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Grainstore Brewery Tap, Oakham
Oakham
LE15 6RA
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Steve C left this review about Grainstore Brewery Tap
Grainstore Brewery Tap is located adjacent to the Railway Station in an old out building. Out the front are lots of picnic tables that were all empty on a recent cold Tuesday evening visit. Inside front of house is a long rectangular space with rustic décor, which obviously includes hops hanging from thick wooden roof beams. There’s seating throughout and on the right-hand wall is a dartboard in amongst the hoards of framed certificates and awards given to the brewery over the years. There’s lots of exposed brick, including the wooden topped bar counter that runs along the rear wall. Two banks of five hand pumps were drawing the full Grainstore range, the Three Kings was a decent pint. Premium keg was also available alongside Carling and Beavertown’s Neck Oil. Food is available, in fact all of the other ten or so customers were eating burgers and the like. The service was very friendly, and I think this was the best pub encountered during my crawl through Oakham. Maybe next time I’ll see if I can have a nose around the actual brewery in the rear of the building.
On 1st February 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5268 recommendations about 5236 pubs]
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Grainstore Brewery Tap
Attractive brewery tap in a converted railway warehouse, featuring a rustic bar at the front of the premises with hops, tankards, horse brasses and other accoutrements on the ceiling and walls. Plain wooden furniture both inside and out on the front patio. Almost duplicated selection of six of their own beers on the two banks of five handpumps, including my fine pint of Triple B (£4.50), plus something from the Rutland Cider Company on another pull.
On 12th May 2023
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Grainstore Brewery Tap
This old outbuilding next to Oakham station has been creatively repurposed as a brewery and tap room for the Grainstore Brewery. The pub has a long, rectangular single room layout with old wooden floorboards, hop-lined beams, exposed stone walls and the servery along the rear wall. The bar has a nice brick counter front with a chunky wooden top, bare brick bar back with plain shelving units and a large number of tankards, pint pots, growlers and other such vessels hung from the beams above. Two seating areas either side of the servery are well served by sturdy tables and chairs, with more of the same running along the front wall, directly opposite the bar. Some well put-together framed pump clip collections adorn the walls alongside various other bits of breweriana, a few local photos and a selection of award certificates. Meanwhile, the ceiling beams have all manner of unrelated items hanging from them, including kettles, horseshoes, ceramics and lanterns, which add to the room’s charm and provide you with plenty of visual distraction. Two TV screens at either end of the room were screening a live football match and I noticed a dartboard and bar billiards table over to the far right-hand side of the pub. The pub has limited parking to the front, although we found it easy to park for free on the road next to the station, and there are some limited picnic benches out front too.
As the Grainstore tap, their own beer occupied the long row of handpulls, with options on this visit comprising Rutland Panther, Cooking, Witches Brew, Swan Dive, Ten Fifty, Rutland Osprey, Steelback IPA and Triple B. The Rutland Panther was a nice drop of dark mild, served in very good condition by a friendly and helpful barmaid. Unusually, food orders cannot be placed at the bar, so we patiently waited for a waitress to appear before ordering our Sunday roasts, which then took a remarkably long time to arrive.
I really liked this place and thought it was a good example of a brewery tap done well and a nice antidote to the soulless railway arches and factory units that I seem to find wherever I go in London. I’m quite fond of Grainstore beers too, so I was more than happy here and would suggest it’s a must-do if you’re visiting Oakham.
On 9th January 2020
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about Grainstore Brewery Tap
Excellent establishment in a former railway goods shed, with delicious smells emanating from the adjoining brewery. The single large room is well tabled, with a few comfy chairs, and there is a dartboard and bar billiards. The cast iron pillars and overhead beams give a nicely aged feel to the place, and the festoons of hops did not seem out of place. There are a few tables outside at the front also and it is of course extremely handy for the station. An excellent selection of their beers is available, with an occasional guest and a cider.
On 9th October 2019
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3352 recommendations about 3289 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Grainstore Brewery Tap
Finished a long day in here. Have to admit I felt a little underwhelmed compared to previous visits - one of the barmaids was brusque to the point of hostile, the place was cold and my first choice of Panther was a bit lacklustre (aspirator?). The Tenfifty was better. Loosed off a few arrows on the board but left feeling a bit underwhelmed. Bad night? 7.5
July 2006 & August 2012
A very enjoyable place to sink a few (very good) beers from the brewery in its tap room though they’re a tad pricey given they’re only being rolled in from over the way. It's a bit of a one-off place as it's converted from an old station warehouse and the inside holds a pleasant atmosphere with exposed brickwork and stone floor which can make for a slightly chilly experience. Dart board and TV. Staff are young and a little variable in service levels. Food is served (and there’s some excellent local bar snacks like the grunters meat sticks). Right next to the train station so easily accessible from Leicester or Cambridge. Worth a trip for. Rated 9/8
On 2nd August 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5107 recommendations about 5090 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about Grainstore
The brewery tap is handily located right next door to the up platform side of Oakham Station. The building originally belonged to the railway and would probably have been part of the town goods yards that no longer exist.
It's a single room the length of the building with wooden floors and chunky furniture. There is a dart board but it isn't very well situated. On my visit there was a cider festival going on in a tent outside so it was fairly quiet inside.
The bar has ten hand pumps plus one for cider but some of the beers were doubled up. Just Grainstore beers were on 1050, Rutland Panther, Rutland Osprey, Gold, Triple B, India Pale Ale and Cooking. I tried the Gold (£3.35) and India Pale Ale (£3.15) both of which were in excellent condition.
Unlike some brewery taps this one has full pub hours and is well worth a visit.
On 30th May 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Grainstore
Six ales on offer on our Bank Hol Monday Lunch time visit. A few people eating and also a few quafflers. The brewery tap is comfortable and the bar is along the back wall. The 1st and 2nd floor are used for their brewing. The Black Panther was good, but found their Triple B was one of those beers that dried your mouth quickly. Maybe that's their idea! too malty for me.
On 14th May 2012
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about Grainstore
This is the Grainstore brewery tap and it is next to Oakham train ststion and in a large old warehouse.
There was one large room inside which had bare boards and a very long bar and this had about 10 real ales on it,i had a drink of Grainstore Triple B and this was a really nice drink i also noticed Ten Fifty, Cooking, Rutland Panther amd Springtime all these were from Grainstore brewery there was also some other beers from micro breweries.
The pub was very busy late Saturday afternoon but we got a seat and the service was very quick.
This was a great place to end our Rutland pub crawl in.
On 24th April 2011
- rating: 9
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]