The New Brew-M, Burnley

Facebook page of The New Brew-M - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of The New Brew-M - www.facebook.com

I visited New Brew-M early on a recent Monday evening when it was busy with local middle aged men putting the world to rights. Four of the six hand pumps were in use drawing Reedley Hallows Brewing’s Pendleside, Old Laund Bitter and New Laund Dark alongside West Coast’s Triple Hop. There’s no keg that I could see, but lots of bottled beers are available from fridges across the back bar. I went for the Pendleside which was decent, especially at £2 a pint. Barrels with stools run across the front and up the left hand wall opposite the counter up the right. More seating is found at the rear with standard tables up the left and high tables up the right. The service was polite, but some of the locals seemed a bit suspicious of this London lad invading their pub. That said, I’d still pop back in if passing.

Saturday was my first visit to the New Brew-m since they moved to these new premises just up the street from what is now Hatters Craft Bar. The new beer is slightly larger than the original premises with an upstairs area providing much needed extra space. On a matchday, it was already when we arrived. I clocked the time as 14:59 and was amazed that it was only £2.50 a pint, only to find that it was being reduced down to £2 a pint from 15:00! Locals clearly knew about the cheap prices and if it was busy when we walked in, it was rammed an hour later with kick off in the football match at nearby Turf Moor not until 17:30. Still the brewery tap for Reedley Hallows, we arrived to find their New Laund Bitter, Pendleside, New Laund Dark & Clausing Time, alongside a guest beer, which was Fell Ghyl. By the time we left, 2 of their own beers had been replaced by Beer O'Clock and New Zealand Pale, also from Reedley Hallows. Staff are friendly and the atmosphere was convivial despite both home and away football fans being present. I'd say that this place is marginally better than their old one down the street and vies with the Bridge Beer Huis for the honour of best pub in Burnley.

Long thin conversion to a micro supposedly Reedley Hallows’ brewery tap, it had four of their beers on plus one from Lancaster on the six pulls. No kegs but bottles and cans plus limited wines and spirits. Seating at tall stools beside barrels, shiny wood, logs and pale cream walls, the grey plague has infected the woodwork, it has a couple of CAMRA awards on display and is GBG2021 listed. I had a watery but well kept mild and enjoyed the locals moaning about other local pubs - some not even open yet. Cash only, toilets down back behind pallet wood doors, there’s an upstairs seating area and er that’s about it.