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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
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Detail Pages
Sun Inn, Stafford
Stafford
ST17 4JX
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Pub SignMan left this review about Sun Inn
This is a large Titanic pub with a handy location that makes it one of the first pubs you see if approaching along the main road from the station. You enter into a cosy upper bar area with the servery straight ahead and plenty of seating to the right. The bar has a nice dark wood counter and matching bar back, and there is some cosy seating to the front, beneath the windows, and to the far right, around a lit fireplace, with some high tables and stools in the mix as well. To the left, a sequence of additional seating spaces unfolds, including a walk through, snug-like area with a couple of tables, which gives way to a lower, flagstone floored room with tables and chairs through the centre and a few banquette booths to the right. The room has some low wood panelling and a semi-retained partitioning wall, through which you can access what would once have been a neighbouring property. The partitioning of this area into separate rooms, gives it a cosy, almost intimate feel, despite the large front windows which allow passers by to snoop on the punters within. Two huge anchors hammer home the Titanic theme, as do a mix of contemporary art prints, old maps, photos and pictures that liberally line the walls. There's a final carpeted seating space beyond, with tables and chairs plus some comfy sofas and a fireplace at the far end, surrounded by modern wallpaper and lots more breweriana and traditional pictures.
A healthy selection of Titanic beers are supported on the handpulls, with options on this visit amounting to Titanic Steeerage, Chocolate and Vanila Stout, White Star, Iceberg, Plum Porter and First Class, plus guests in the shape of Everards Tiger, Salopian Hop Twister and Firkin Freezing and MHB Summit. My pint of the Stout was in excellent condition and, whilst the pub was quieter than some of the town's other top alehouses, there was still a decent atmosphere and a warm welcome from the friendly barman.
I thought this was a smart, well laid out pub with several comfortable seating areas and some excellent beer to choose from. I called in late on a mid-week evening, so probably didn't catch it at its best, but I saw enough to convince me that this is a quality pub and I think it would be my first port of call the next time I'm in town.
Date of visit - 18th January 2024
On 17th June 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3350 recommendations about 3350 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Strongers . left this review about Sun Inn
The Sun Inn is the first Titanic Brewery pub that I’ve visited. This is a large space with numerous split-level seating areas in the left-hand side. To the right is an L-shaped bar counter that supports premium and craft keg, and I counted 12 hand pumps split across the front and rear of the counter. These were drawing what must have been Titanic’s full range of White Star, Plum Porter, Iceberg, Anchor, Steerage, Captain Smiths and Cherry Porter. Also available were Uttoxeter Brewing’s Earth Mover, Beartown’s Crème Bearlee, Welbeck Abbey Brewery’s Georgiana, Salopian’s Lemon Dream and Everards Tiger. I went for both the Titanic Porters, preferring the Plum to the Cherry. The service was friendly and up behind the bar in the right rear corner is a dartboard. I liked it in here and will return, but next time I will try to remember that the entrance is very low so that I don’t bash my head on it again.
On 20th March 2023
- rating: 9
[User has posted 5965 recommendations about 5931 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about Sun Inn
My first time in a pub in Stafford, but being with two friends, one of whom I had not seen since before the coronavirus pandemic, I did not take the copious notes that I would normally have made with this review in mind. Suffice to say that this is a Titanic pub, with six of their own beers and a guest, plus the Everards Tiger which signals this as a Project William pub; though my Stafford friend suggests that is no longer the case and the Everards beer is more of a courtesy or gentlemen's agreement. Whatever, I enjoyed my pint of Tiger, although it was not as good as some I have had, and my companions on their Titanic beers were not effusive in their praise either. Having recently had a couple of poor beers in the Brunswick Inn in Derby, another Project William pub, the thought occurs: are these pubs putting on more beers than they can sell? To be fair, none of our beers were actually "off", but being used to drinking in pubs where the licensees are careful to watch the quality of their beers and the turnover, I am aware more than I used to be of the difference between beer that is just ok and that which is excellent. This was just ok.
On 28th November 2021
- rating: 6
[User has posted 4273 recommendations about 3935 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Hurdle left this review about Sun Inn
A very good pub as most Titanic houses seem to be. Also like some of their other pubs, 6 guest beers compliment 6 of their own beers.
The pub was all White on the Night! with the White Star and the White Rat both being excellent.
On 25th September 2019
- rating: 9
[User has posted 710 recommendations about 648 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Sun Inn
The Titanic pub at the southern end of the town centre. Externally it looks like a number of buildings that have at some point been knocked together to form this quite large and impressive pub. Large rambling interior over a number of rooms and levels, with the bar on the right as you enter. Modern fittings but traditional in manner. Middlingly busy on a late Thursday night. Quiet pub, just conversations and no muzak or bleeps. Friendly staff and punters. 12 pumps, all of which were on - 6 Titanic brews and guests. Everards spotted so assume this is a Project William pub (it is – 2010). I tried the Captain Smith (excellent shape) and Plum Porter (good). All-in-all, this is a really good pub and it’s worth getting off the train for. 8.5
On 14th December 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5552 recommendations about 5533 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
custodian 42 left this review about The Sun
Fine pub with a good selection of Titanic ales on the front bar to have a go at and a further selection on the side of the bar. Would return here no problem.
On 2nd January 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1693 recommendations about 1691 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Sun
Exceptionally good pub with a choice of 12 cask ales. Six from Titanic, Everards Tiger and five guest, we spotted Bowland Hen Harrier on the guest list and relished a few of them. The pub has plenty of seating areas, so we spent a bit of time inside and also ventured into the rear patio area as it was a splendid day.
On 31st August 2016
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3645 recommendations about 3645 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Al Bundy left this review about The Sun
A cracking pub and my favourite in Stafford. Titanic Brewery beers are generally good and a fair selection is here. Other guests are also on offer.
On 20th August 2015
- rating: 10
[User has posted 3487 recommendations about 3390 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Sun
When I visited Stafford in the 1990s Titanic had a different pub to this much nearer the station and visible from the train. Looking through the closed pubs reveals that it was the Stafford Arms. It was a hot day then and the Titanic beers were suffering as a result coming up far too warm. Happily those days are gone as most places have cooled lines and they certainly do in here.
This pub seems to have had a chequered past including being an O'Neill's, a pub chain I have never used. As I expected Titanic and Everard's between them have done a great job on making it a decent pub as more than well described below. The bar has two sets of hand pumps with five at the front as you enter having the main Titanic range. The bank of seven further back had Everard's Tiger, Titanic Plum Porter, Rooster's Londinium, RCH Double Header, Caste Eden Traditional, Cameron's 150 and Downton Dark Delight. I tried the Titanic Iceberg (£3.00), Rooster's Londinium (£3.50) and Downton Dark Delight (£3.50). The Iceberg was in good condition but I thought was bland compared to my memory of it. The Londinium was excellent, a dark heavy coffee flavoured brew but I thought the Downton beer was past it's best.
I don't doubt that this is the best pub for ale in Stafford but the quality of the Dark Delight on the day worries me.
On 6th August 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Sun
Attractive old inn which looks to have been extended several times into various adjacent premises. Pleasantly traditional in appearance, with a variety of seating areas on two levels and a range of furniture including some booths. Comfortable atmosphere. 11 of 12 handpumps on when I visited; about half of which were owner Titanic's own beers and the remainder interesting guests e.g. Boggart Milk Stout £3.30. First class.
On 22nd February 2015
- rating: 9
[User has posted 8679 recommendations about 8678 pubs]