Some of the world’s finest beer, wine and cider producers are again showcasing their wares in Lewes this summer as part of These Hills festival. Thousands of people will descend on the East Sussex town for this widely acclaimed two-day event.
These Hills showcases beer from more than 35 international breweries across three sessions on Fri 16 – Sat 17 JUNE, with producers from as far away as Melbourne and New York offering their premium brews at the festival’s fantastic rural venue – a mere 20-minute walk from the town’s train station.
“Our inaugural festival was held last year, and we were delighted that it sold-out despite some of the largest rail strikes in UK history,” says festival organiser, Daniel Tapper. “This year promises to be even bigger and better with much more on offer than just beer, including low intervention wine and cider and dishes from a roster of award-winning street-food stalls, such as Slice Culture, Original Patty Men, Caccia & Tails and Field & Flame. We’ve also introduced a dance tent with an incredible line-up of DJs and live music.”
Perhaps unusually for a food and drink festival, These Hills features a series of folk rituals on the Saturday evening session, starting with a procession and culminating in the burning of an effigy as ‘an offering to the beer gods.’
“It’s an absolutely stunning setting surrounded by the South Downs National Park, including rolling fields of barley, which of course is a key ingredient in beer,” adds Tapper.
“As such, it felt right and proper to perform some kind of ceremony as a thank you to mother nature. The exact details of the ritual are top secret but we promise it’ll be a real spectacle.”
The event is being organised by Beak Brewery. Since launching two years ago, the Lewes-based business has tripled capacity and now exports its beer to a dozen countries, including Australia, Singapore and Japan. The Campaign for Real Ale (Camra) recently named one of its beers, Parade, as one of the world’s best IPAs.
For more information and tickets (£25pp), visit www.beakbrewery.com/these-hills Tickets include a 10% discount on bulk purchases, access to the festival along with a free drink, tote bag and bespoke glass.
