Brewery Tap's

[JohnW]

Having visited a number of brewery taps over the last few years I thought I would try and compose a top five favorite visits. So in no particular order......

http://www.oldpoets.co.uk/
The Old Poets Corner is a fantastic pub, the sort you really have to make an effort to leave. Food is delicious and the portions are ample. Home of the Ashover Brewery.

http://www.bateman.co.uk/visitors+centre
The brewery tap is situated in an old windmill which is part of the brewery. Good shop and the beer garden is great in the summer. Interesting Brewery Experience walk.

http://www.beamish-hall.co.uk/stables/micro-brewer...
Picturesque pub/restaurant in fantastic surroundings. Eight ales brewed on the premises were on offer when I was there. Food recommended.

http://www.churchendbrewery.co.uk/
Eight Church End ales on offer. Mouthwatering local cheeses for sale. Can take your own cold food to help with the consumption of the moreish ales.

http://www.hooky.co.uk/content/our-pubs/pear-tree-...
Brewery tap for the nearby Hook Norton Brewery. Good range of 'Hooky' ales. Only 2 minutes walk from the brewery which has been my best brewery tour to date.

There are still plenty of brewery taps I have yet to visit, so please post your favorite taps.

Cheers

[PugwasHDJ80]

What's a brewery Tap? It's not a term i've come across before (and hopefully i'm not alone in this!)

[vladcjelli]

PugwasHDJ80 said:

What's a brewery Tap? It's not a term i've come across before (and hopefully i'm not alone in this!)

Flat beer?

[central]

Brewery Tap's what?

[kiteless]

There are a few more in Shropshire, but these two are my favourites:

The Three Tuns for The Three Tuns Brewery

The Plough Inn for The Wood Brewery

[Baryonyx]

I may go and check out the one at Beamish Hall sometime. It's not all that far from home.

[Truckosaurus]

PugwasHDJ80 said:

What's a brewery Tap? It's not a term i've come across before (and hopefully i'm not alone in this!)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pub#Brewery_tap

Surely looking it up would be quicker than typing the question into PH.

[PugwasHDJ80]

which gives you this:

Brewery tap

A brewery tap is the nearest outlet for a brewery's beers. This is usually a room or bar in the brewery itself, though the name may be applied to the nearest pub. The term is not applied to a brewpub which brews and sells its beer on the same premises

Which doesn't tell me anything.

Why are they special? why are they any different to a normal pub? why would you seek one out?

[JohnW]

PugwasHDJ80 said:

Why are they special? why are they any different to a normal pub? why would you seek one out?

Depends on how much you are into ales.
The taps that I have visited have mostly been very informative regarding the history of the brewery. The staff are usually well informed on the ales that they sell and occasionally will give a brief look behind the scenes without going through the whole brewery tour thing.
As a homebrewer I have an interest in the brewing process and have a few times come away with some ingredients on the house.
A good if not complete range of ales brewed are on offer, and as you would expect from source, are always in tip top condition, also some ales on offer are not usually seen outside the local area.
Some brewerys have glass partitions so you can see the work going on in the brewhouse while sipping the final produce. The smell of a brewery is not to everyones taste, but there is something special about the faint aroma of a brewery while sipping good ale.
One thing is that not all brewery taps are the same, they do differ, from proper pubs with the brew plant in a building in the car park to industrial units with a bar built under the same roof.

Cheers

[Ultuous]

kiteless said:

The Plough Inn for The Wood Brewery

Not been there since I was kid (infact I'd forgotten it existed and whereabouts it was!) - will pop in for a pint when I'm next home!

[kiteless]

Ultuous said:

kiteless said:

The Plough Inn for The Wood Brewery

Not been there since I was kid (infact I'd forgotten it existed and whereabouts it was!) - will pop in for a pint when I'm next home!

Just make sure you go for one of the original brews; especially Parish and Wonderful. They still have that distinctive Wood's character (jam-like fruitiness with a lovely smoky malt background).

[RichB]

PugwasHDJ80 said:

which gives you this:

Brewery tap

A brewery tap is the nearest outlet for a brewery's beers. This is usually a room or bar in the brewery itself, though the name may be applied to the nearest pub. The term is not applied to a brewpub which brews and sells its beer on the same premises

Which doesn't tell me anything.

Why are they special? why are they any different to a normal pub? why would you seek one out?

Well it does really, tells you its the outlet for the brewer' s beer which is most closely attached to the brewery.

P.s not a pub with a trendy micro brewery though...

[jjones]

hook norton? nice place, shame the beer is crap!

would suggest Purity Brewery http://www.puritybrewing.com/ , cocked hat and all that