Market Vaults, Tamworth

A gorgeous little traditional Joule's pub, nice and woody with a back room up a couple of steps and a beer garden at the rear. Unfortunately we followed a large CAMRA group in and had to wait a considerable time to get get served from the selection of 4 Joule's ales. Like the previous reviewer, these proved a bit indifferent and certainly did not live up to the surroundings. I'd give it another try but with some trepidation. It is of course very handy as a waiting room for the nearby Tap's later opening.

Joule's pub with a small bar at the front and a slightly larger room with its own bar to the rear. Bar staff were all serving in the rear bar when we arrived and it was packed. We decided to stay in the front room and await service, which soon came. The pub is nicely decorated, as most Joule's pubs are. The 3 regular cask ales are Pale Ale, Blonde & Slumbering Monk. In addition, they had Mosaic & Captain's Amber. Ciders were Lilley's Mango & Abrahall's Thundering Molly. Keg beers included Joule's Solita & Urban Haze. I tried both the Mosaic and the Captain's Amber. I can't remember ever having a really nice Joule's beer and neither of the ones I tried here were the best. However, the pub itself is nice. With efficient service, despite a lot of customers, it's still worthy of a visit.

Disappointing range for a Joules Pub - without the Slumbering Monk best bitter. I went for an Aurora Golden, which quite frankly, was dreadful. Second pint had to be a Guinness. Lots of bar hangers, talking loudly - presumably trying to get membership into the EDL. I had a similar experience in the Sir Robert Peel during my last Tamworth visit. Not for me.

The Market Vaults is a Joules pub, with 5 of their ales on and one handle unclipped when I visited recently. These are all found in the front bar; the back bar is where you'll find the keg taps, both macro and a few craft, as well as 2 boxed ciders. The floor is mostly tiled with low and high seating, with most occupied, even in mid-afternoon mid-week. The beer's good and very reasonably priced and the buzz of conversation makes for the kind of pub you want to spend some time in.

Official site of Market Vaults - www.joulesbrewery.co.uk

Official site of Market Vaults - www.joulesbrewery.co.uk

Market Vaults is a Joule’s pub with lots of Jouel’s Brewery mirrors, signs and portraits on the walls making it quite ornate. The front bar has a wooden floor and a fireplace with burner on the left-hand wall. The L-shaped serving counter stretches into the rear, accessed via a step up to the tile floored rear bar where more seating is found. Six hand pumps are supported, five of which were being used to draw Blonde, Pale Ale, Slumbering Monk, Calcutta 1757 and Champions Choice. I went for the Monk which was ok and served with a smile, even though the pub was empty because my visit was on a Wednesday not long before closing at 20:00. Quite a few of this brewery’s pubs seem to close early, maybe they generally attract an older clientele who need to be in bed by 21:00.