Chalk downs, orchards and hop gardens run straight into seaside towns along this stretch of England, and the brewing scene follows the same mix of old and new. Kent and Sussex still wear their hop-growing history in the oast houses and farm taprooms dotted between the fields, while newer breweries have moved into railway arches, industrial estates and old maltings from Brighton to Margate. Cider makers share the same orchards, and the two traditions often sit side by side on the same bar. Close enough to London for weekend trade but distinct enough to have their own character, breweries across Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire and the Thames Valley range from one-person farm operations through to outfits shipping cans well beyond the county line. Prices move fast along this coast, and we keep tabs on the lot, from farm-gate discounts to the full range each shop carries, so what you see here is what's actually live. You'll find independent off-licences and bottle shops tucked into market towns and seafront parades, several doubling as tasting rooms come the weekend. Whether you're after a hazy pale from a Sussex farmhouse or a case of something more traditional from further along the coast, it's worth a regular look, since what's on offer shifts more often than most people expect.
The full UK brewery and bottle shop directory · Find breweries, pubs & shops near you · Every live deal