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Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Blue Scrumpy left this review about Tap 'n' Barrel
Micropub located adjacent to Wigan's bus station. It has a ground floor seating area with stools against a shelf along the wall and windows, with tables available either upstairs or in an outdoor courtyard to the rear.
Hawkshead Windermere Pale is the regular beer. Guests were Abbeydale Moonshine & Phoenix Heywood Pale Ale, whilst ciders were Thistly Cross Whisky Cask & Lilley's Tropical, Peach & Strawberry.
This was my first visit here and I agree with Quinno below. With limited time, we left out the Anvil and the Swan & Railway to ensure we tried the Tap 'n' Barrel. I will prioritise the other two next time I am in Wigan.
On 20th February 2024
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Brainy Pool left this review about Tap 'n' Barrel
No real changes here, still a fairly basic micro with three ales and three ciders. One to call in occasionally but I find this doesn’t really provide what I’m looking for in a pub these days. Sometimes has live music. On my latest visit the real ale consisted of three very similar pale ales, this seems to be a recurring theme.
On 10th December 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 1058 recommendations about 1023 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Tap 'n' Barrel
Mews-based micro which sends Googlemap into a spin. Not a purists micro, as there was loud music. Pea green walls and high stool wall shelf seating meant I wasn’t particularly enamoured on first impression, but the plentiful wall sockets were a plus. Three cask and the usual alternative offerings, my Abbeydale (NBSS 4) and Mobberley (3) justified its GBG’23 inclusion. Also some ciders, which seem to be oddly popular up here. Worth going if you haven’t been but I’m not sure whether I’d give up time at the fabulous double-header at the station on my next visit to Pietown. 6.5
On 11th March 2023
- rating: 6
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve C left this review about Tap 'n' Barrel
Tap ‘N’ Barrel is in a nice location sitting in Jaxon’s Court behind a couple of picnic tables on the path out front. The bar is quite small with serving counter to the right that faces a beer shelf along the left wall with eleven bar stools. Another beer shelf is in the front window with a couple more stools. The six handpumps on the bar were drawing three Lilley’s ciders alongside another cider and two cask ales, Saltaire Brewery’s Cascade and Phoenix Brewery’s Arizona (Dry as a Desert). There are also five fonts for the craft keg. The governor here is obviously a rocker with rock music playing and guitars pinned to the walls as decoration. At the rear is a open plan seating area, but I preferred sitting in the bar. I couldn’t stay in here all night, but another pint is on the cards for next time I’m in town.
On 15th September 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5233 recommendations about 5201 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Rob Hunter left this review about Tap 'n' Barrel
Visited mid-week in the afternoon. Six hand pulls at the bar, with three offering cask ales and the other three offering ciders. A premium keg selection was also noted, but nothing too crafty. At the time of my visit the cask ales were Phoenix Hopsack, Settle Jericho and Hawkshead Windermere Pale.
Inside there are a few tables and stools in the bar area, picnic tables to the front outside, and a further half indoors half outdoors room to the rear with additional seating. Upstairs are the gents toilets and a further seating area.
Service was friendly and I wouldn't mind paying another visit.
On 21st May 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 750 recommendations about 598 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Tap 'n' Barrel
Tucked away down a shopping arcade,this brick building has an attractive curved frontage ,yet has a stripped out feel both on the ground floor but more particularly on the first floor,which just has some high stools and a drinking shelf.This is the tap for Martland Mill brewery and the 6 handpumps were drawing their D Day Dodger,Ancient & Loyal,Spinners Gold,Lancashire Loom and Wobbly Weaver with no sign of any guest beers.
If you like Martland Mill brews you may like this micro,but our verdict was that their malty,hop lite ales were not to our taste.Cheap but maybe for a reason,this micro lacked atmosphere and customers.
On 10th July 2019
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Tap 'n' Barrel
Micro-pub with a narrow bar, a larger conservatory-style extension at the back and a few wooden tables out in the front yard. Rather plainly decorated, and the weekday background tunes and weekend live music / DJ events won't appeal to all. However, beer is very much the focus, and it still seems to operate as the Martland Mill Brewery tap, with four of their own beers - including the Wobbly Weaver (£2.80) - and a couple of guests on the two banks of six handpumps.
On 6th July 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8092 recommendations about 8092 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about Tap 'n' Barrel
This place is set in a former shop just off the South side of Wigan Bus Station. The long narrow layout and conservatory is well described below. The Gents toilets are upstairs and the one off the conservatory doubles as a Ladies and disabled toilet. There was a music soundtrack playing but in most respects it is a micropub.
There were five Martland Mill beers on with one of the hand pumps being unused. I tried the Wobbly Weaver and the D-Day Dodger (Both £2.80) which were in good nick. It's not another Wigan Central but it's not a bad place.
On 19th February 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Brainy Pool left this review about Tap 'n' Barrel
a very quirky, charming micropub in a courtyard in Wigan's 'old town'. nice location and the cafe across the road is highly recommended. the pub itself consists of a bar, an upstairs room and an unusual little covered area that resembles a greenhouse. beers from Martland Mill pretty good and reasonably priced. staff and customers very friendly like everywhere in Wigan. the kind of place you could spend a while.
On 31st July 2018
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1058 recommendations about 1023 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about Tap 'n' Barrel
A micropub with a covered yard owned by Martland Mill brewery. The seating in the main room is limited to high stools with ledges to rest your beer all around the outside. There are some black plastic tables and chairs that look like garden furniture in the covered area and the floor is covered in green fake grass. The walls are mainly plain with just a few bits and pieces on them. 6 handpumps on the bar, all fom Martland Mill, which is a bit of a shame as I'm not really a fan. I had a pint of D Day Bomber which was OK and served by a rather brusque barmaid. Maybe she was having a bad day, who knows, but I wasn't impressed with her or the place really.
On 1st October 2016
- rating: 4
[User has posted 3223 recommendations about 3134 pubs]