Carpenters Arms, Maldon

A back street boozer located just a short stroll from the High Street, but located sufficiently out of the way that it’s not likely to get anything in the way of passing trade and consequently had quite a local’s feel to it on our recent visit with a very male dominated clientele. Internally it consists of a couple of rooms, with a larger bar to the right and a smaller lounge to the left. There was a low beamed ceiling and wood strip on the floor whilst the bar to the right had a TV screen and a darts board. A small brick fireplace and wood burning stove were in the lounge to the left along with a map of the local area on the wall. A selection of woodworking planes were arranged along a shelf. Beers on tap were Sharp’s Sea Fury, Adnams Southwold, Adnams Ghost Ship, Proper Job, Crouch Vale Yakima Gold and Franklyn Black Water. The cider selection was very extensive, and besides Stowford Press on tap consisted of Traditional, Original and Whisky Cask from Thistly Cross, Mango, Tropicana, Pear & Raspberry, Rhubarb, Red Rabbit, Badger’s Spit and Gladiator from Lilley’s, Black Dragon, Fire Fox and Dog Dancer from Gwynty DDraig, Snailsbank Very Perry, Sandford Orchard’s Fanny’s Bramble, Cotswold Cider’s Horn Blower, Kentish Pip’s Fire Spice and Original Somerset Cider Company’s Perry. Quite an amazing selection, especially for an area not particularly known for it’s cider production.

For me this was the hidden gem of Maldon being tucked away down a side road off the Western end of the High Street. Apparently it was the Grays Brewery Tap which ceased brewing in 1952 (Brewery History Society booklet) or 1954 (Grays web site) or the late fifties (What Pub). Inside it's a long and narrow room with a central bar, a public bar area to the left and a larger area to the right. It's a good old fashioned local boozer with wooden floorboards and old beams but because the weather was closing in I didn't have as long to spend here as I would have liked. There were five beers available of which I managed to note four, Mighty Oak Kings, North Yorkshire Boro Best, Sharp's Special and Adnam's bitter. I went for the Mighty Oak Kings (£3.20) which was a great beer in excellent condition. This place was a welcome relief from the Spoons and the waterfront pubs where most people seemed to go mainly to eat. It's GBG 2015 listed and deservedly so.