Most of the time we live in Harveys country.
This brewery, beloved by real ale folk and held in almost mythical esteem permeates East Sussex like an elderly grandparent daring you to drink anything else.
People who don't live in Sussex genuflect as you tell them you live not-that-far-from Lewes, that you have 2 Harveys pubs within easy walking distance from home and a further 2 an easy bus ride away.
We don't even bother to mention that pretty much EVERY pub in town stocks "Best" anyway since, apparently, old fellas around town won't drink anything else.
My brother, who had never even heard of them until he visited us down here (but who likes his beer brown and around 4%) was smitten from the first swig.
Me? I like a well-kept pint of Best from time to time (usually from a Harveys pub) but prefer Olympia, Armada and the stronger, seasonal beers (Wharf, Star of Eastbourne, Bonfire Boy and Prince of Denmark) - but I rarely find it exciting, as such.
Sadly, their beers are not very tolerant of cack-handed cellaring and dispense and so it's quite easy to find a pretty grim pint of it, too. As such, I'm very wary of it.
On Saturday, we were working at HQ and after that, we'd often seek a pint in one of the local tap/bottle shops. This week, I suggested we make the effort to go around to the Victoria. They're a safe pair of hands and the pub itself is a proper Victoria corner boozer.
It was one of the most enjoyable real pub visits we've had recently. Quiet and relaxing, with a fairly low loud and bollock-talking quotient and so we stayed for 3 pints.
Next week we're heading to a revampe of a Greene King Pub from a landlady who keeps her beer really well, but that's not much consolation if you really hate GK beers.
I may drink...errr...something else.
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