Meridian Beer

Iconic East Sussex brewery Harvey's is re-branding its beer range. The new look was officially unveiled at the trade session of the Great British Beer Festival.

The re-brand also includes plans to formally expand the brewery's sales area throughout the UK. Historically it has only sold beer to customers within a 60-mile radius of the brewery, but the British beer boom has prompted it to offer beer further afield.

"We've got two centuries of expertise in brewing and we're well known by our loyal customers and discerning drinkers for being the original Sussex brewer - making the finest quality beers," said Harvey's Brewery spokesman Bob Trimm.

"But we've also got plenty to offer a new generation of drinkers and we think our new visual branding will make it easier for them - and those who already love our beers - to find us on the bar."

It's caused quite a surprise. But new Government guidelines on how much alcohol we can safely drink have been issued, which say it's safer to drink nothing at all.

Doctors are hoping the new guidelines will drive down rates of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. For many it's well timed - as dozens of people try to abstain for Dry January.

But as Matt Price reports it's angered some campaign groups.

Bob Copper from the village of Rottingdean in Sussex was one of the leading folk singers in the country.

Now, a special beer has been launched by Harveys Brewery in Lewes to mark the 100th anniversary of his birth.

Other members of the Copper family carry on the tradition of singing, and were there to see the commemorative beer being made.

Lauren Hampshire spoke to Bob's son John, and Head Brewer Miles Jenner.

A new beer has been created to help traders suffering since a devastating fire destroyed part of Eastbourne Pier.

The Long Man Brewery in East Sussex has teamed up with Eastbourne-based Curious Beer Club to support businesses affected by last month's blaze.

All profits up to #10,000 from the sale of the Craft Pier beer will go into a benevolent fund to help firms get back into business.

The fire on July 30 left the dome-shaped amusement arcade near the 144-year-old pier's entrance a scorched shell. Everyone escaped unharmed.<

It was initially suspected that an electrical fault could have caused the blaze, but Sussex Police are now treating it as "suspicious". No arrests have been made.

They were once a familiar sight in our towns and cities. Most breweries used dray horses to deliver barrels of beer to pubs and ale houses, but sadly they were made redundant by mechanised horse power.

Now, though, a brewery in Sussex is turning back the clock and its horses are becoming a firm favourite with people with in and around Lewes. Charlotte Wilkins has been to see them at work.

Britain's oldest brewer is to take on the world. Shepherd Neame, based in Faversham, have agreed a deal with an international distributor to sell their products around the globe.

They are hoping to cash in on what is seen as an increasing thirst for British beer in overseas markets. Alongside this deal, the company has also agreed to tie up with a North American brewer which will see it expand existing output in Canada and the United States.

Kent's first female brewer has joined a campaign urging the region's beer producers to use home grown hops over cheaper foreign imports. Karen Goody is one of a growing number of brewers promoting a new way of using hops as Tom Savvides explains.