I can’t say that I was entirely confident that this would be a great pub when looking at the exterior, but I’m pleased to note that not only is it listed in the Good Beer Guide, it’s a really decent venue.
Some of the reason for it not looking perhaps as decadent as it might is that it’s not the original pub from the late eighteenth century. The pub had a little issue when it burnt down in the late 1930s and so it was rebuilt between 1938 and 1939. It went from the Bullards brewery set-up to Watney Mann and then it found itself lumbered up as part of the Pubmaster estate before they were able to make a bid for freedom and it became a freehouse.
Someone thought it was a good idea to name it as McTaggarts between 2011 and 2020, but, fortunately, wiser heads prevailed and it went back to its old name. Matters have clearly improved since it reopened in 2021 as CAMRA have awarded it a series of accolades and awards over the last few years.
There were five real ales available which is quite something for a country pub. There was a range of styles and local and more further afield breweries, so it all felt well curated.
I went for the Dirty Diesel from Steam Shed brewery, a small outfit from Swaffham who brew some very decent beers, as I hadn’t had that one before. This was a very acceptable beer with chocolate and coffee flavours. As an aside, although they might look premium, I’m not a huge advocate of Salty Dog crisps, I find them a bit bland in taste.
It might not have been a very suitable option for a cold Saturday in January, but the pub does have a nice little beer garden.
Overall, this venue certainly did surprise and delight with an excellent selection of real ale for a country pub, a friendly service and a clean and comfortable environment. A very justified entry into the Good Beer Guide.