Milton Brewery

Queen Edith, Wulfstan Way, Cambridge

iknoweno , , , , , ,

When the Queen Edith opened in April 2015 it was the first newly-built pub in Cambridge for over 30 years. A cause for celebration and a challenge for the Milton Brewery; how do you create a completely new pub rather than adapt an existing, often older and character-filled building?

Well the good news is they have done a good job, an attractive frontage with tables outside and covered cycle racks draw you into the central entrance porch, you then have a choice of the larger public bar or a more intimate side room with high backed booths. Choosing the more spacious area you can see the beer taps, mainly Milton Brewery of course (the ever delightful ‘Justinian'(3.9%) included) and some interesting additions, such as Tolly Roger (4.2%) from Cliff Quay Brewery of Ipswich, described as ‘intensely fragrant aroma of citrus fruit and floral notes, complex flavours of malt, sweetness, bitter oranges, and honeysuckle’.

Even more poetic are the prices, £3 and £3.20 for the pints I sampled, good value for Cambridge.

Sitting in leather armchairs, with part of the Bayeux tapestry on the wall, watching the fish tank and looking through the retro books (eg ‘Biggles, Foreign Legionnaire’?) it is a comfortable and contemplative place to be, an after work stop-off or starting point for heading into town. It could be an ideal place for bands to play, and I should think that once established it should do very well.

In this pub-dry area of Cambridge(nothing else within at least a one mile radius?), it is a definite oasis.

https://twitter.com/queenedithpub
http://www.cliffquay.co.uk/
http://www.miltonbrewery.co.uk/

Haymakers, High St, Chesterton, Cambridge

iknoweno , , , , , ,

The Chesterton suburb of Cambridge used to be full of pubs of varying quality, but now just the Green Dragon and Haymakers remain. Previously a music venue/pub of some renown before standing empty for a couple of years, the Haymakers has been reinvented and refurbished as a real ale haven.

As always when I walk in and see many taps featuring the Milton Brewery classical names I know a good pint is the likely outcome. I chose Justinian (3.9%), described as ‘Crisp pale bronze-coloured bitter. Attractive bitter orange flavours persist into a satisfying lasting finish’ by Milton Brewery and that reads nearly as well as the beer tastes. It reminded me of the delights of the imminent Cambridge beer festival.

It is a large L- shaped pub, free of noise and distraction, featuring a variety of tables and booths and a cosy snug near one end of the bar. Food is mainly pizza, but as you probably have gathered from my other reviews it is usually the beer I am sampling…

There is a large beer garden area out the back, serviceable rather than particularly attractive but it does feature plenty of cycle racks. It was the place to sit during my visit as it did seem a bit airless inside.

There are posters for jazz performances and I think there is a quiz too, so hopefully the pub is again becoming a focus for the Chesterton community, as well as a compelling choice for visiting ale fans from the city centre with a thirst and a bicycle…

 

https://www.facebook.com/cambridgehaymakers

Devonshire Arms, Devonshire Road, Cambridge

iknoweno , , , , ,

Cyclops, Pegasus, Justinian, Orpheus, Minerva……the poetically named beers from Milton Brewery a few miles away are a very good reason to drop into the Devonshire Arms. Go in on the way to the railway station or meet friends there and linger for the evening.

Since opening in 2010 the Devonshire has been popular in the main ‘beer quarter’ of Cambridge, the cosmopolitan and much-loved Mill Road and its side streets.  This is definitely a pub for the real ale connoisseur, who is always pleased to find a good well-kept selection, with prices on the low side. There are also guest ales, some unusual bottled beers and a bar clear of some of the more depressing corporate lagers. The interior is sparse and dark, there are high back seats and panels separating some of the tables and the ceilings are high so the pub seems surprisingly spacious. Floors are old bare wood and there is a small outdoor area. The food that passes by seems appetising and unpretentious but not the main business of the pub.

Milton Brewery have reinvigorated the Haymakers on the other side of Cambridge and hopefully at some point the rebuilt Queen Edith in the pub desert in the south of the city….watch this space…

 

https://www.individualpubs.co.uk/devonshire/

http://www.miltonbrewery.co.uk/