Bury St. Edmunds is primarily known in England for two things: an ancient abbey dating back to 900 AD, and beer! ‘Bury’ as the locals call it, is home to the Greene King Brewery, one of the largest and oldest UK breweries still in operation. For those of you that have ever visited the Yuengling brewery in Pottsville PA, Greene King is the quintessential British equivalent.
The Greene King brewery tour is a great overview of the beer making process, complete with a panoramic 360 view of Bury from the roof of the brewery house. Jim had already taken the tour with his Dad in October as they circled Norfolk on a golf-cation weekend. We stopped in to walk through the free gallery and learn about the history of Greene King – well worth a visit for those interested in learning more about the brewing of traditional English ales.
However, we’ve also been more drawn to the smaller craft brewery scene so the real purpose of this visit was to check out that scene! Our favorite stops were…
Where: 5 minute walk from the Bury St. Edmunds train station (Greater Anglia network). See map.
Why you should visit: All of the brewing takes place in the Brewshed (see below picture) next to The Beer House, literally a shed alongside the road on the way into the Bury St. Edmunds Town centre. In this shed there’s a 5 barrel microbrewery in place, producing a beer supply for the Beer House and the 2 other pubs they own in the town!
Overall Comments: We visited early in the afternoon on Saturday and enjoyed a low-key quiet vibe with just a handful other customers and pets (dogs are welcome!). The bartender was genuinely into the beer, and happily shared some stories about business and the real ale scene in Bury. Jim and I sampled all of the four regular Brewshed beers on tap (unfortunately the seasonal was out), our favorite being the American Blonde ale (5.5% ABV).
Where: In Bury St. Edmunds. See map.
Why you should visit: They function as a small microbrewery, restaurant, and also operate a Bed and Breakfast on the premises -next to the brewpub. Jim and I stayed overnight at their B&B. Clean, nice room and very convenient to the town centre. (I also had the best omelette for breakfast that I’ve ever had while living in the UK this last year!)
Overall Comments: A unique interior with shiny silver brew tanks next to the small bar and dark red-painted walls makes it feel both modern and sleek at the same time. It isn’t a huge restaurant by any means, but they’ve managed to make use of their space in a really efficient way, showing off the brewing tanks and allowing space for some great cozy tables and a fireplace on the main floor, while also storing the important brewing necessities on the 2nd floor and in the cellar.We enjoyed two of their real ales, the Gunner’s Daughter and the Best Bitter. Somehow the taste is always better when you’re right next to the whole brewing operation!
Where: In the Bury St. Edmunds town centre. See map.
Why you should visit: It holds the title of the smallest pub in Britain according to the Guinness Book of World Records. The entire bar is 15 feet by 7 feet!
Overall Comments: Jim and I stopped in here on Saturday night. We took the picture below from our seat in the corner of the pub, and yes, you are seeing the entire pub in this picture!! All of the walls and ceilings are covered with various currency and coins from around the world. It’s a perfect dive pub. Not a place to go to for unique beer, though they proudly carry Greene King beer on tap (makes sense, considering that Greene King is just a short 5 minute walk away from this pub). There were about 10 people total inside the bar, which was almost a little too crowded. Because of the close quarters, it’s very easy to get to know your neighbor and not unusual to have a conversation in which the entire bar is listening. Jim and I enjoyed meeting new people and had a great conversation with the guys standing next to us, all part of the British Royal Air Force.
My final assessment – if you happen to get to Bury St. Edmunds, go see the Greene King Brewery if it’s on your list. But don’t forget to swing by these microbreweries and pubs above, as they’re all worth a visit. It’s nice to see the smaller independent places creating a name for themselves and changing the beer scene in a smaller more niche area outside of London.
February 16, 2013
Beer and Breweries, Beer By Country, UK