The Brewery Tap, Luton

Following a period of closure which was the end result of a slow death of very limited and unpredictable opening hours, the Brewery Tap has now reopened. It has been tidied up but no major refurbishment has taken place. I visited a couple of days after the reopening and the operators were clearly finding their feet. One cask beer was on offer (Abbot) but the quality was poor. I will try again soon and may then give a rating.

A quick lunchtime visit while waiting for a bus from the nearby stops, this pub hasn't changed much since the previous reviews, other than the beer garden is rather bigger and more luxurious than it used to be. There are still TVs showing sports channels and some food is offered. There was only one ale on offer, which was Greene King IPA and was of acceptable quality.

Situated at the edge of the town centre, this old worldish pub has been known to have been licenced since 1894 although the building appears to be a great deal older. It was originally 2 separate buildings until a fatal fire in 1979 in the neighbouring bookshop. The pub was closed for 2 years whilst the 2 premises were merged into what we have today. The Brewery if the pubs name was the Phoenix Brewery situated on the other side of the road, a forerunner of Flowers who were eventually swallowed up Whitbread. Today the Brewery Tap is owned by Greene King. The interior does have a certain degree of charm with plenty of low beams, stone flooring and exposed brickwork although it is clear the bulding has been much altered. The front section is sunken with the main bar up a few steps in the central body of the pub. There were a couple of TV’s showing the lunchtime football (with sound) and at the rear is a decent patio garden with a marquee. It wasn’t very busy but I didn’t get the impression of it being unwelcoming in any way. The range of ales was at the better end of the Greene King spectrum with the ubiquitous IPA joined by St Edmunds Ale, 1799 Porter and the Halloween seasonal Howell At The Moon. Food was basic but good value at around £5-£6 for main courses. A Thursday curry club was also advertised and Students/OAP’s also receive a 20% discount at certain times. Luton isn’t reknowned for its quality pubs and this wasn’t one that I had initially bookmarked for a visit but as a lucky dip I was pleasantly surprised enough to include it on a future visit.