So the first thing to say is a big thank you to Keri (the current owner) and Kim, Wendy, Tom, Andrea and the team for rescuing our local from its long closure and restoring it to a super place to visit - whether for food or beer. And thanks for hosting our AgeUK Lunch Club for the last three years - today's was super, as always.
The new owner will be Joule's Brewery - a very local and very traditional brewery based in Market Drayton.
They own about 20 pubs - all within about 25 miles of the brewery. They take over at the Dog in the first week of April.
On hearing this news, it seemed to me that I had a duty to do a bit of research - and what better way than to visit one of their existing pubs (or "Brewery Taps" as they call them)
A friend had already given me a menu from the "Tap" in Wem (The Castle Hotel) so I decided to try somewhere different - The Old Town Hall Vaults in Whitchurch.
We found this to be a traditional, homely pub with a roaring fire - and the only "listed" loos in Shropshire - but they were very clean, despite being outside!
The menu was similar to the Castle - more bar meals than restaurant menus - Steak & Ale Pie, beefburgers etc. And a good range of sandwiches. But the servings looked quite generous and there was tons of meat in the pie that the chap next to us was eating. Whilst it seemed good, wholesome pub-grub the menus did not offer the variety that we have got used to at our Dog. But the Vaults and the Castle are both Town-centre pubs, so it is difficult to guess what a new Tenant at the Dog might do.
But the most important "research" was to check out the beer. I tried the Slumbering Monk. Their web site (http://www.joulesbrewery.co.uk/) describes it as
It certainly was a lovely pint - and a bit cheaper than the Station at the Dog. So off to a good start. But I need to research this topic further, and look forward to trying their Pale Ale and the Blonde - the Blonde looked just like Shropshire Gold, and I am told it tastes similar, too."Our premium beer, full bodied with malty and nutty fullness, hints of caramel giving it a round, soft, satisfying smoothness. We brew Monk with a very high proportion of crystal malt, this is malt that has been toasted so the natural sugar in the malt grains have slightly caramelised. This rich flavour gives the beer its deep copper colour [we add no colours and additives to any of our beers - all of them are 100% malt brewed]."
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Colin Case
www.ruytonxitowns.org.uk
Tel: +44 1939 260628
Mobile: +44 7860 904006
Fax: +44 872 115 8730
Colin Case
www.ruytonxitowns.org.uk
Tel: +44 1939 260628
Mobile: +44 7860 904006
Fax: +44 872 115 8730
-- Yoland Brown Brownhill House B&B, Ruyton XI Towns, nr. Shrewsbury SY4 1LR ShACC - Shropshire Alternative Car Club www.eleventowns.co.uk www.eleventowns.com www.ShACC-uk.org Tel: 01939 261 121 Fax: 01939 260626
