Charlotte heads to the UnBarred Taproom for an evening of beer and pizza - it's tough job but someone has to do it!

Working at VisitBrighton we not only get to talk about the city we love but we also get to work with a fantastic array of businesses. It is a delightfully eclectic mix and so it is always appreciated when one of the places we work with invites us to visit. Sometimes it's a chance to get to know a new venue, other times it's a great opportunity to revisit a forgotten gem but then sometimes you are asked to review somewhere you already frequent. 

This happened to me this week, in my personal life I am regular visitor to UnBarred. I'm not quite on the level of Norm in Cheers but I'd probably be one of the faces you recognise throughout the series. So, when they asked us to come down to review the taproom, I was a bit hesitant as I already know it well. However, I know it as Charlotte the commuter who likes to pop in before catching the train. But with my reviewer's hat on I would be viewing it from the perspective of a visitor. I feel I should point out that sadly my reviewer's hat is purely figurative and not an actual hat.

So off I went imagining myself as a first-time visitor and while the outside could look a little imposing with its brutalist, metallic fencing once you're through the gate the atmosphere is bustling & welcoming. The terrace features plenty of foliage & rustic furniture, I particularly like the barrels that have been repurposed as tables. Inside you can see the fermentation vessels reminding you that this is the brewery as well as the taproom. Looking at the brewery section, it struck me how incredible it is that UnBarred produce such a wide variety of beers as the brewery doesn't look huge and yet they are regularly creating new flavours as well as the favourites.

Actually, if you will allow me to go off on a slight tangent, I would also like to mention UnBarred's tagline "Made of Brighton". I love the fact they have fully embraced the fact that they are a Brighton brand. Their beers are available nationally and they appear at beer festivals across the country, but they always proudly shout about their home city. The Brighton vibe is evident in their can artwork, which is always colourful, creative, vibrant and often features work by local artists or photographers. Brighton as a city has a community-spirit with businesses looking to collaborate rather than compete and this is something that UnBarred has embraced. They regular produce beers in collaboration not just with other breweries but any other like-minded businesses such as Bird & Blend, Madame Jennifer and Permit Room. I seem to have drifted into fangirl mode but talking about collaborations is a good way for me to segway back into the review... 

We headed to the bar to order, and the helpful and friendly Felipe was on hand to tell us a bit about our options. You can either order a half, a schooner (two-thirds) or a full pint and you are welcome to try a taster of any of the beers before you order. However, if you fancy trying a few I recommend a beer flight, apparently these are sometimes referred to as paddles, but I'll stick with flight. A beer flight is where you get three-thirds, so it's still a pint of beer but instead of trying to pick one brew, you can pick three. The taproom menu does include a couple of curated flights, these will sometimes be staff picks or themed around the season (e.g. Summer IPAs) which can be helpful if you're not sure what to go for. Alternatively, you can go bespoke and pick whichever three catch your eye. I opted for the newest release, a collaboration with Burning Sky - one of the OG craft breweries. I then selected the Albion, a Helles style lager perfect for a warm evening. My final choice was the Honeycomb Milkshake, which is one of their vintage brews, meaning they brew it every year but it's always slightly different. Felipe said that each year when making this drink they will use a different Sussex honey which means each vintage will have its own distinctive flavour. 

With the drinks ordered it was time for pizza and another example of partnership working as UnBarred is now a satellite branch of local pizzeria Fatto a Mano. In fact, they are currently working on a brew with Fatto a Mano - I cannot wait to see what they come up with! But I'm getting ahead of myself, the beer can wait a moment as now it's time to focus on food. After some deliberation we decided to go for the Burrata & Parma and the Pesto, Buffalo & Courgette. Which would have been plenty, but I fancied chips as well, so we got the Campania Fries. The chips almost stole the show as they were topped with garlic & rosemary making them incredibly moreish. However, nothing can beat pizza, especially when it's an authentic Neapolitan pizza with soft dough and fresh ingredients. The toppings were delicious but actually when the pizza is this good, I'd have been just as happy with a simple margarita. Mind you the pesto sauce was scrumptious. Hmm I'm making myself hungry again! You can order food from the friendly staff at the bar but if there's a queue you can use the fancy-new tablet device. We did it the old-fashioned way though so I can't give you any pointers for using the machine, but I thought it was useful to have the option. 

It was great to see so many people enjoying the relaxed atmosphere in the taproom and while most were just chatting in their groups, games are available, and we did witness a couple of people attempt a round of Toad in the Hole. This is a traditional Sussex pub game which involves throwing brass discs (or toads) into a small hole in a table. I'm terrible at it but it's one of those games that is frustrating but also oddly captivating. 

And then all too soon it was time to leave. This taproom tucked away in an unassuming backstreet between Brighton Station and London Road ended up being a little oasis of happiness filled with friendly staff, strange games, scrummy pizza and delicious beer. All the ingredients for a perfect night out. 

Next time I visit I'll be ordering the Benchmark as this was the first brew that UnBarred produced. The Benchmark has been revived for the 10th birthday celebrations and everyone's invited to join the party on Friday 6th September from 5pm. The night will include beer, cake, party games and a DJ. Check the event page for more details. See you there 🥳

Happy Birthday UnBarred! 

Charlotte 

^{All photos taken by the reviewer except for the UnBarred 10 years badge which was sourced from the brewery's Facebook page.}