Tap 'n' Barrel, Wigan

Micropub located adjacent to Wigan's bus station. It has a ground floor seating area with stools against a shelf along the wall and windows, with tables available either upstairs or in an outdoor courtyard to the rear. Hawkshead Windermere Pale is the regular beer. Guests were Abbeydale Moonshine & Phoenix Heywood Pale Ale, whilst ciders were Thistly Cross Whisky Cask & Lilley's Tropical, Peach & Strawberry. This was my first visit here and I agree with Quinno below. With limited time, we left out the Anvil and the Swan & Railway to ensure we tried the Tap 'n' Barrel. I will prioritise the other two next time I am in Wigan.

Mews-based micro which sends Googlemap into a spin. Not a purists micro, as there was loud music. Pea green walls and high stool wall shelf seating meant I wasn’t particularly enamoured on first impression, but the plentiful wall sockets were a plus. Three cask and the usual alternative offerings, my Abbeydale (NBSS 4) and Mobberley (3) justified its GBG’23 inclusion. Also some ciders, which seem to be oddly popular up here. Worth going if you haven’t been but I’m not sure whether I’d give up time at the fabulous double-header at the station on my next visit to Pietown. 6.5

Tap ‘N’ Barrel is in a nice location sitting in Jaxon’s Court behind a couple of picnic tables on the path out front. The bar is quite small with serving counter to the right that faces a beer shelf along the left wall with eleven bar stools. Another beer shelf is in the front window with a couple more stools. The six handpumps on the bar were drawing three Lilley’s ciders alongside another cider and two cask ales, Saltaire Brewery’s Cascade and Phoenix Brewery’s Arizona (Dry as a Desert). There are also five fonts for the craft keg. The governor here is obviously a rocker with rock music playing and guitars pinned to the walls as decoration. At the rear is a open plan seating area, but I preferred sitting in the bar. I couldn’t stay in here all night, but another pint is on the cards for next time I’m in town.

Visited mid-week in the afternoon. Six hand pulls at the bar, with three offering cask ales and the other three offering ciders. A premium keg selection was also noted, but nothing too crafty. At the time of my visit the cask ales were Phoenix Hopsack, Settle Jericho and Hawkshead Windermere Pale. Inside there are a few tables and stools in the bar area, picnic tables to the front outside, and a further half indoors half outdoors room to the rear with additional seating. Upstairs are the gents toilets and a further seating area. Service was friendly and I wouldn't mind paying another visit.

Tucked away down a shopping arcade,this brick building has an attractive curved frontage ,yet has a stripped out feel both on the ground floor but more particularly on the first floor,which just has some high stools and a drinking shelf.This is the tap for Martland Mill brewery and the 6 handpumps were drawing their D Day Dodger,Ancient & Loyal,Spinners Gold,Lancashire Loom and Wobbly Weaver with no sign of any guest beers. If you like Martland Mill brews you may like this micro,but our verdict was that their malty,hop lite ales were not to our taste.Cheap but maybe for a reason,this micro lacked atmosphere and customers.