The Brewery Tap, Chester

The tap for Spitting Feathers ales but it's so much more.Up some steps,you enter into a baronial hall building built in 1640 and with lots of features.A section of waddle and daub is behind a perspex screen,the sandstone fireplace behind the bar is impressive and the high ceiling creates lots of atmosphere .The church pew seating was made by the folk from Spitting Feathers and there is lots of natural light from the large windows.There is a small seating area to the right with an open kitchen behind,where a new team are now delivering meals from an eclectic menu,we arrived on a "soft launch" day when the new team were finding their feet so just focussed on the ale.and surroundings. The choice on my visit was Spitting Feathers Night Shift,TBA,Session,and Thirst Quencher with guests in Wild Horse Pelydr,Triple Point Fresco and Marble Earl Grey IPA (fabulous,NBSS 4.5).There were 4 caft keg taps with exotics and some continental lager. The welcome was friendly and chatty ,and any pub which carries such a suprior 6.8% guest will always get my vote.A must visit when in Chester for ale ,for the building and for the positive vibe from the young team.

It's been a few years since I visited the Brewery Tap so was pleased to re-visit on a recent Saturday evening. The main room was pretty full but there were a couple of tables free in the smaller room off to the right. However it is fair to say that most of the character is in the fascinating main room, which I am led to believe is a former Jacobean banqueting hall. This is the brewery tap for Spitting Feathers so naturally their beers dominate the eight hand pulls, but I also observed Marble Pint and Cheddar Valley cider on the pumps. Food is served, for those so inclined. Definitely plenty to choose from and an interesting building. Well worth a visit and I shall try not to leave it as long next time!

Fabulous main room with a high ceiling and magnificent carved fireplace, plain plastered walls and mostly sympathetic furnishings. Large quarry tiles as flooring. You can see into the cellar as you climb the stairs up to the bar. Eight pulls, one with cider and two with guests, the remaining five had a range of Spitting Feathers beers. Not my favourite brewery but the “Stout” was quite drinkable however at 4.4% it ain’t a stout it’s a weak Porter. There are also single tall keg fonts for Estrella, proper Budvar Budweiser and a couple of Hacker-Pschor beers, a separate low T-bar has half a dozen craft kegs. Didn’t go in the room on the right, although there was an extraordinary young gal in a pink fifties style dress and with purple hair in there.

Located up steps from the street is the Brewery Tap which is in Gamul House, a grade II listed hall. The main bar area is in a high curved ceilinged rendered room with wooden beams in the roof space. Standard furniture is found throughout and the bar is in the right rear corner. As the name suggests, this is a place for beer fans with eight cask ales being available alongside some craft keg products. This is home to the Spitting Feathers Brewery so their Special, Empire, Mustn’t Grumble and Thirst Quencher were available alongside Broadoak’s Crimson King, Wantsum’s Black Pig, Bragdy Twt Lol Glog and Salopian’s Flash Point. I went for a pint of the citrusy Thirst Quencher which was very good. Locally sourced food was advertised, but I didn’t spot a menu. The lack of television and music makes this place a perfect spot for lovers of beer and beer related chat. Customers can even take in their four-legged friends, with treats available from the bar. I found the service to be very friendly and will be sure to revisit next time I am in Chester.

This is a really good pub and arguably the best on Lower Bridge St. Two roomed with the right side room used for dining. 8 handpulls on the bar with a good variety of styles being available. Though its a Spitting Feathers owned place only 2 were on on my visit with the rest being guests and a cider. Its always a must do when I'm in Chester.

Up some steps to get in here as the pub is on a raised terrace, parts of which date from the 1500’s and indeed Charles I stayed in this building once, prior to the Battle of Rowton Moor. A Jacobean banqueting hall interior, it’s an oblong room with a high ceiling, large ex-fireplace and painted rough-hewn walls which made for fairly terrible acoustics. Dangling hops and hung tapestries vie for extra decorative embellishment. Note the perpsex covered door and bits of wall, presumably to protect very aged stuff. Seemed quite geared towards food and there were only a smattering of non-eaters. Eight pumps with four Spitting Feathers ales on; Thirst quencher (NBSS 3) and Odd Ball (NBSS 3.5) sampled. Also beers from Coach House (Gunpowder Mild) and Magic Rock, plus cider from Broadoak. Ate here and the food was fine but the advertised pies are not proper pies, they are puff pastry lids on a ceramic bowl of stew, sigh. It’s something a bit different and worth popping in for when you’re doing Chester. 7.5

Rammed on our Friday night visit and the acoustics made it very very loud , despite this service was quick and friendly and the beer choice still great , my Spitting Feathers Thirst Quencher was spot on . Still like it in here but prefer to visit at quieter times .

According to What Pub Charles I visited this place back in 1645. You would think he would have installed a lift and then maybe he would have been pardoned from his execution a few years later. The old stone staircase leading to it and to a lesser extent the echoing acoustics inside were the main drawbacks of this pub but overall inside it was OK and at least the toilets didn't involve stairs. The bar in this high ceilinged room had a cider, Salopian The Bends, Spitting Feathers Thirst Quencher, Coach House Blunderbus, Copper Dragon Bob On, Great Heck Navigator, Moorhouse Black Cat Mild and Hawkshead Brodies Prime. I went for the Salopian beer (£3.60) which was excellent. Despite the stairs I quite liked this place.