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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Snowdrop Inn, Lewes
Lewes
BN7 2BU
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Tris C left this review about The Snowdrop Inn
With the White Cliffs of Lewes as backdrop, this seemed to be marketed as a trendy pub, essentially as described below, Harvey’s Old Ale at a more-than-London hefty £3.00 a half and ok.
With the prices and distance from the town centre, it would take quite a lot to drag me back here again, but it’s ok as part of a crawl.
On 28th April 2025
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2208 recommendations about 2165 pubs]
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Snowdrop Inn
A spectacular back drop of the chalk cliffs behind this pub. A good few of us managed to get a couple of tables together over on the left hand side, and service at the bar was fast and efficient, the bar staff were upbeat and welcoming. Regarding cask ale, I opted for the cider on draught, served from a couple of fonts on the front bar, to Mrs Ale's disapproval. I have to say they were excellent, Ascension Pilot and Silver Lining.
On 18th April 2025
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3645 recommendations about 3645 pubs]
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Snowdrop Inn
Named after a deadly snow avalanche from the chalk cliffs behind,these days the pub is food orientated with dining tables squeezed into the modest interior around a central bar.However unreserved tables are fine to just drink at.The walls are covered with bric a bac and there is a pub atmosphere and friendly welcome.Just two handpumps for Harveys Sussex Best and Old Ale so I chose from the numerous indie beer taps a Burning Sky Easy Answers which was a pleasant ,strong pale.
Last pub of an extensive crawl but not too much for a real ale fan.
On 12th April 2025
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2936 recommendations about 2936 pubs]
Will Larter left this review about The Snowdrop Inn
This is less of a destination pub for cask beer drinkers, with just Sussex Best and Old Ale available on hand pumps. There are numerous keg beers from acknowledged leaders in the field (see photos). The interior is largely set out with tables featuring cutlery and candles, but also beer mats. Worth a visit just for the Ansbach & Hobday nitro stout, according to my fellow drinkers, whereas it would take an irresistible force to get me back here for the Sussex Best.
On 11th April 2025
- rating: 6
[User has posted 4273 recommendations about 3935 pubs]
David Walton left this review about The Snowdrop Inn
Visited 07/02/25. Visited previously on 11/05/19.
Two hand pulls providing Harvey's Sussex Best and Old Ale. This place has a really good keg range, with Guinness, London Black from Anspach & Hobday, The Wrong Door IPA, Arise and Quench a NZ pale all from Burning Sky, Bongo tropical IPA from Only With Love, Hazed & Confused from the Loud Shirt Brewing Co, Whisper pale ale from Floc, Pilot cider from Ascencion, Silver Lining cider from South Downs, Franken Bier, Rothaus Pilsner and Keller Pils from Lost & Grounded.
This is, in my opinion, remains a good pub option in Lewes town “centre” but perhaps not as good as of yesteryear! It is on the way out of the town centre and a good stop off on the way to the Beak taproom. The bar counter is a three-sided affair with seating on all sides albeit the larger part of the seating is on the left-hand side of the bar. Indeed, seating throughout is via regular tables and chairs, nothing fancy like banquettes or wing-back armchairs here! There is a nice, secluded table in the corner at the far-right side of the bar but sadly occupied on arrival from a Friday evening session here. Bare boarded on floor, walls and ceiling with ceiling art pieces made from reconstituted hub caps and a fair quotient of warm white fairy lights. A mish mash of framed items on every square millimetre of the wall space. Picnic style benches on both external sides of the pub and a nice beer garden out the back with the white chalk cliffs behind. Definitely a nice place to sit outside in better evenings than today! We were glad to get a corner table inside close to a radiator! There was an upstairs area that seemed to be much busier accessed via a spiral staircase to the right of the entrance but didn't venture to check.
On 7th April 2025
- rating: 6
[User has posted 631 recommendations about 631 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Snowdrop Inn
With the nearby Beak Brewery Taproom closed, we headed to the Snowdrop, which was my favourite pub in Lewes when I last visited this end of town back in the summer of 2016.
The pub has gone drastically downhill since then. 5 years ago there were 6 real ales and a real cider. On this visit, there was just Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter & Burning Sky Plateau, with no real cider. I opted for the Beak Parade from keg, which was an eyewatering £7.50 per pint.
The interior of the pub is still very nice, but not as popular as the last time I came. With a much reduced beer selection and exorbitant pricing, I can see why.
On 30th August 2021
- rating: 5
[User has posted 3040 recommendations about 3038 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Snowdrop Inn
The building itself isn't anything particularly remarkable but the setting catches the eye with the pub backing on to white chalk cliffs.
Inside as noted before is quite quirky, a quality I quite enjoy in a pub, plenty of oddments on the walls and hanging from the ceiling, the bar front boldly painted would not look out of place on a narrow boat and indeed there were a couple of knitted dolls of Rosie and Jim sat on a nearby piano. Seven handpumps and beer line up much more up my street than the bulk of Harveys dominated Lewes,Five beers were on from Siren, Pig & Porter , Gun, Wild Beer and Burning Sky, the Aurora from the latter was a decent drop.Certainly a pub worthy of returning to.
On 19th July 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2151 recommendations about 2118 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Snowdrop Inn
I missed this one when I was in Lewes nearly five years ago, so when my cycling route to the South Downs youth hostel took me near enough to give me the excuse, I decided to call in. (Getting out of Lewes again was another matter.) I have to say I was not as impressed as I had hoped to be. Perhaps it was being there on a Monday afternoon, after what may have been a heavy weekend. Suffice to say there were only two ales and a cider on the row of handpumps (sorry, didn't count them), these being Harveys Sussex Best and Burning Sky Plateau. Having said that, the Sussex was in good condition though very expensive on my scale of reckoning: £2.15 for a half. Despite all this griping I thought this was a very nice pub that, if I lived in Lewes, would be frequently visited.
On 11th May 2019
- rating: 6
[User has posted 4273 recommendations about 3935 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Snowdrop Inn
Excellent traditional pub on a road now bypassed by the nearby Cuilfail Tunnel. Very characterful 'U'-shaped interior full of pictures, breweriana and diverse knick-knacks, and the sculpted metal creatures on the outside are worthy of note. Also has an upstairs room, accessed by a narrow spiral staircase (or ordinary steps at the back if you don't fancy the challenge). Features a small patio on one side, and a larger beer garden on the other. Decent selection from six of seven handpumps - including the seasonal Harvey's Bonfire Boy in addition to the inevitable Best - but I went for the Burning Sky Plateau (£3.80). Given its quirky nature, it comes as no surprise to find that it is home of the legendary South Street Bonfire Society.
On 13th November 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8679 recommendations about 8678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about Snowdrop Inn
This is I suspect a former Watney's pub on the southern edge of Lewes that would have been a main road pub prior to the construction of the Cuilfail Tunnel thirty five years ago. It is impressively overlooked by the sheer chalk cliffs on the West side of Cliffe Hill, which as noted below provided the pub with its namee all those years ago.
Inside it's a poky little place with an Island bar and a couple of cramped staircases leading to an upstairs area which I didn't investigate. The whole place seemed to be covered in bric-a-brac. It was fairly busy on my visit but on a warm late September afternoon most folk were taking advantage of the patios on either side of the pub.
One side of the bar has seven hand pumps which had Burning Sky Plateau & Aurora, Harvey's Best, Fyne Avalanche, Downlands Root Thirteen, Gun Milk Stout and a cider. I went for the Burning Sky Aurora (£4.20) which was in excellent condition but a bit pricey.
I noticed that this place is a regular live music venue which may not suit everyone. I found it a bit cramped but the beer choice and quality was excellent.
On 1st October 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]