The Brewery Tap, Peterborough

Set in a building that looks rather unappealing to my eye the inside is fairly large and open and for me was lacking in a bit of pub atmosphere on our daytime visit. As previously mentioned it is the tap for Oakham, a brewery I am quite keen on, I went for Bishops Farewell which was surprisingly only of average quality, perfectly drinkable but maybe a degree or two too warm resulting in it being a little lackluster. All in all I found the place a little so so but would probably take another look in the future.

A bit cut off from town and a fairly workaday looking building though the copper above the entrance is quite impressive, even if does give off the impression of an embalmed Dalek’s head. Quite a surprise inside, it's a modernised jumbo barn with a mezzanine and I assume they're aiming for the evening crowd; it wasn’t that busy on my visit which rather exacerbated the shortcomings of the big open space but fortunately the décor is traditional enough to keep things level. Brewery gear at the rear but no evidence of brewing going on from a quick peer. Four pumps with three Oakham, my Bite the Bullet was tidy (NBSS 3.5) though I was a bit disappointed that wasn’t more of their range available – it was late Sunday I suppose so maybe they were winding-down the range in anticipation of a quiet start to the following week. Decent atmosphere and I enjoyed my 15 minutes here before my train back home. I’d make sure to take it again and hope for a bit more depth of cask range. 7.5

The Brewery Tap has a very large barnlike interior with a very big curvy bar counter along the left of the rear wall and a mix of high tables in the left and standard furniture to the right. Up on the rear wall was a large projector screen for showing World Cup football and some funky background music played. Upstairs there is seating with balcony views over the bar and seating below. This is the tap for Oakham Ales so the two banks of four hand pumps were drawing Inferno, JHB, Bishops Farewell, Citra and Black Magic alongside Grainstore’s Tupping Ale. Limited standard and premium keg were also available. I decided to have a Thai Green curry which set me back about £13, it was good, and I would pop back in to eat again. However, if I’m hankering after some Oakham Ales I’d probably go to Charters instead.

Official site of The Brewery Tap - www.thebrewery-tap.com

Official site of The Brewery Tap - www.thebrewery-tap.com

Visiited during the lockdown rules period when pubs were only allowed outside service so only the couple of tables to the front of the pub and a small outside courtyard area to the rear underneath large umbrellas was available and the large barn like interior was forlornly empty. Was only here for the beer and only two of the Oakham Ales in the shape of Citra and JHB were on due to the current limited customer footfall, but both were good, as you would hope, and at under £10 a round for a pint and G&T my London wallet was well satisfied.