Harvey's Easter Ale

Easter Ale is a rich, pretty strong and full-bodied amber ale, all caramel and sweet malt balanced by a firm, earthy hop bitterness from Fuggles, Pilgrim, Cascade and Goldings. Appropriately, it's a bit like a hot cross bun in beer form - soft malt, a touch of spice, and a subtle fruitiness. A seasonal beer that, unsurprisingly given the name, Harvey's only brew for Eastertime.

Harvey's can fairly claim to be part of England's brewing heritage. They're one of the country's long-established regional breweries still under independent ownership - something of a dying breed - and have been run by the descendants of founder John Harvey since the late eighteenth century, operating from their historic brewery, locally known as the cathedral, in the heart of the Sussex market town of Lewes. Using locally sourced ingredients is high on their list, and their flagship ales are made with hops and malt sourced almost entirely from Sussex, Kent and Surrey. Tradition and continuity are the twin themes that guide them, yet while their best-known ale, Sussex Best, is something of an institution in its own right, they're not shy of embracing contemporary fashions. All of which leaves Harvey's well placed to play a significant part in England's beer culture well into the future.