Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Birthday Beer in Buxton

For my birthday this year (I'm 25 again), I decided that it was about time that I made the trip north to the Peak District market town of Buxton, which has become something of a haven for real ale drinkers. A last minute change of plan meant that I would be solo for the Friday night before being joined by George on the Saturday morning. This gave me plenty of time to explore the various pubs on the town's ale trail, as outlined by a very helpful leaflet that Matt had procured for me when he had last visited. Whilst I never made it to all of the pubs on the trail, we certainly attempted most of them and found some others along the way!

Buxton is a spa town in Derbyshire, close to the borders of Cheshire to the west and Staffordshire to the south. Described as the 'gateway to the Peak District', Buxton has the highest elevation of any market town in England. Buxton is home to Poole's Cavern, an extensive limestone cavern, named after a notorious local highwayman and open to the public, and St. Ann's Well, fed by the local geothermal spring bottled and sold internationally by the Buxton Mineral Water Company. The town also houses Buxton Opera House, which hosts several music events and festivals each year. The Devonshire Campus of the University of Derby is located within one of the town's historic buildings. Buxton is twinned with two other towns, namely Oignies in France and Bad Nauheim in Germany.
The town developed from a Roman settlement known as Aquae Arnemetiae (or the spa of the goddess of the grove). The discovery of coins has suggested that the Romans were in Buxton throughout their occupation. The origins of the town's name are uncertain, although it is thought to derive from the Old English for 'Buck Stone' or 'Rocking Stone'. The town grew in importance in the 18th century when it was developed by the Dukes of Devonshire, with a resurgence a century later as the Victorians were drawn to the reputed healing properties of the waters.
 
Built on the River Wye, and overlooked by Axe Edge Moor, Buxton has a history as a spa town due to its geothermal spring which rises at a constant temperature of 28 °C. The spring waters are piped to St Ann's Well (a shrine to St. Anne since medieval times) opposite the Crescent near the town centre.
The Dukes of Devonshire have been closely involved with Buxton since 1780, when the 5th Duke used the profits from his copper mines to develop the town as a spa in the style of Bath. Their ancestor Bess of Hardwick had taken one of her four husbands, the Earl of Shrewsbury, to "take the waters" at Buxton shortly after he became the gaoler of Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1569, and they took Mary there in 1573. She called Buxton "La Fontagne de Bogsby", and stayed at the site of the Old Hall Hotel. The area features in the poetry of W. H. Auden and the novels of Jane Austen and Emily Brontë.
Instrumental in the popularity of Buxton was the recommendation by Dr Erasmus Darwin of the waters at Buxton and Matlock to Josiah Wedgwood I. The Wedgwood family often went to Buxton on holiday and recommended the area to their friends. Two of Charles Darwin's half-cousins, Edward Levett Darwin and Reginald Darwin, settled there. The arrival of the railway in 1863 stimulated the town's growth: the population of 1,800 in 1861 had grown to over 6,000 by 1881.
Each summer the wells are decorated according to the local tradition of well dressing. The well dressing weekend has developed into a town carnival with live music and funfair. In 2013, the Academy of Urbanism named Buxton as one of the three most attractive towns in Britain.
After battling my way through the Friday evening traffic clogging the town centre, I found my B&B, checked in and enjoyed a welcome shower before deciding my plan of action for the evening. I decided that on my first night, I would try out approximately half a dozen of the pubs on the trail before making a more concerted attempt once George was present.

Handily, the ale trail leaflet included a map so I knew exactly where I needed to go to begin my journey. Admittedly, the map isn't the best and I did change direction several times before I located my first port of call for the evening: Ramsay's Bar at the Buckingham Hotel.



Ramsay's Real Ale Bar is a public bar situated inside the Buckingham Hotel and much loved by guests and general public alike. Named after local artist George Ramsay, the interior is L shaped and relatively open plan with the U shaped bar central to the wall and an area of low, round tables to one side, suitable for dining. The overall appearance throughout is more bar-like. As an added bonus, at the time of my visit, the bar is crewed by 2 STUNNING bar maids (emphasis both intentional and necessary). Of the 8 available handpulls, 3 are in use, providing Thornbridge Kipling, Whim Ales Hartington Bitter and Yankie Driver from Sheffield's Tool Maker brewery. My first pint in Buxton was the Yankie Driver and it was a wise choice. At 4.2%, this is pale in colour with a zesty aroma, top notes of peach and a fruity flavour with a smooth, citrusy finish and a soft, hoppy aftertaste. Given the quality of the beer and, if I'm honest, the view, I felt it was only fair to stay on for a second. This time I opted for the Kipling (5.2%). This is a pacific pale ale with a grapefruit flavour accompanied by aromas of mango and peach. The smooth, creamy flavour and zesty aftertaste are backed up by a citrus kick. Both of these beers are of excellent quality and it's easy to see how this bar made it into the 2014 Good Beer Guide. I decided that it was time to move on to a second venue, mainly through fear of embarrassing myself.

My next destination was back the way I had come and not too far from my B&B. This was The Old Clubhouse.
The Old Clubhouse is a former gentleman's club the sits alongside the Opera House. The layout is very traditional with a central bar and a raised seating area around the edge and a mix of high and low seating. Of the 5 handpulls, 2 are in use providing Old Peculier and Abbot Ale. As I reach the bar, the Old Peculier has run out so I'm limited to Abbot Ale, which is thankfully in very good condition. I took the opportunity to grab some food whilst I was here and thoroughly worthwhile it was too. A chicken and bacon burger with home cooked chips went down very well indeed!

My next stop was just down the road at the Old Hall Hotel.

This smart hotel was originally known as the New Hall and was built by the Earl and Countess of Shrewsbury with the sanction of Elizabeth I, in order to provide accommodation for the captive Mary Queen of Scots. Ghostly activity has been reported from the hotel, in the form of footsteps and indistinct apparitions and these phenomena have been attributed to Mary herself although this has not been substantiated. The interior is very traditional and the bar is open to the public as well as guests. When I arrive, there is some kind of party happening so I felt slightly out of place as I was by myself amongst 30+ other people. Ale-wise there is a choice of Doom Bar, Buxton Moor Top and Thornbridge Lord Marples. I went for the latter and it was very well kept. Whilst I sat perusing recent events and slowly enjoying this delicious beer, I was gradually aware of the fact that the party was now into the buffet stage. An older lady who was sat next to me asked me if I was by myself. Expecting this to lead to a conversation, I said that I was. It turned out that she just wanted the extra chairs around my table............

My next stop involved an uphill walk towards the market place, where the next pub sits on a corner. The King's Head was originally built in 1725 as a Presbyterian Chapel and is a large, comfortable pub with a friendly welcome.

The interior is expansive and open plan with mullioned windows and lots of seating. There are 4 handpulls on the central bar offering Marston's Bitter, Ringwood Scuttle Butt, Marston's Pedigree and Brakspear Oxford Gold. Being a big fan of Ringwood beers, it didn't take long for me to make my choice. Scuttle Butt is golden in colour, very hoppy and with hop flavours underneath an initial citrus aroma. The finish is zesty with a hint of malt on the tongue. All this at only 4.0%.

By now, following a long day at work, a long drive to Buxton and a general heap of stress, I was rather tired, so I decided that one more pub would be enough for tonight. This was literally a stone's throw away.

The Eagle Hotel dates back at least 2 centuries and is thought to be the oldest pub in Buxton. Operated by Hyde's, the atmosphere is decidedly local and I was a bit apprehensive upon entry as I wasn't quite sure what to expect, especially as the pub was so quiet for a Friday night. Hyde's Bitter was available on hand pull and it was well kept, which lessened my fear a little. A small group of lads who were playing pool were very welcoming and friendly so I guess you shouldn't judge a pub by it's exterior and/or décor. I was done in by this stage so I wandered carefully off to the B&B for a nice sleep.


The following day was Saturday so, following a full English, another shower and a chance to wake up and clear my head, I decided that a little recon was in order to prepare for George's arrival and make a plan for the evening. I had a wander around the town identifying the location of pubs that formed the basis of the trail and any others that I thought could be worth a look. This proved to be a fruitful exercise and I formed a coherent plan in my head for later that day. With time to kill before George arrived, I decided that I would pay a visit to couple of pubs that were at the other end of the trail, away from the area we would be visiting. The first of these was the local Wetherspoons, the Wye Bridge House.

This former Midland Railway hotel is on a slightly raised grassy area near the bank of the River Wye which flows nearby. The building boasts a slate brick exterior and is relatively square in layout with bay windows to the side, French windows to the front and an extensive outdoor patio area. The bar is L shaped and off centre and the overall layout is the standard Spoons open plan with a mixture of high and low seating. The bar includes 10 hand pulls. 1 is not in use but the others feature Abbot Ale, Hobgoblin, Ruddles Bitter (2 of each), Old Rosie cider, Ein Stein from Lymestone brewery, Life of Riley from the Wincle Beer Co., and a California Session IPA, brewed as part of the current UK/US collaboration. After a period of thinking, I decided that Life of Riley would be a good call. This is 4.2%, very pale in colour and with a fruity aroma tinged with a touch of hops. On the tongue, there is lemon and peach and a citrus finish. Overall, it was a very nice way to start the day!

I next ventured to a pub that lies just around the corner, underneath the railway arches. Imaginatively named The Railway, this is a Greene King operated stone and brick building that extends back beneath the imposing arches above.

There is a small, central bar with seating and dining areas off to either side. 3 of the 4 handpulls are in use, offering a choice of Greene King IPA, Olde Trip and Railway Bitter, brewed especially for the premises. I went for the Olde Trip, which was in very good condition.
Following a brief detour back to the B&B, I made a swift return to The King's Head for another pint of Scuttle Butt, in hope that they were showing the Liverpool v Arsenal game.

They weren't but the Queen's Head Hotel, further down the street, were.

I wandered down to this pub, which also features on the trail, with the decision in my head not to drink more beer until George arrived. The Queen's Head has been in the same family for half a century and has a well stocked bar that offered Old Speckled Hen and a couple of beers from Buxton Brewery. I stuck to my initial decision though and lost man points by ordering a coke, whilst I watched Liverpool pull Arsenal to pieces.

Shortly after leaving the Queens Head, George informed me that he had arrived! After a quick snack, the day began properly. Retracing my steps from the Queen's, we headed to our first planned destination, The Swan.

Regularly featuring in the Good Beer Guide, The Swan is renowned as a proper drinkers pub. This square, stone building is just off of the main market place. There are 3 rooms served from a central bar. 5 hand pulls are present, providing Doom Bar, Tetley's and Hurricane Hubert from Macclesfield's Storm Brewery. I instantly opted for the Hubert, whilst George ordered a coke to help with his hangover (which made me feel better). The beer was very good, 4.5%, chestnut coloured, with a nutty aroma, creamy head and a soft, malty taste with a smooth finish and hints of chocolate malt.

Helpfully, the first few pubs I'd pencilled in for the day were in close proximity which meant that whilst lots of walking would be required later, at least we could ease ourselves into it. The next place on our list was almost opposite The Swan. The Cheshire Cheese is owned and operated by Titanic Brewery, operating almost as an unofficial brewery tap.

The bar is diagonal and located at the back of the room and there is a mix of high and low seating throughout. 7 of the 10 handpulls include offerings from Titanic Brewery, in the form of Anchor, Plum Porter, Capt. Smith's, Iceberg, Steerage, White Star and Compass. Chocolate Stout is available on draught from wall-mounted taps. The remaining 3 handpulls feature Everard's Tiger, Ilkley Black and Cumberland Cumbria Bitter. I went for the White Star at 4.8%. This beer is pale golden in colour, honey flavoured and fruity on the nose with a zesty taste and a smooth finish. George decided on a pint of the Anchor. We thoroughly enjoyed this pub, which features on the trail but had changed hands since the guide was written. During our time here, we heard the barmaid make a joke as bad as one of mine after smashing a glass and I somehow accidentally flirted with George's girlfriend Shellie over the phone. I don't think he minded that much and to be honest, I don't really know how I managed it.

Sadly, we realised we had to move on and ventured 2 doors down to the Old Sun Inn.

This is an old, traditional building with low beams, flagged floors and open fires. Lots of rooms are arranged around the central entrance. The small bar has 5 handpulls, 3 of which are currently in use and offering Pedigree, Marston's Bitter and Sun Inn Ale, brewed for the pub. We both decided on a pint of the Sun Inn Ale which, despite only having an ABV of 3.6%, was very nice with a good hop/bitter balance, a pale appearance and a smooth finish with a hoppy kick. It being a Saturday in February, the Six Nations was in full swing. Our next task became finding a venue in which we could watch the England v Scotland game.

To that end, we were directed back down the hill to the London Road Inn, which would definitely be showing it.

This is a one roomed traditional street corner boozer with a small amount of furniture an open dance floor space and an L shaped central bar. 4 hand pulls were present, with 3 in use that included Tetley's, Courage Director's and Manchester Pale Ale. George and I both went for the MPA at 3.7%. This was pale and hoppy with a fruity aftertaste. We settled down to watch the rugby, which had already started and which England went on to comfortably win. The atmosphere in the pub was very friendly with lots of chat, conversation and banter. George's beard was a subject of discussion and he was asked jokingly (I think) if he was a Muslim. I, on the other hand, was eyed by a not unattractive girl and separately by a considerably older, considerably less attractive woman. Something for everyone it seems!

Following the rugby, the walking properly began and we made our way back up the hill to a pub I'd spotted just off of the Market Place, The New Inn.

This brands itself as a cask ale house and is small inside, consisting of a single room with seating around the room and the bar against the back wall and a coal fire making the place nice and warm. The 8 hand pulls contain a variety of different brews including Titanic Cherry Stout, Stout and Full Steam Ahead, Robinson's Unicorn, Trooper, Blonde and Old Tom and Hartley's Cumbria Way. It's this last option that I eventually went for, copper coloured, malty in aroma and zesty in flavour with a hoppy finish. The general feel of this pub was a disappointment as it seemed to be full of mainly older people keeping to themselves. Of all the pubs over the weekend, we enjoyed this one the least.

Our next location was further downhill, and tucked off the main streets.

The Buxton Tap House is the brewery tap for Buxton Brewery and very nice it is too! Modern and shiny inside with a small rectangular bar and 8 handpulls, most of which (obviously) feature Buxton products. On offer are Buxton Bitter, Moor Top, Rednik Stout, Axe Edge and a couple of others. The Rednik Stout was very nice, with a deep browny-black appearance and a creamy latte head, at a strength of 4.1%. It was getting to the stage of the evening where serious conversation began to take place, which should have been a sign that it was time to go home. However, I was determined to drag George to Ramsay's Bar. Whilst here, supping our final pints, we sampled the cuisine, in the form of the steak and ale pie, which was fantastic! With our appetites sated and our blood safely diluted by alcohol we wound out weary way back to the B&B.
 
It had been a very good day, to top off an excellent weekend. Buxton certainly has a lot to offer the seasoned drinker and even those who are new to the ale scene. If you don't mind walking and lots of wind, a trip to Buxton is something that everyone should try at least once. I do intend on a return visit in the future, to visit the pubs that we missed out but also to go caving as George assures me that it's brilliant. All in all, this was a successful trip and certainly one of the most interesting that I've done since this blog was conceived. A happy birthday indeed!
  

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