there's ample seating, albeit of the wooden table and bench variety. The corrugated iron roof leaves you in no doubt that this is a building designed primarily for making stuff rather than drinking in luxurious surroundings. The barman keeps conversation to the barest minimum. I realise that these places are cheap to rent and lend themselves to brewing with an inexpensive direct to market option, but I'm starting to wonder if the advantage lies more with the seller than the buyer. If you're in town, by all means give it a go - they've done well with what they've had to work with, but otherwise it's not that much different to so many others and the whole experience isn't exactly uplifting.

Official site of The Brickworks - www.thebrickworkstaproom.co.uk

Official site of The Brickworks - www.thebrickworkstaproom.co.uk