UK Real Ale Journey:
Hobsons, Thwaites,
Traquair, York, &
Peak District Pub Walk 1
Owen Ogletree & Don Beistle Writers for Southern Brew News October
2008
Webpage/Photos
by
Owen Ogletree - Posted October 2008
Owen is a USA BJCP National Beer Judge, beer traveler, award-winning
homebrewer, founder of the Classic City Brew Fest and Atlanta Cask Ale
Tasting, and beer columnist for Southern Brew News and Athens Magazine.
Contact Owen (link at bottom) with any
comments or questions.
Hobsons
Hobsons is one of our very favorite UK real ale brewers - and we are in
good company - Hobsons Mild won grand champion beer of Britain back in
2007. The Hobsons tasting room/pub in Cleobury Mortimer serves the
delightful range of the Hobsons brews.
Hobsons
Pictured above is Don Beistle enjoying his first pint of the amazing
Hobsons Mild at the brewery tap in Cleobury Mortimer.
Hobsons
Hobson's brewery tap pub is located in the center of the tiny town of
Cleobury Mortimer. There are pleasant sleeping rooms upstairs.
Hobsons
Hobsons is a small, quaint brewery located just outside of town.
Hobsons
Hobsons produces an excellent range of traditional English ales: Best
Bitter, Manor Ale, Mild, Blond, Town Crier, and Old Henry Premium
Bitter.
Traquair
Owen and Don made their way to beautiful Traquair House in the south of
Scotland. Nearly a thousand years old, this ancient manor house has
been well preserved and is now home to a classic brewery.
Traquair Traquair House brewery was founded in 1965 by Peter
Maxwell Stuart, 20th Laird of Traquair. Since his death in 1990 the
brewery has been managed by his daughter Catherine Maxwell Stuart.
Traquair
Catherine Maxwell Stuart is tireless in her efforts to preserve and
promote the classic beers produced in her manor's small brewhouse.
Traquair
Join Catherine, Owen Ogletree, and Don Beistle on an informal walk
through the brewery in October of 2008
Traquair
Traquair House brewery owner, Catherine Maxwell Stuart, discusses the
history of the Scottish ale brewery and gives a tour of the gift shop.
Traquair
When Mary Queen of Scots visited Traquair in 1566 a brewery was in
place, and a 200 gallon brewhouse was installed in 1739 beneath the
chapel.
Traquair
The brewery was not used for over 200 years and then re-opened in 1965
by Peter Maxwell Stuart. The classic Traquair House Scotch Ale produced
here is a rich, full-bodied, and complex world classic.
Traquair
Visitors to Traquair may purchase a pass that allows them to tour the
house, museum and grounds..
Traquair
Traquair even has an entertaining hedge maze.
Traquair
Don attempts to snap a photo of one of the many sculptures found on the
grounds of Traquair House.
Traquair
Traquair's bear gates have been locked since Prince Charles Edward
Stuart left from a visit in 1745. It has been promised that the gates
would remain locked until a Stuart once again assumes the Scottish
throne.
Thwaites
Thwaites is a big, traditional cask ale brewery located in the
industrial town of Blackburn in Lancashire. The above photo was taken
in the Thwaites visitor center's tasting room.
Thwaites
Picture above is Lee Williams, Marketing Manager for Thwaites, in the
brewery's tasting room cask cellar.
Thwaites
Thwaites produces an excellent range of smooth, clean, flavorful real
ales that includes Bomber, Shuttle Double Century, and Wainwright. The
beers have recently been imported to the states.
Thwaites
An authentic, family run, British brewery with a 200 year heritage
- Thwaites is an impressive fixture in downtown Blackburn.
Thwaites
The brewery still employs traditional, open fermenters and classic
procedures in the production of their cask-conditioned ales.
Thwaites
Thwaites beer has been brewed in Blackburn, England since 1807. Hear
from the head brewer, Steve Fielding, in the fermentation room.
Thwaites
Cask ales get their carbonation from yeast and residual sugars that
remain in the cask. Soft pegs vent the excess gas, and hard pegs seal
the cask when carbonation levels are perfect.
Thwaites
Don and Owen head into the sampling room at Thwaites. Bottled versions
of the Thwaites ales won several awards in a subsequent Brewtopia
Events blind tasting.
Thwaites
Join Owen Ogletree for a visit to the real ale cellar of the Grey Mare
Pub near Blackburn in Lancashire, UK. The pub serves the range of ales
from the nearby Thwaites brewery.
York
Before our visit to York, we make a stopover in Tadcaster to visit the
beautiful Samuel Smith brewery and have a pint or two at the brewery
tap.
York
The small York Brewery first made beer back in 1996 and owns several
pubs in and around the city of York. Beers include Guzzler, Stonewall,
Decade, Yorkshire Terrier and Centurion's Ghost Ale.
York
The Last Drop Inn is the first of York Brewery's pubs to open. It's
located at 27 Colliergate.
York
Golden Lion (9 Church Street) is a cozy central pub that's popular with
locals and visitors. A fine selection of real ale is offered
consistently.
York
The Yorkshire Terrier pub (10 Stonegate) is just as cute as its
namesake pooch. A lot of pub is packed into a small space.
York
Punch Bowl (7 Stonegate) is a wonderful old York pub with three rooms
and well kept real ales.
York
Maltings, located at Tanners Moat, is filled with interested
memorabilia, antiques, and excellent beer and cider.
York
Yorkshire Hussar (15 North Street) offers a fine range of guest beers
in a nicely refurbished setting.
York
Cock & Bottle (61 Skeldergate) is a one room pub with warming stove
fireplace near the river.
York
York is loaded with sights, sounds, and fine pubs to please any
visitor.
York
Rook & Gaskill Inn can be found at 12 Lawrence Street and serves up
one of the best selections of real cask ale in the city. Check out the
amazing array of pump clips on the ceiling.
York
Meltons Too (25 Walmgate) is first and foremost a restaurant, but they
do pour a couple of beers from the York Brewery.
York
The Blue Bell at 53 Fossgate, a favorite with local CAMRA members, has
several different drinking rooms and around seven handpumps. This was
CAMRA's York Pub of the Year in 2007.
Peak District Pub Walk 1
Pictured above is Dave, proprietor of the welcoming King William pub
and inn located at The Bridge, Milford, Belper, Derbyshire. The King
William is the ideal place to stay if you are doing Walk 1 of Bob Steel's Peak District Pub Walks book.
Peak District Pub Walk 1
The Holly Bush Inn, just a short walk from King William, is a
delightful highlight of Bob Steel's Chevin
and Derwent Valley Heritage Way from Belper walk.
Peak District Pub Walk 1
I was lucky enough to visit The Holly Bush on one of the pub's
festival days (also see photo of Charlotte at top). Over 20 delightful
cask ales were being offered at once. What a find!
Peak District Pub Walk 1
Wheel Inn is located on the walk at Chapel Street in Holbrook.
Peak District Pub Walk 1
The Dead Poet's Inn is a personable pub near the Wheel Inn on Chapel
Street.
Peak District Pub Walk 1
Cross Keys pub (35 Market Place, Belper) is the last stop on the Peak
District pub walk 1 and is part of the excellent chain of pubs owned by
Bateman's
Brewery in Wainfleet.
Nottingham
Near the end of our cask ale journey, we made a stop at the ancient
Olde Trip to Jerusalem pub (1 Brewhouse Yard, Nottingham). Some say
this is the oldest pub in the country, dating back to 1189. Some of the
rooms are carved out of the base-rock for Nottingham castle, and the
cellar alone is quite amazing.
Nottingham
A favorite artifact found in Olde Trip to Jerusalem is this cursed
galleon model. It is said that anyone who cleans the model ship will
die a quick death. So far, everyone who has dared clean it, did pass
away shortly after. The ship now rests safely in a glass case in the
upstairs room of the pub.
