The Snowdrop Inn, Lewes

This is a welcoming and comfortable community pub on the edge of town in the shadow of the impressive chalk cliffs. The main bar is a single room with a central island servery which helps split the room up, creating various seating areas around it. There is woodblock flooring with lots of dark beams on the walls and ceiling. The seating is, for the most part, standard tables and chairs of varying sizes, making it ideal for those who want to eat, of which there were a great many on my early evening visit. All manner of pots, pans, kettles, tankards, birdcages and the like hang from the ceiling and fill the window sills whilst an upright piano can be found in the rear corner near a collection of children’s toys. There are bits of brewerania here and there, although it’s not an overriding theme, with numerous pump clips lining the servery. There is a second seating area upstairs which, given the popularity of the pub, presumably gets a lot of use. You can access this room via a tight spiral staircase near the front door or a more conventional staircase at the rear. It’s a square shaped, wooden floor room with lots of large rugs to help dampen the sound. A large map of Sussex, split into six separate frames, hangs on one wall, whilst bunting and ship’s rigging hangs from the beams. Customers who spotted the lizard sculpture outside the pub, which is made from old car hub caps, will recognize some more of these creations on the front wall. There’s a large grandfather clock on one wall, plus a dartboard, board games, book swap and a number of sewing machines in the window sills. The ale selection is a big draw and I found six ales with two from Harvey’s (Best and Bonfire Boy), two from Dark Star (Hophead and APA) and two guests (Hammerpot Bottlewreck Porter and Oxfordshire Marshmallow). The APA was in great shape and went down very easily. The keg range was pretty good too offering the likes of Brooklyn Lager and Delirium Tremens among others. A real cider was also available. I thought this place had a really nice feel to it with the good food, beer and ambiance drawing a broad range of customers. It may be a little way out of town, but I would say it’s well worth making that bit of effort to seek out and is an essential addition to any serious crawl.

Perennially popular pub a little out of the town centre. Microbrewery ales, usually including Sussex favourite Dark Star as well as interesting imports on tap (pretty sure I remember Brooklyn Lager & Budvar Black, but don't quote me on it). Food is good quality without veering into gastro pretensions. Staff are knowledgeable and up for a chat and recommendation on both beer and food. Definitely worth the short trek down South Street (look out for the blackboard at the end of the street advising a 400 metre walk - that is pretty much the distance).

The "steel crocodile" is actually plastic and made from several dozen old wheel trims from Vauxhalls, renaults and Rovers. This superb bit of artwork kind of sums up the pub. Quirky comes to mind, but the real gem is the beer choice. I would say that in my opinion, this is the best beer pub in Lewes and not a drop of Harveys in sight! Amongst the fizzy stuf was Dilirium Tremens, a brew that I have heard much about but never tried. We asked for a sample and the bar maid was only too happy to oblige. Excellent pub, well worth the short walk from the centre of town. Will call again

Official site of the Snowdrop Inn with menu and event details - www.thesnowdropinn.com

Official site of the Snowdrop Inn with menu and event details - www.thesnowdropinn.com

The Snowdrop Inn is located at the foot of the chalk cliffs in Lewes and apparently gets its name from an avalanche that occurred on 27th December 1836. This was caused by a week of very heavy snow and eight people were killed when the debris came crashing down upon the workmen’s cottages on what was Boulder Row and is now South Street. Long gone is the destruction as the Snowdrop stands between two large lawn beer gardens that are full of picnic tables. Inside the pub there is an island bar that is stocked with a couple of Meantime products and some other interesting keg beers. I counted seven hand pumps which were drawing some Harveys beers alongside a couple of Dark Star brews and a couple of guests that I had not heard of. The furniture is made up of wooden tables and benches and there are a few knickknacks on the walls. A rainbow painted cast iron spiral staircase leads upstairs, but I did not venture up there so I’m not sure what secrets it hides. There is live music most nights of the week and during my visit on Thursday evening there was some folk music being played on guitar and some sort of bagpipe shaped like a sheep. Food is served and there was a smell of fish throughout the pub, but I didn’t see anyone eating or spot any menus. There was a good mix of people here ranging from Sussex yokels to ramblers and the younger inhabitants of the area. The staff were also very friendly which created a very relaxed atmosphere. This pub is certainly worth the walk from the Station and I will return when possible. Also, a big sign outside this pub indicates that this is the headquarters of the South Street Bonfire Society which is involved in organising the Lewes Bonfire night which is the largest in the country.