Congratulations to the Rye Waterworks!

My last very recent visit to the Rye Waterworks micropub (website) had me chatting to David the publican and discovering that the CAMRA (South East Sussex branch) has voted the Waterworks as their Cider Pub of the Year 2022, so congratulations are most definitely in order to David, Ulla and Eddie (who weren't there whilst I was this time), and all staff, including Lotte and Morganne, who were serving up fine drinks to myself and other customers, cheers!

Before David shared the information with me I had already drunk a pint of the very tasty and refreshing 3.8% Old Dairy Uber Brew (website), which I have written about before, and the (new to me) 3.6% Hopfuzz Fallout (website), described as a "zingy" session IPA, which had a dry bitter finish and an aroma I couldn't work out, but 'twasn't bad. BUT! David had told me about the cider award, so I had to try a couple of the (many) ciders available, luckily I had only tried the 2 weaker session ales so far...

Usually I would post a photograph of the board that tells you what ales and ciders are available, but it is a very shaky image I'm afraid, and I had, beforehand, walked up the hill to the Church of St Mary, and taken this photograph of their Burne-Jones stained glass window (Rye website), and it's well worth a visit! I own up to having an interest in the Pre-Raphaelite artists and Arts & Crafts movement of the 19th century, and it's a beautiful window... 

Anyway, to the ciders... I started cautiously and had a pint of the just 5.5% Nightingale Tenterden Cider (website), a 'wild fermented' cider, that is, the natural yeasts of the apples are used in fermentation, then it's matured for at least 6 months. My notes say "pale, slightly hazy, and very nice!" I liked it very much indeed; I do need to drink more cider. 😉

My second cider, and I was tempted to stay longer, but common sense won the day, anyway, my second cider was the slightly stronger, and crystal clear, 6.9% Double Vision Cider. This was a bit more complex, dry bitter finish, and very good too, although I did prefer the 5.5% cider. But I was taken back to my Devon years (blog). 

And, if you haven't already read it I do give more information about the Rye Waterworks, including historical details, in this blog from nearly 4 years ago, and congratulations again!

Return to Rye Waterworks...

Well, I didn't walk there and back this time, indeed, a quiet Friday and it seemed a good time to catch the train back to Rye (£6.30 cheap day return from Hastings, not bad) and revisit the Rye Waterworks micropub (facebook) on the corner of Tower Street and Rope Walk, TN31 7AT. Not much more work on the building to do for David now, I imagine, just the usual upkeep, and no doubt he has many small alterations he wants to make here and there! Anyway, I wrote about the history of this lovely cool wee building before, so, if you haven't already read it I suggest you go to my previous blog, cheers!

This was the array of beers and ciders I was presented with even before entering the building, so a good time to talk about what I had to drink, regular readers will know I prefer pale hoppy ales, but, as you can see, there is a good variety of traditional bitters, darker ales, and ciders too. I went for 3 of the ales again on this visit... From Hopfuzz of West Hythe (website), and remember, David sources his beers from a 20 mile radius of Rye, I began with their 3.6% Fallout, a golden session bitter, with a slight maltiness and hints of fruits, starting off with a sweetness to the taste, but a nice bitter finish. Not a bad start at all...

Then I moved on to the stronger ale from Romney of New Romney (website), their 5% American Pale, slightly darker golden/amber, does what it says on the label, apparently using American hops that may change between brews, eg they have so far used Azacca, Citra, Summit and Simcoe hops in their brews. I'm guessing they hadn't used Citra in this brew, at least I didn't detect any hints, this ale had much more body, as you'd expect, a little bit too sweet for me at first taste, but certainly dries out with a nice bitter finish, getting there...

Before I go on to the third ale of the day I'll quickly mention that David is now providing local gins for customers too, a selection of which arrived just after I wandered in; and included Tom Cat Dry Sussex Gin (website), Chapel Down Bacchus Gin (website), and Mayfield Sussex Hop Gin (website). I'm also aware that David is also seeking out local producers of perry, indeed, as I write, so there's even more to look forward to...

Oh! And remember that I told you in my previous blog that, basically, if it's not nailed down, all the furniture and curios at Rye Waterworks are for sale, consequently every time you visit you are likely to be witnessing a slightly different micropub. See the image below for a comparison from the last time I visited, similar view/different furniture.

Oh yes, and my final ale, well actually I had more than just the one pint of it, but I do like their regular pale session bitter, from The Three Legs of Broad Oak (website), that is the 3.7% Pale. I haven't written much different in my notes this time: "pale golden, lovely, dry and bitter, fruity aroma and taste, very nice!" And with a smiley face too 😊

Anything else to add? Well I ate one of their locally produced (that morning!) Scotch Eggs (please look away of you're vegetarian), it was nice, tasty and large, and served up with English Mustard and/or a very locally produced spicy chutney, indeed, made by David's next door neighbour I seem to remember him saying, both Scotch Egg and Chutney were quite delicious!

I must have enjoyed myself, because I stayed for a few hours, cool inside on a hot day, nice ale and food, and plenty of pleasant company and dscourse...

Finally, for today, David told me that, due to the huge number of charities that keep asking for support or wanting him to display their collection boxes, he has chosen just the one local charity as the defined charity of Rye Waterworks, ie Little Gate Farm (website), which "helps adults and children with Learning Disabilities and Autism." Nice one, cheers again David!