Back to Sussex

 It had to happen...we needed to get back to Eastbourne for work and builders and...well, you know because we mostly live here.

We decided on the route that avoided London but have Brighton options. Travelling on Mondays always seems a little bit strange.

A last minute leap onto a train (sorry everyone, yes, that was me dithering) at Gatwick saw us in Brighton quite early.

Frankly, whilst there are lots of lovely places in Brighton and we really must reprise a few, the interregnum between train and home will always be the Evening Star.

It went through a bit of a "phase" when Dark Star were bought out by Fullers and then Asahi and the DS beer turned shit but the last few times we've visited it has regained its status as the pub that has...well, everything.

It's like an old git's local (in that when we arrive there are loads of old gits in...and we just added to them) but with beer to die for.

6 cask beers from a variety of breweries (think Thornbridge, Downlands, Vibrant forest...) plus 12 or so keg taps covering all known (and some unknown) styles.

A bunch of loudish old gits arrived (causing me to roll my eyes) and they amused us with their confused perusal of one of the cask beers which was genuinely (and supposed to be) murky. There was quite a lot of "I'm not sure I like the look of this" and "I like my beer to be clear" but eventually, the beer was declared "alright".

The service has never been effusive but is unfailingly polite.  Trying to engage the bar staff usually gets a bit of a non-plussed look.

Now they have a kitchen serving Sri Lankan Street food.

So we stayed and drank and then checked out the train times, realising there's still only one train from Brighton to Eastbourne an hour (WTF?) and then stayed for more and some food.

Our timings could have been better so we had to leave a bit of beer and shift some to get to the train but it didn't dent the pleasantness of the afternoon/evening.

Yesterday I was working quite late (for me) so came straight home and decided maybe a rest from beer would be a good thing - so I had some apple juice that looked uncannily like an NEIPA. 

The Evening Star is probably in equal position for favourite pub along with the Barley Mow - it's just that getting home from the Barley Mow will never involve a dash for the train...