Despite the malt Disley being the furthest destination in our brief beginnings it was well attended. The logistics did not appear to cause any problems with regular trains direct to Disley and 17 U3A members had a busy sociable afternoon enjoying the company and refreshments. Lauren the owner had laid on a few Christmas nibbles which went down very well and at least one hungry U3Aer pronounced his purchased pie to be excellent. As anticipated the establishment received high praise for its decor, ambiance, beers/ciders and a special mention was made about the fresh flowers in the ladies toilets. The meeting was a great success with several of us vowing to go back on a regular basis.

 

A very chatty group of 11 of us visited this new and unusual 'Brew Pub' to sample a few of the excellent and interesting beers and ciders on offer. The beer range went from very pale Pale Ale to a deep and Dark Oatmeal Stout produced in the pubs own mini brewery and very drinkable it was too. A few of us arrived early and enjoyed a pleasant lunch before the official meeting my own choice of a Pannini was well made with plenty of flavour.

Our visit was illuminated by a talk from Neil Bates the bar manager who detailed the background to the original concept of the 'Brew Pub', its position and the somewhat random process in deciding what to brew. The head brewer has a fantastic position as he can experiment without the stress of knowing that several thousand pints will go unsold if the brew is not successful. This has led to some amazing beers although Neil did admit they had produced one or two less popular brews.

As with the two previous outings the occasion proved to be a highly sociable one mixed with some interesting refreshments.

 

On Thursday the 28th September thirteen of us visited the Petersgate Tap in Stockport. In the upstairs lounge area, we listened to Alan Gent (co-owner) detailing the family discussions that led up to the decision to open a Micro Pub. Alan's talk illustrated just how serendipity does work as from limited if any previous professional experience the pub was born, designed, fitted out and opened. Exactly one year on to the day from opening the doors of the Petersgate Tap it is thriving and has built up a reputation for good beer at reasonable prices. Recognised by the campaigning beer group CAMRA whose Stockport and South Manchester branch awarded it the coveted 'Pub of the Month' for September. Alan described the trials and tribulations for pubs today; both traditional and the modern Micro Pubs, the service and product that he wants to provide for their customers and the special issues for a Micro Pub. i.e. limited stillage (storage) and just 6 hand pumps for cask ales but the Petersgate Tap still manages to have a range from the palest of cask pale ales to rich stouts and porters. Keg beer drinkers are not forgotten with quality beers and lagers also available. It wasn't just a one-way dialogue, members were happy to ask questions make their own observations and of course enjoy the excellent beer.

 

The first meeting was held at the Mounting Stone in Bramhall and proved to be a successful start with the venue proving to be very positive and hospitable towards us. A good range of Real Ale and Cider (Rhubarb I believe) was available and Andrew the manager enhanced the visit by educating us on the process of receiving, conditioning, keeping and tapping the beers. Illuminating his words with two key technical bits of equipment, namely two wooden pegs! Feedback from those present was positive with keen interest being shown about our next outing on the 28th September. For further details contact the Group Coordinator
Lawrence Devaney

We have been operating for just over 2 years and have continued with our strategy of visiting licenced premises one afternoon per month. Our destinations have included modern micro/traditional pubs and the occasional brewery. In the main we have attempted to keep our visits local or with easy public transport access. This year we have reduced the number of speakers invited to our meetings as the members prefer to pursue their own topics and discuss the beers available in relation to their own tastes and experiences. Highlights of the year would definitely include our Christmas event where we combined with Wilmslow U3A Real Ale Group to enjoy a quiz, tutored beer tasting and a buffet at the Petersgate Tap in Stockport. Other notable visits would include September where we combined with the “Stockport Beer Week” to enjoy a number of award-winning ales at the Magnet on Wellington Rd North and the newly opened Archive Bar in Cheadle Hulme in July. Although we have approximately 15 members who would be considered as our core, we generally average around 8 at the monthly meetings which provides a good atmosphere where nobody is excluded. However, I am looking forward to our next 12 months with some interesting visits already arranged and of course new members are always welcome.
Lawrence Devaney – Group Coordinator