The Cherry Tree, Wakefield

A neat Victorian terraced pub opposite a gorgeous Georgian church. Two bars, one marked Taproom on the right, no beer dispensers of any form in there so I went left into the Lounge and Dining Room. Quite a tasteful modern interior with the counter on the right as you enter, a mix of high and low light coloured furniture including a few banquettes. There is exposed brick and ceiling joists, laminate floor with nice modern tiles round the counter. The far end has a raised dining area. The taproom is similar but plainer. Four pulls, one unclipped, a Landlord and two from smaller local (and on-site) breweries, Horbury White Hawk an attempted hop bomb not to my taste and one labelled Cherry Tree Brew Co The Green Eyed Monster, also not to my taste. They will do a flight of three beers from Cherry Tree and Horbury. Eight solos of standard kegs and Clarkson’s Hawkstone stuff, the back wall has ten keg taps helpfully labelled Craft Beers, other than macro craft I spotted Northern Monk, Tiny Rebel and maybe Vocation there. A screen above the counter promised a Hawkstone tasting evening with “a very special guest” could it be the great man himself? Very quiet, only two customers came and went as I sat there. Constant music a bit overloud otherwise not a bad place.

The brewery tap for Horbury Ales, and at the time of my visit there were eight hand pumps, with half featuring their own beers. However, I see on their website they have recently constructed an outside bar featuring Beavertown product. Anyway, back to April and I enjoyed my first visit to this pub, with an interior featuring exposed brickwork and not too much grey paint, as I noted at the time. Though I did struggle with the high tables near the bar - my fault for having such short legs. Sorry, guys. You'd think that a beer with a name like Hop Assailant would be pretty memorable, but failing to say anything in my notebook means I have drawn a blank there. I do know that I got a friendly welcome and that the background music was kept where its name suggests it should be. Date of visit: 14th April 2022