AN EVENING AT ABYSS
We recently partnered with G.H. Bass to celebrate their 150th anniversary. Local brewery, ABYSS generously came on board to sponsor the event, supplying the beer for what turned into one of our favourite nights of the year.
Following the success of the event, the ABYSS team invited us down to their brewery and taproom in Lewes for a look behind the scenes, a few beers and an evening spent getting to know the people behind the name.
It turns out there’s a lot more to ABYSS than good beer.
FROM THE CELLAR
ABYSS began life in 2016, brewing beneath The Pelham Arms in Lewes. Founders Andy Bridge and Andrew Mellor had met at art school and shared an interest in beer, design, music and the wider culture surrounding independent brewing.
What started small quickly grew. The pair began experimenting with hop-forward beers and developing the bold visual identity that has become synonymous with ABYSS. From those early batches in the pub cellar, the brewery has grown into one of Sussex's most recognisable independent beer names.
The ethos, though, hasn’t changed much.
ABYSS is still driven by curiosity: making beers with personality, trying new things and bringing people together around them.
Their range moves from established favourites like SUPER PALE, GONZO, SUPERFUZZ and DANK MARVIN through to more experimental releases, with their Innovation range giving the brewery room to play around with new styles, ingredients and brewing techniques.
And that sense of experimentation extends beyond what's in the glass. Art, music, food, design and collaboration have always been part of the ABYSS world.
THE BREWERY + TAPROOM
In 2021, ABYSS moved into its current home on Davey's Lane in Lewes.
The building itself has a pretty good story. The brewery and taproom occupy a former 18th-century maltings in one of Lewes' historic brewing quarters, giving ABYSS a modern home with a genuine connection to the town's brewing past.
This is where the magic happens.
Beer is brewed on site and served straight from the tanks, with twelve rotating taps covering everything from hazy pale ales and crisp lagers to stouts, collaborations and more experimental releases.
But the taproom feels like much more than somewhere to drink beer. There’s food from Boho Baja, coffee from neighbouring Tigermoth Roastery, plenty of outdoor space and a regular programme of events, DJs and other goings-on.
It's easy to see why it has become such an important part of the ABYSS story. The brewery isn't hidden away behind the scenes - it's the centre of the experience.
And that's something we can get behind.
OUT OF THE DARKNESS
The name ABYSS has always had a certain sense of mystery to it, but there's something quite fitting about the way the brewery has grown beyond its original home.
From Lewes, ABYSS has started popping up in some pretty interesting places.
This summer, the team took over a spot at The Sidings in Newhaven, putting together a riverside pop-up right on the banks of the River Ouse.
Fresh ABYSS beers, pizza, cocktails, wine and no-alcohol options, all served outside by the water. The pizzas even use a bespoke dough recipe made with ABYSS GONZO Pilsner.
The Newhaven project feels like a natural extension of what ABYSS does best: creating somewhere people want to be, rather than simply putting a bar somewhere and selling beer.
The Sidings has also become a hub for music, DJs, collaborations, food and family-friendly events, with ABYSS playing a part in a wider programme celebrating independent food, drink and creativity in Newhaven.
NEXT STOP: BRIGHTON
And now they're coming to us.
ABYSS are currently working on their next big move: a new Brighton space on Trafalgar Street, right in the heart of the city.
The proposed ABYSS Brighton is set to bring together the things that have become central to the brewery's identity - beer, food, events, creativity and community under one roof.
The plan is for a wide-ranging drinks offering alongside a mix of independent food concepts, with ABYSS beers and collaborations.
There'll be events, creative projects and private hire too, with the space designed to have plenty of energy without losing that sense of intimacy.
For us, it feels like a particularly good fit. Brighton has always been an important part of the ABYSS story, and the brewery already has a strong following in the city. Bringing their own space here feels like the next logical step.
SEE YOU AT THE BAR
What started with a few beers brewed in a pub cellar has grown into a brewery, taproom, summer pop-up and now a new Brighton venue on the horizon.
But spending the evening at ABYSS made one thing particularly clear: the beer is only part of what they're building.
It's about bringing people together. It's about collaboration. It's about creating spaces around food, drink, music, art and good company.
Which is probably why working together felt pretty natural from the start.
A huge thank you to Andy, Andrew and the whole ABYSS team for getting behind our G.H. Bass 150th anniversary event, and for inviting the Peggs & son team down to Lewes afterwards.
The beers were very much appreciated.
We'll see you in Brighton.
