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BUY ME A PINT
If you enjoy reading please consider “buying me a pint”, this will help to cover my hosting and image hosting and help to ensure further trips can go ahead!
BUY ME A PINT
A short trip down on the train from Newcastle to Durham, firstly visiting Durham Brewery slightly out of town, before heading the other side of Durham to visit “The Hop Knocker”, and finishing off in the centre visiting “The Holy GrAle”, “Station House” and “The Waiting Room”.
Durham Brewery
A short bus journey out of town brings me to an industrial estate Bowburn. Durham Brewery is located here and have been brewing since 1994, and is one of the oldest and most established breweries in the North East of England. A taproom and shop is located opposite the brewery and is packed full of bottles, mini kegs and more including sweets, spirits and other items from local suppliers.
2 choices of keg beers available on the bar in here today. I tried both – started with “Meraki”, a Mosaic IPA at 4.4%, followed by “Hazy State of Mind”, a Idaho Unfined DIPA at 5.9%. Both really tasty and well balanced beers.
Was great to meet owner Elly, who has been running the brewery since 2020 and is so nice to meet and chat to someone so passionate about beers and how they taste. Had a quick tour around the brewery setup and the impressive bottling setup they have at the brewery.
Market Hall Wines
If you’re passing through the centre, drop into Durham Indoor Market and head to “Market Hall Wines”, a great shop packed full of local and national beers, wines and spirits. Something for everyone in here.
The Hop Knocker
A bus out from the centre of Durham towards the Gilesgate area of Durham. My call here is to a craft bar and bottle shop which opened in 2018 called “The Hop Knocker”. owned by a friend of mine – Ben. A really great bar with lots of choice to drink in or takeaway. A very relaxed setting inside with lots of comfy seating.
A great line up of 12 keg beers (1 being a cider), alongside a massive selection of cans and bottles to drink in or takeaway, varying in styles and including a large amount of foreign bottles as well. I started with “Black Grape”, a tart sour beer from Yonder Brewing, before moving onto a can from Brew York, “When Lemons Give you Slime”, a tart Lemon and Lime sour beer.
The Holy GrAle
My next call is back in Durham Centre, on Crossgate, a slight uphill walk from the centre. This craft beer bar was formerly a board games café. A really quirky bar, which utilises a variety of different seating inside which looks amazing. A fantastic selection of snacks and crips as well, one of the largest I have seen.
A great selection of drinks here, with 12 keg beers (along the back wall), alongside 2 cask beers and a range of ciders. On top of this a number of fridges filled with lots of cans and bottles to drink in or takeaway. I went with a Vault City sour, “Black Velvet”, a delicious jet black dessert sour.
Station House
My next call is near to the Railway Station, “Station House”, this opened in December 2015 by a couple who were passionate about beer and wanted to create somewhere they would want to drink and hoped others would agree. It has won numerous awards including being runner up in CAMRA National Pub of Year 2022.
A great selection of beers on here, with 4 cask beers, 4 ciders and a range of keg beers. A fridge with beers and ciders is also available. All cask beers are dispensed from a small serving hatch to the left as you walk in. A really good idea and works really well.
Started with “Incredible Pale Ale” from Norwich based Fat Cat Brewing Company, a delicious American Pale Ale. I followed with “Jammin'” from Fyne Ales, a tart and fruity session sour packed with blackcurrant, raspberry and blueberry.
The Waiting Room
My last call of the night before getting the train back to Newcastle is coincidently located on Durham Train Stations platform. “The Waiting Room”, utilises the 1872 Ladies Waiting Room, which had been out of use for several years and used for storage. It is Grade II Listed and the restoration has been in keeping with this with lots of original features having being kept.
2 cask beers from local breweries available on the bar tonight, alongside a number of keg selections and cans from another local brewery, so lots of choice. I went with “Farne Island” from Hadrian Border Brewery based in Newcastle. A delicious amber bitter. Great seating on the platform as well in an enclosed area to watch trains passing by.
Micropub Adventures 