arundel welcomes first brewfest in january

Arundel’s craft beer and coffee scene changed this year when Arundel Brewery launched The Brewhouse Project, just 23 miles from Brighton in collaboration with Edgcumbes Coffee. And so, to celebrate their hoppy goodness (and the big beery smiles that they’ve brought to the people of Arundel) they are launching the UK’s first blogger-curated beer, coffee and musical festival in January 2020. Enter, Brewfest, taking place across three days on Friday 24th, Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th January. What better way to celebrate the end of dry Januray a little early?

Now the team behind The Brewhouse Project know a thing or two when it comes to beer, but for their first festival they are going all out, working with the expertise and opinion of some of the best-loved UK beer bloggers to curate 38 beers for festival-goers to try, as well as a headline music set from James Walsh of Starsailor. Where do we sign up? (Keep reading to find out…)

Four appears to be the magic number, as the venue will be split into four rooms including a heated outdoor marquee and live room for the music line-up, with the festival also split into four sessions across the weekend and separate tickets for each. The first session on Friday 24th January will kick off at 6.00pm until 10.00pm, with Saturday sessions running from 12.00pm until 4.00pm and then again at 6.00pm until 10.00pm. Sunday is a free day, based on a ‘first come first served’ basis, so get there early to see the final session that will close the festival, running from 12.00pm until 4.00pm.

If it’s the craft beer you’re into, then this will be the place to be in January, with the first lot of brewery partnerships including North Brewing Co, Burning Sky (a favourite of ours), Pipeline Brewing Co, Atom, Little Monster and, most importantly, a very special collaboration by Lost Pier x Vibrant Forest especially for Brewfest. If it’s more the music part of the festival that is a bit of you, then James Walsh of Starsailor – who we hear has sold three million records worldwide – will be joined by Portsmouth’s Colour of the Jungle (the dudes pictured below), Tom Brighton, Paddy Taylor who recently supported the Kaiser Chiefs, as well as a host of local favourites including Tom Bruce, Emily Barden, Chris Eaton, James Harris and Piers Ellison. So there will be plenty to shake your craft beer tail-feather at.

brewfest

The beer bloggers will be on the mezzanine (where the brews are) to chat guests through their chosen pours and festival guests will get a commemorative glass, which you can use throughout the festival, as well as a complimentary first beer pour, included in their £12 ticket price. Not bad at all. Although it’s not far from Arundel train station, they will be running a coach service for each session, which is just an extra £5 per person. If you have a designated driver in your crew, then they can grab themselves a festival ticket with a complimentary soft drink for £5.

If you’d rather swap a frothy pint for a flat white, then the main Brewhouse Project bar will be hosting coffee masterclasses and freshly roasted coffee from Edgcumbes Coffee. As well as the Brewhouse Project’s pizza and cafe offering, local street food favourites, Mann & More, will be bringing their Michelin-trained chefs to cook an American BBQ feast, while Halloumilicious will be serving up some veggie favourites too.

Here’s the line-up, so you know which tickets to get here:

  • Friday 24th January; Colour of the Jungle  + Emily Barden & Chirs Eaten + James Harris
  • Saturday 25th January – afternoon; James Walsh (Starsailor) + Paddy Taylor + Tom Bruce
  • Saturday 25th January – evening; Secret Special Guests + Tom Bright + Piers Ellison
  • Sunday 26th January; Open Mic – First Come First Served

Friday 24th – Sunday 26th January 2020; times vary as above. Tickets on sale from 10.00am on Wednesday 25th September, strictly over 18s. Check back here for the Eventbrite link!
The Brewhouse Project, Calceto Lane, Lyminster Road, Arundel BN17 7QL
brewhouseproject.co.uk