Cardiff microbrewery Mad Dog has opened a taproom in the heart of Brighton – its first outside Wales.
They’ve got a host of vegan, gluten-free, preservative-free brews in their new location.
A few of us – beer lovers and one beer hater – headed along to the launch night and tried a selection of their 14 beers (you know how selfless we are in the name of journalism).
Their easy-drinking Kölsch-style Born Sippy lager went down a treat and their best-selling 5.5 percent saison (Saison D’Etre) was an even bigger hit – “f**king delicous” as our colleague put it.
But even the beer-hating sidekick surprised themselves, declaring the fruity Bramble Tart sour “actually really nice and not too beer-y”. High praise indeed from a non-beer drinker.
But it’s not just about (great) beer. The dog-friendly taproom also serve a range of ciders, wines, soft drinks and spirits, a small but perfectly formed selection of beery cocktails made with spirits from Welsh distilleries, plus a craft alcohol-free beer and selected guest brews.
Taking over the five-storey site that was previously home to Sicilian cafe Monjibello, the storeys are themed to reflect the brewery’s flagship beers, with bright colours, cartoon-style artwork and benches filling the airy spaces. There’s also some outdoor seating on the pedestrianised street, perfect for soaking up those rays, while they last.
The ground floor’s decor is dedicated to the company’s pale ales, such as their second-most popular beer, the Marmalade IPA. The first floor’s all about the amber brews, including chocolate-y Welsh red ale Now In A Minute, while the second floor celebrates stouts and dark beers, like their popular Stouty McStoutFace.
And if you fancy a snack – they’re selling Brighton-based Argentine restaurant Malo’s excellent empanadas. We tried the spicy beef, the cheese and mushroom and the vegan cheese and onion (several times over) and couldn’t pick a favourite.
So who’s behind Mad Dog? Bored of his city job and working from home during the pandemic, beer-loving owner Tim Waters snapped up the Cardiff brewery and taproom at an auction in 2021, making his first foray into brewing. And it’s been a huge success.
Brighton was Tim’s first choice when it came to expanding: “People like to enjoy themselves here… it’s a city that knows its beer, so I’m confident it’s the right place for Mad Dog”.
And Tim told us he plans to open a further taproom in the future – in Cheltenham.
But first he’s got big ideas for Brighton. Think quiz nights and comedy for starters. So get yourself down to Brighton’s newest taproom and enjoy!
24 Duke Street, Brighton, BN1 1AG
maddogbrew.co.uk
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