Downlands (formerly South Downs) Evening Star Revival APA

Tasting Summary

These comments are the opinion of the individual reviewer and represent what they thought of the beer on a particular day in a particular pub. If a review is less favourable, it may be because the beer suffered somewhere in the supply chain between them and the brewery.

The Lamb, Surbiton, Greater London

Who	Score	When	Notes
Hogan Sampling		21 Feb 2026	Presented with very good head and lacing and lasting well on this American Pale Ale and described as a retro in style and from a microbrewery based in Small Dole, West Sussex, set up in 2011 and about 11 to 12 miles north of Brighton. A dry fruited first hit. A fruity hoppiness climbing up from classic American hop varieties such as Cascade, Centennial and Chinook, and with the hallmarks of early-2000s’ West Coast APAs. Its Crystal malt lending it a toffee-apple sweetness alongside its malted barley, typically Maris Otter, giving rise to a biscuity, nutty and toasty bread-crust flavouring landing on my taste buds. A dry but fruited hoppiness dancing out. Presented here in top form. *It is a collaboration beer with the legendary Evening Star pub in Brighton and brewer Rob Jones, a pivotal figure in the British craft beer movement, specifically known for founding the Dark Star Brewing Company in the cellar of the Evening Star in 1994, initially called Skinner's Brewery before it was renamed Dark Star.

The Just Reproach, Deal, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Jack William		12 Feb 2026	We were told that this was the from the Dark Star APA original recipe of 2005. Superb flavour, body and condition.

Furlongs Ale House, Faversham, Kent

Who	Score	When	Notes
Philip Pirrip		19 Dec 2025	Viciously bitter

The Elephant, Faversham, Kent

The Compass Alehouse, Gravesend, Kent

The Harp, Charing Cross, Central London

The River Ale House, East Greenwich, Greater London

Who	Score	When	Notes
Philip Pirrip		29 Jun 2025	Basic citrus job with great clarity
Hogan Sampling		29 Jun 2025	This collaborative Downlands from north-west of Brighton and Evening Star was still puffing well with good head and lacing and lasting on this retro American pale ale now on its second day on. Still a dry and mildly fruity first bite. Its dry full-blown fruitiness prevailing on the mouthfeel. A very strong moreishly hoppy dryness lingering. Did not taste like a 4.8% whereas some can punch above their weight. Notably, this boxer of a pale was punching well below it!
Hogan Sampling		28 Jun 2025	A co-incidence it was this brewery's ale I last tasted earlier on my day-trip to Hastings albeit it was a bitter and not as now a pale. A collaboration between Downlands from north-west of Brighton and Evening Star Brewery, it came full steam ahead with good head and lacing and lasting on this first day on. The tasting notes tell us that this brew follows a classic recipe from 2005 and is a retro American pale ale. My tasting commenced with a dry and mildly fruity bite on the palate. Prevailing was a dry full-blown fruity dryness rising up. Its fruitiness veering into sunset was marked by its very strong hoppy dryness lingering. Not overly fruited I thought for my taste buds.

Nelson Arms, Tonbridge, Kent