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The Old Cannon, Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St. Edmunds
IP33 1JR
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Will Larter left this review about The Old Cannon
My first visit to Bury but just a quick one, so I went to the Nutshell and this one. It's quite big, after the "smallest pub", and I'm not a fan of brewing vessels actually sitting in the pub. Six Old Cannon beers on the bar, so I went for the ESB, which is called Gunner's Daughter 5.5%. It's very like Fuller's ESB, or closer to home, a lot like Abbot. Not a criticism. (NBSS 4, £5.60/pint.) If I make it to Bury St Ed's again, I think I'll try some proper pubs. (I've just seen a CAMRA members discount advertised on a poster that can only be seen if you've just been to the toilet. This is a big no-no, so I've docked a point from the rating.)
On 16th February 2026
- rating: 5
[User has posted 4674 recommendations about 4283 pubs]
Strongers . left this review about The Old Cannon
The Old Cannon is an interesting little brewpub with a well-trodden wooden floor and some brewery equipment in the front right corner next to a short serving counter that runs to the rear wall. In the left-hand side of the pub the seating is split in half by a central wall. It was busy with most of the tables reserved for later in the evening for the weekly Wednesday quiz, but I managed to grab an unreserved table by the fireplace that sits on the left-hand wall. Available from the counter was a premium keg selection alongside six hand pumps that were all drawing Old Cannon Brewery ales. I went for their 3.9% Best that was OK, but a bit pricey at £5 for a pint. Whilst enjoying my pint I noticed a huge hole in the ceiling above where a barrel was hanging down off a pulley system, and I spotted some sacks of grist stacked by the edge of the hole. I thought the service was polite, but a little bit formulaic like the manageress used to work in a large hotel. I will return when next in town, but probably only for one.
On 25th November 2025
- rating: 7
[User has posted 6563 recommendations about 6525 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about The Old Cannon
Nice modern fit out including some on show brewery kit, marked as a gastro brewery!
On 26th July 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1590 recommendations about 1567 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
paulof horsham left this review about The Old Cannon
Plenty of polished wood and brewery equipment on show at this established brewpub. I was keen to check out an alternative to the big brewery in town. I enquired at the bar but the barman seemed pretty unenthusiastic about the ales on offer. Once I'd tried mine, I began to appreciate his indifference. 'Black Pig' turns out to be brown; and boring.
While it's all very comfortable inside and you can look out onto a pleasant back street, I struggled to see the point here. Given the dominance of Greene King in these parts, I'd hoped for a bit more passion, but just didn't find it. Maybe next time?
On 5th June 2014
- rating: 4
[User has posted 632 recommendations about 587 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Old Cannon Brewery
UPDATE JUNE 2013
I was very disappointed with this pub on our return visit. The welcome and the friendliness we experienced on our first visit had disappeared and the staff have become uppity. One of the guest beers was well past its sell by date and it took a lot of persuasion by me, to convince the barmaid to refund my £3.40 for a pint. I would have changed it for another beer, but with her attitude we bailed out.
Original Review 2011
Situated in a residential part of town and easy to find. All the staff very friendly and helpful. If you're into real ales, you can't miss this one out. On my visit I had the good fortune of smelling the malted barley as they had just finished a mash. Five on handpump Adnams, Old Cannon Brew Brass Monkey. I enjoyed the Old Cannon Brewery Blonde Bombshell, OCB Best, Arbour Ales Bushcraft and Reigate Brewery Pilgrams Progress. Also they serve great food with a good menu choice. Defo will return
On 2nd July 2013
- rating: 10
[User has posted 3745 recommendations about 3745 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Old Cannon Brewery
A small micro-brewery pub situated down the back streets of Bury St Edmunds, but easily reached by foot from the town centre or train station.
Three ales were on from their own range - Best Bitter, Blonde Bombshell and Brass Monkey - plus two guests, one of which was Brew Dog Trashy Blonde. The Brass Monkey wasn't to my taste, but the Blonde Bombshell was lovely.
The pub has various bits of brewing paraphernalia dotted around the place, but is otherwise a bit of a bland, gastro-pub format. There is a decent looking menu and a partitioning wall screens the bar from an area presumably preferred by diners. No food on Sunday's though, so don't get caught out as we did.
Bury is unsurprisingly dominated by Greene King pubs, so this is a refreshing and compelling alternative. Even on a Sunday night, this was the busiest pubs I saw in town, which must say something for it. Well worth investigating.
On 9th May 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3387 recommendations about 3387 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about The Old Cannon Brewery
A great pub for the real ale drinker in a town that is obviously dominated by Greene King.3 beers brewed on the premises with another 2 guest beers from local breweries were on tap.View the brewing equipment from the bar.10 mins from the railway station.
On 23rd December 2009
- rating: 10
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Old Cannon Brewery
Situated in BSE’s backstreets, this brewpub built a reputation a few years back as being the only real oasis of ale sanity in a town choc-full of Greene King pubs and beers. I’ve been a number of times now and sadly I’ve lost a little enthusiasm over time after initially raving about it. The home-brewed beers (Gunners Daughter, Best Bitter and Blonde Bombshell) are very nice (the Gunners Daughter especially), and these are available along with a couple of guest ales. Some continental fayre is also available, along with Aspalls cider. However I’ve had the odd duff pint that’s had to be taken back recently – I would expect a higher standard in here. The interior, whilst still retaining the interesting brewery element, has become a lot more plain and clinical and some of the charm has gone; many of the tables are set for dining, which is rather disconcerting if you just want a drink. The courtyard beer garden is sun trap so I usually take myself out here to sit under the trellis when possible.
That said, I really would recommend a visit for the novelty factor and a pint of the Gunners Daughter. But I don’t think it’s as an essential experience as it once was.
On 8th June 2009
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5992 recommendations about 5971 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about The Old Cannon Brewery
Terrific microbrewery pub tucked away in a residential area about 10 minutes walk from the town centre. They have a small range of beers brewed on premises, 3 available on my visit - Best Bitter, Blonde Bombshell and Gunners Daughter (temporarily renamed Gunners Slaughter by the Spurs fan owner following the 5-1 demolition of Arsenal in the Cup Semi). A couple of “ordinary” beers are also usually available (Adnams on my visit – the other pump was redundant). The interior is fairly basic with bare floors and plain décor although the ceiling above the bar has been removed to reveal a couple of precarious looking doors above that open out to a 10 foot drop. A false balcony has been put in at the original floor level. In one corner of the bar sits the large stainless steel vats used for brewing the beers and there is certainly no faulting the quality. It is a delight to find such a unique pub in a town dominated by Greene King and the only major disappointment was that a proportionally large area appeared to be reserved for diners given that the emphasis and main attraction is the beers. I didn't actually note many people eating during the couple of hours we were there but the bar area was getting pretty full. Overall a very welcoming and also dog friendly pub and a place I will certainly seek out again when I next visit Bury.
On 16th May 2008
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]