The Brewery Tap, Chester

In the centre of Chester, just inside the city walls in Lower Bridge Street is The Brewery Tap Ale House. It’s located in Gamul House, a Grade 2 listed Jacobean Hall, once the home of the Gamul family, a wealthy and influential family of property owners and merchants. Climbing up a number of stone steps from street level, we enter, at first floor level, an impressive hall with a high ceiling, fine woven rugs on the walls, a tiled floor and wooden tables and chairs. An interesting leaflet on the bar counter tells us the history of the building – we learn that parts of the building date back to the early 1500’s and that it is believed to be the only surviving medieval stone built hall in Chester. Note also the fine sandstone fireplace directly behind the bar counter. The pub is at first floor level with some unconnected retail units underneath – a rather seedy looking Shere Khan Restaurant and Take Away for instance. It’s an atmospheric interior totally free of music, fruit machines and TV screens. Food is evidently a major part of the offering with, as appears to be the vogue nowadays, an advertised emphasis on fresh local produce, some of which comes from the nearby Spitting Feathers Brewery farm. There’s a relaxed, but rather upmarket feel to the establishment which, based on my two recent late September visits, evidently appeals to the young urban professional types. It’s the first pub to be owned by the local Spitting Feathers Brewery, who acquired it in late 2008. Despite the name, brewing does not take place on site, but a couple of miles away on the city outskirts. Beer is evidently taken seriously here with a bank of 8 pumps offering 7 beers from local micros plus one cider. Beers on included Rudgate Summer Solstice, Phoenix Monkey Town Mild, Great Orme Celtica, Reedley Hallows Old Laund Bitter and Briimstage Trappers Hat. Sod’s law being what it is, the only Spitting Feathers beer ran out, coinciding with my arrival. Beers were priced at between £ 2.80p and £ 3.00p. Various Spitting Feathers souvenirs – mugs T shirts etc - can be acquired. The forthcoming October Chester Real Ale Festival was being advertised. The pub is a CAMRA Good Beer Guide regular. Lower Bridge Strret is not short of pubs that are worthy of consideration but, with its decent range of beers in historic and atmospheric surroundings, this one should certainly be near the very top of your “to do” list.

This pub is set in a wonderful Grade II listed hall called Gamul House, once the residence of one of Chester's most influential families and famous for hosting King Charles I the night before he was defeated at the battle of Rowton Moor, just outside the city. The building is accessed up a flight of steps which lead you into the main hall - a large, high vaulted ceiling and flagstone floored room with the servery on the back wall opposite the front door. The room is a regular rectangular shape and has been filled with a decent amount of seating, from which you can admire your surroundings. The centrepiece is probably the fabulous sandstone fireplace, which is located behind the bar and has been tastefully adapted to house various drinks. To the left is a perspex screen protecting a section of original wattle and daub wall, part of which is cut away to reveal the wattle. Large tapestries at either end of the room and hop vines in the corner complete the look. A second room to the right of the bar was set up more for diners and there were quite a few in there on our early evening visit. The pub was opened by the local Spitting Feathers Brewery in 2008 and their fine restoration work helped win them the English Heritage Conservation Award and CAMRA's Conversion to Pub Use Award. Two of the brewery's beers were available on my visit - Old Wavertonian Stout and the excellent Thirstquencher - alongside a strong guest line-up in the shape of Slater's Top Totty, Derby Business As Usual, Vale Best Bitter, Nelson Thunderer, and Monty's Midnight Stout. All beers were helpfully detailed on a blackboard positioned above the servery. This is an excellent pub and a highlight from my time in Chester. The fantastic historic setting and the fine range of well kept beer makes this a must-do for anyone arriving in town.