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Submitted on Sunday, 17^th February 2019
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Beer Engine, Brighton

Pub added by paulof horsham

2 Southwick Square
Southwick
Postal town: Brighton
BN42 4FJ

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Southwick

Reviews of Beer Engine (Average Rating: 6½ of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Real Ale Ray left this review about Beer Engine

The interior was quite dark and gloomy and looked like one of those bars in America. There was also a pungent smell of damp in the place, which was off putting. The place was fairly busy on our Thursday Eve visit. There was a choice of seating, a high table and stools near the front windows or a booth on the opposite side. We choose the booth next to another couple, who decided to interrogate us with a bombardment of questions as we were visitors to the area. So we downed our drinks sharply and ran back to the station for the train. 6 pumps with 2 in use Courage Directors and Burning Sky Plateau.

On 21^st April 2025 - rating: 5
[User has posted 3645 recommendations about 3645 pubs]

Strongers . left this review about Beer Engine

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.

On 9^th August 2024 - rating: 6
[User has posted 5965 recommendations about 5931 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Blue Scrumpy left this review about Beer Engine

Neighbourhood micropub on a parade of shops looking over a paved area and therefore set back from the main shopping street.

On a relatively sunny October day, a few people were taking advantage of the pavement seating to the front. Inside is fairly spacious by micropub standards. It's fairly dark inside with the bar on the right-hand wall towards the rear, with a cold room containing the beers and ciders just beyond.

Beers and ciders are listed on blackboards above the bar, but the boards don't seem to be updated very often. So, the real ale selection was completely out of date, with ciders and craft beers also having changed. This seemed to create a bit of confusion all round.

Only 2 of the handpulls were clipped with Gun Chummy Bluster & Nuttycombe Doonicans. The latter went just as I was leaving, with Butcombe Gold about to come on. Ciders were Seacider Passion Fruit Cider & Strawberry Cider, Dorset Nectar Dabinett, Snail's Bank Pig Squeal and their own Southwick Beer Engine Ciderengine. I chose the latter, but I dread to think how long that had been sat there for. I can usually stomach most kinds of cider, but this was in a pretty poor condition. Craft beers were New Belgium Voodoo Ranger, Fourpure IPA & Loudshirt Exp8.

There seemed to be a bit of a music theme with the interior and as with the previous review, music was being played at an acceptable level throughout my visit. Incidentally, I didn't notice a pinball machine. So, that may have disappeared. Although I wasn't really looking out for it.

On 19^th October 2023 - rating: 6
[User has posted 3040 recommendations about 3038 pubs]

View more reviews of Beer Engine (7)

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