Hand Brew Co

What the website says…

An independent brewing company with a brewpub in Brighton and brewery and taproom in Worthing, UK, creating high quality, accessible beers for every palate

Our take on Hand Brew Co…

Visiting the Hand in Hand once to try some beers we must have been saying the right things, as it didn’t take very long to be offered an impromptu tour of the remarkable 4 storey brewery.

Hand Brew Co apparently hold the accolade for the smallest working tower brewery in the UK, with kit spread across various rooms and pipes running through walls and floors. What’s clear is that installing this all must have been a huge task, but 30 years on, definitely worth it.

The beers we’ve tried have an excellent depth of flavour, but it’s the passion that comes across when you speak to those involved. The microbrewing of them by a small team, and then putting them to the test with patrons on site, means there’s really close scrutiny of each brew, and you can taste that attential to detail in the beer.

A bit of history…

The brewery was installed in 1989 and was run for many years as Kemptown Brewery until the founder, a legend in these parts, unfortunately passed away mid 2000s.

Brighton Bier took up residence for a while until in 2016 Hand Brew Co was launched and began pumping out some very popular beers indeed.

By summer 2018 an upgrade was required, not only to increase the output capacity, but to be able to more precisely regulate brewing temperatures. Shoehorning in the huge tanks and new kit into an cellar was quite a logistical task and we recommend chatting to the bar staff about this as there are some great photos.

Hand Brew Co. finally moved into their new brewing facility by West Worthing train station in 2020. With a 2000 litre brew kit a four 4000 litre fermenters plus an automated canning line and large 5oC cold store, they are seriously ramping up their output and small pack distribution. They share the space with equally brilliant brewers Cloak & Dagger who sadly closed their tap-bar on Edward Street and share the facilities here.
The tap room is open evenings from Wednesday – Sunday.

We here a rumour that brewing will begin again at the Hand in Hand pub in the near future.

How local are they?

Being at the Hand in Hand pub in Kemptown puts Hand Brew Co squarely in central Brighton. the fact you can rock up any day and try the beers on site is a huge bonus.

Our faves 🍺

We have consistently enjoyed the High Five Oat Pale on cask at 4.6%. It’s sweet with incredible moreishness, like an oaty biscuit. It slips down and finishes refreshingly.

We also really enjoyed the HANS Pilsner recently. A bavarian style made famous by the Czechs, and Hand in Hand have given theirs 6 weeks of maturing time, which is probably why we really enjoyed the crispness and finish.

Since Hand Brew Co. moved into their new brew-tap premises in Worthing in late 2020 they have ramped up their canned beer output. Something new on the menu is LOBO. It begins fresh, fruity and punchy, then gives way to a rounded mouth-filling malt, finishing with a slight creaminess. It’s brewed in collaboration with their brewery-mates Cloak and Dagger and it is a stunner.