ReviewThe Crystal Ship is the brewery tap for Papworth Brewery and is a bar located in an industrial unit adjacent to the brewery on a rural trading estate.
A live band was playing on the Saturday evening of my visit and it was quite popular. Other events include open mic nights, classic car nights, a bingo night and a quiz night. Pizzas are sold and ice cream is also available. Kids are allowed in and the pub was advertising Six Nations rugby matches.
Beers and ciders are listed on screens above the bar. There is also a QR code available which links to an up-to-date list on their website. For my visit, cask ales on from Papworth were Bulwark Bitter, Fen Skater, Crystal Ship, Pass The Porter & Firestarter. Guests were Two Rivers Happy Hopper & Buntingford Royston Red.
Traditional ciders were Cromwell Oliver's Session, Merry Cherry, Mulled Cider, Last Gasp, Cavalier Perry, Oliver's Choice & Oli's Flintlock, Blue Barrel Sherwood Blend, Smokin' Barrels II & Coferment, Potton Press Trip Hazard, Weston's Old Rosie, Simon's Big Man's Mystery & Bluntisham Pear, Tutt's Clump Ridgeway, Abrahall's Slack Alice, Bollhayes Dry, Spinney Abbey Monk & Disorderly, Toye's Cider From Lochranza With Love, Foxhay Medium & Crane's Wild English Berries.
Craft beers are also represented with Nethergate Venture Point 5, Papworth Old Riverpoint Nitro & Culture Shock & Back Beat Wick Dippah.
Once again, there were several ciders I'd never tried here, similar to the Black Horse at Rampton where I'd just come from. The first cider I tried was in good condition but the perry I finished with was not so good.
The music being played wasn't quite to my taste. I actually felt quite young in here but I could easily have stayed here for an extended session sampling as many of the beers and ciders as possible.
Not a pub/bar for the traditionalist but as brewery taps go, this takes some beating.
