Ouse Booze Returns – 25 Years Since the Lewes Floods

On 12 October 2000, the River Ouse burst its banks, flooding much of Lewes – including our brewery.
Brewing was abandoned that day, with two half-full fermenting vessels of strong malt sugars left standing as the river raged through the brewhouse. We combined them into a single vessel and left it to ferment naturally while the floodwaters receded beneath us over the course of thirty-six hours.

The beer that emerged was bottled and aptly named Ouse Booze, sold in aid of the Lewes Flood Appeal. It became a testament to the resilience of both Lewes and our brewery’s enduring spirit of perseverance.

Now, twenty-five years on, we’ve faithfully recreated Ouse Booze to mark the 25th anniversary of the Lewes Floods. Brewed using the same techniques, malt, and hops sourced from the original growers, it’s smooth and full-bodied, with a gentle sweetness and abundant hop character. This special edition has also been released in a limited canning of 440ml cans.

During the floods, many of our empty casks floated out to sea and were later spotted by passengers aboard the Newhaven to Dieppe ferry. The flood caused over £2 million in damage, and we were told it would take nine months to get back on our feet. Nine days later, we were brewing again.

As our Head Brewer and Joint Managing Director Miles Jenner recalls:

“A calamity brew, ‘Ouse Booze’, was born of disaster, yet captured the resilience and creativity of our team and town in the face of crisis.

This anniversary edition has been brewed from the same hops, the same strength, the same maltsters, and as a single copper brew, just as it was that day. Hopefully, it will be as warmly received as the original.”

In the run-up to the anniversary on 12 October, we’ll be sharing a series of short interviews on our social media channels with Harvey’s staff who were here that day and still work with us today.

Several community events are also taking place across Lewes to commemorate the floods, including “Lewes Floods: Learning from the Past, Preparing for the Future” on 31 October 2025.

Ouse Booze is available now from our Brewery Shop and online, and on draught in selected pubs that flooded 25 years ago, including The John Harvey Tavern, The Dorset, The Gardeners Arms, and the Brewery Shop itself.

Image credits: Flood imagery kindly supplied by The Friends of Lewes.