Barley Hops, Congleton

Not open when I was here, though it should have been. A note on the door apologised, and said it would be open soon after my train departed the station (nothing personal). The permanent hours notice has also been amended, to take Tuesday off the schedule.

Barley Hops is a single room shop converted bar with a serving counter on the rear wall and high tables and stools up the left and standard tables up the right. There’s a dartboard on the left wall with an oche across the front windows that have a beer shelf running across them. The ceiling is covered in painted pallets and there’s lots of foam art on the walls. The bar supports four hand pumps that were drawing Bradfield Brewery’s Farmers Stout, Northern Monkey Brewing’s For Pete’s Sake, Ludlow Brewery’s Stairway and Storm Brewing’s Ale Force. SiDa Holmes Chapel Apple cider from Macclesfield was also available, probably from a box. I also counted seven craft keg products and there are whisky and rum menus. The governor was polite, but I was the only customer so there was no atmosphere. Also, I didn’t really take to the décor, maybe a few old pump clips wouldn’t go amiss.

Ignore the opening hours on the out of date web site. Also ignore the opening hours on the sign in the window. Facebook is the place to go for the accurate opening hours. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Located at the end of the High St in a long thin building, no doubt another shop conversion. White walls with decor panels of black and grey squares in rotated patterns, trust me or go and look; these combined with serried rows of tables down each side give a cafe vibe. The ceiling is a selection of multi coloured pallets. High seating down one side and low down the other leading to the rear counter. Here the décor change begins; four pulls with a changing kaleidoscope of small brewery beers with 10 taps of craft kegs on the back wall under a shelf of spirits. Next to the counter are big fridges of mostly German bottled beers. For the curious the cask beers on the day were from Bad Seed, Bollington, Poynton, and Thirst Class, too many kegs too mention and a couple of ciders, they also have wines and £2 pies. Toilets are upstairs where there is a more formal room.

Facebook page of Barley Hops - www.facebook.com

Official site of Barley Hops - www.barleyhops.co.uk

Facebook page of Barley Hops - www.facebook.com

Official site of Barley Hops - www.barleyhops.co.uk