The Anchor Tap Room, Hartlepool

It ought to be the brewery tap but in reality it’s the end point of a brewery tour and a bar and bottle shop rather than a pub. Two drinking areas, one short by the counter filled with brewery staff on my visit the other long and empty, it’s furnished with barrels and swivelling stools, tables and chairs in various guises with some leather seating at the far end. I was warned the hours were erratic so I wasn’t surprised when it was shut at 1:30 on a Friday, I was however very surprised at the poor quality of the only cask on sale, Strongarm their flagship beer, a GBG listed establishment and in the brewery tap to boot – disappointing. It also gets a prize for bad toilet puns. Weird place Hartlepool.

Well this 2019 Good Beer Guide Brewery Tap that was called Stranton and now appears to be called Anchor Tap Room and Bottle Shop is still the Tap Room for Camerons brewery. It is very smart inside with a decent selection of their ales, plus a well stocked bottle shop in a room off the bar area. We enjoyed Camerons Surf and Camerons Old Sea Dog both of which were fine. Friendly staff happy to chat about the beers too.

Cameron's brewery pub with their ales on offer. Bar to centre and right with a room to the left.

Basic bar area that acts as the start of brewery tours for Camerons. One for the ale enthusiast undertaking a tour. Lots of Camerons photos on the walls. Sells 3 Camerons beers.