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Tower Brewery Tap, Burton on Trent
Burton on Trent
DE14 1LX
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Pub SignMan left this review about Tower Brewery Tap
Stuck out on an unpromising industrial unit in a part of town you’re never likely to wander through by chance, this is a smart brewery tap set inside an attractive Victorian water tower. The building looked resolutely closed on approach, but against all expectation, the door yielded when I gave it a push and I was able to enter into an impressive quarry stone floored space with an extremely high ceiling and lots of quirky industrial features. The large open plan front area acts as a lounge of sorts, with loads of tables and chairs available alongside comfier armchairs and a fair few low stools in support. The walls have been decorated with old pump clips, some cool pub signs and all manner of brewery related items. Stairs to one side lead up to a mezzanine level with a couple of additional tables and a rather incongruous moped. Moving further back, the room starts to become dominated by the brewing kit, before the servery eventually appears along the rear wall, with its low counter, plain bar back and beer board. There are a few extra tables and chairs back here, but it didn’t feel like the best spot to settle down in and I was happy returning to the front part of the building, where a stove was lit, and the muted lighting contributed to a warm and cosy ambiance.
The Tower Brewery seem to produce a decent selection of beers and three of these were available on handpull when I called in – Imperial IPA, Sundowner and Tower Bitter. A friendly barman poured me a good pint of the Sundowner which I was relieved to get my hands on after a failed attempt to get into the nearby Burton town Brewery Tap.
This place is awkwardly situated and doesn’t easily lend itself to a crawl around the town, but if you’ve got a bit of time to spare and can face the uninspiring hike out here and back, it’s a nice little place with good beer and a very interesting interior. I’m certainly glad I made the effort.
On 5th July 2023
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about Tower Brewery Tap
I thought this to be a good brewery tap room. It’s a bit hidden away in the Yeoman Business estate to the north of Burton about a 10 minutes walk from the top of the High Street.
A lot of microbrewery tap rooms can be a bit sterile and a bit industrial, but not this one. Firstly the building itself is an impressive Victorian brick building and then you enter into the main brewing room which, despite being a working site with all the brewing equipment, is a really comfortable space with a log burning stove and plenty of assorted seating on the main floor. Then to the right is a small and nicely intimate room done in burgundy with a load of Burton-based breweriana, which is easily missed unless you use the toilets.
The bar is at the far end and there were three of the breweries beers on in the shape of Tower Bitter, Imperial IPA and Sundowner. Went for the Sundowner and obviously the quality was very good but the beer wasn’t really to my taste, but the whole ambiance of the place made this a very good visit. Worth searching out in my opinion, but at the moment you can only do this on a Friday evening.
On 29th October 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2111 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Tower Brewery Tap
Brewery tap in the brewing hall underneath the eponymous heritage structure, and somewhat hidden away in an industrial area on the northeast side of town. No frills, but quite atmospheric in its own way, and a good crowd in on a Friday evening. Three real ales available on handpump: Tower Bitter (£1.50, half), Sundowner and Imperial.
On 23rd October 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about Tower Brewery Tap
For me the fairly long and wet walk was worth it, as BF describes below they've made a decent fist of the taproom in a fairly large space, my Imperial IPA was fine if not ground breaking beer. I actually quite enjoyed the indoor setting.
On 18th October 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tris C left this review about Tower Brewery Tap
This is well described below; I’ve never seen so much brew kit before.
However, as mentioned, it’s a long traipse (and a wet one in our case) to reach and once here, it’s in a pretty unprepossessing location.
I went for a half of the Sundowner at a very cheap £1.50 and found it fine but unremarkable.
In all, the location and ale quality (not to mention the opening time) means I wouldn’t make a return visit; I’m also a rabid pub traditionalist. But it’s a lot better than the Burton Town Brewery Tap...
On 17th October 2022
- rating: 5
[User has posted 1985 recommendations about 1951 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Tower Brewery Tap
It's quite a long traipse here through the arse end of Burton,but worth the effort,this is the brewery tap .It's on old water tower and is only open to the public on Fridays,no sign of life from the outside but push the solid wooden side door and all will be revealed.
It's huge inside with lots of brewing vessels to the sides,a small balcony to the left side,a spiral staircase to no where and lots of brewiana and metal signs on the walls and more features than you could shake a stick at.The bar is right at the back and that is where a lot of regulars will drink vertically.Located in the middle of an industrial estate ,the inside was surprisingly busy for 5pm on Friday.
At the front to the right side is an utterly charming front snug while there is a stage with upright piano in the main area to the left of the entrance door.
Up to three of their ales will be served but just Imperial IPA and Sundown (NBSS 2.5) available on my trip.Both were considered poor brews,too malty and sweet and devoid of hop character,so my view would be to take a look,drink a half then move on.
On 15th October 2022
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Tower Brewery Tap
A good walk out from the station into a dark, dank and ropey industrial estate. Housed in an old and attractive gothic building (a water tower?), inside it's actually set up as a pub-in-a-brewery rather than a chipboard hut in a light industrial unit. To the left is a large room where the brewery is, with a stage, music ephemera and a couple of Vespas. To the right is a small and nicely intimate room done in burgundy with a load of Burton-based breweriana. The drink station is here (literally - no bar, hang about by the pumps and you’ll get served) with three pumps dispensing the brewery's wares. Quality was excellent (NBSS 4, 4 and 3) but the brews themselves weren't memorable, the Going for a Burton excepted. That said, I enjoyed drinking here and the place was packed, so plenty of other people agree. Worth trying. 7.5
On 5th March 2020
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Tower Brewery Tap
The Tower Brewery can be found in an elegant looking water tower built in 1870. After a lot of hard graft John Mills and his Father opened the brewery in 2001. They also received a Civic Society Award for the restoration of an Industrial building.
Armed with a hand scribbled map and navigating in the dark on a cold winters night, we found the brewery along an unlit road in a small industrial estate. If it had been during the day, we probably could have seen the water tower from a distance.
You enter the brewery through a small door, which is part of two huge double doors. This main area consisted of large stainless steel brewing vessels, a stage for music events and viewing gallery. There was also a spiral staircase near the entrance and a log burning stove along the left hand wall with settees, tables and chairs set out.
The tap room can be found through a door on the right. The tap room was quite small and consisted of some comfortable seating and three hand pumps on a shelf over in the corner, with no bar counter.
I went for the Imperial IPA, which is going to be my beer of the week, truly excellent and only £2.50 a pint. Also tried the Tower Bitter, which was also superb. The main brewery and tap room had low lighting, which gave the impression of the Dickensian period.
The brewery is only open to the public on Fridays 4 - 12pm. Well worth a visit.
On 18th January 2017
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]