14/12/24 – Loughborough and Barrow Upon Soar

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Loughborough’s Best Breweries and Pubs

Loughborough is noted for its significant history, particularly as home to the largest bell foundry and notable advances in engineering during the 19th century. This rich heritage is complemented by its vibrant beer scene, featuring various pubs and breweries such as Charnwood Brewery, which celebrates ten years of operation. Visitors can explore a range of unique establishments, each with its own history and character, from The Swan in the Rushes to The Needle & Pin, showcasing local beers alongside cosy atmospheres. The town also marks historical events, including a World War I zeppelin attack, reflecting its industrial significance.

Loughborough is recognized for several notable attributes, including housing the largest bell foundry in the world. Founded in 1855, this facility has crafted bells for a multitude of cathedrals and churches throughout England, such as St Paul’s Cathedral and York Minster. The town is especially distinguished for its engineering industry. In the 19th century, advancements like John Heathcoat’s lace-making machines placed Loughborough at the leading edge of textile production. Additionally, it is celebrated for its important role in railway history, particularly with the establishment of the Loughborough Works, which was crucial in the development and production of locomotives and rolling stock during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Charnwood Brewery

Today, my first stop in Loughborough was to Charnwood Brewery, which is just a bit outside the town centre on an industrial estate. They’re hitting a big milestone this year, celebrating 10 years since they started up in 2014. The brewery has a shop where you can grab a variety of bottles, mini kegs, and bag-in-box beers, plus they run a taproom during the summer on Friday nights with a food truck.

I had a great time chatting with Andy and George, who shared some cool insights about their brewing process and the different beer styles they create. They also manage a few pubs, including The Fox Cub in Barrow Upon Soar, which I’ll be checking out later.

I got to taste several of their beers, including some festive specials like “Three Kings,” “Snow Fox,” and “Night Sky,” which are a chestnut beer, a blonde beer, and a black IPA, respectively.

The Swan in the Rushes

I made my way back to Loughborough, which took me about 20 minutes on foot, and my first stop was The Swan In The Rushes. This pub first opened its doors in 1932 as The Charnwood Inn and has gone through a few name changes over the years, like The Plough, The Old Plough, and Charnwood Forest Railway Inn.

Interestingly, this spot has been home to various pubs since the late 1800s.
The exterior of the pub really catches the eye with its classic 1930s Art Deco design and beautiful Hathernware tiles. Once you step inside, you’ll find three separate rooms that give off a warm, cosy vibe, just like all Castle Rock Brewery pubs do. There are lovely fireplaces and a central bar that connects two of the rooms.

At the bar, you’ll find a fantastic selection of six cask beers, including their own brews along with some guest options, plus an awesome variety of ciders to pick from. I went with “Preservation” from Castle Rock Brewery. It’s a really tasty English Bitter that’s smooth and super easy to enjoy.

The Mini Monocle

A quick stroll led me to The Mini Monocle, a charming little pub that used to be called Cask Bah. This spot was once part of the Barley Mow, a Home Ales pub that’s now divided into several sections. The Mini Monocle is like the little sibling of the Metal Monocle over in Leicester. The name “Mini Monocle” playfully hints at a steampunk vibe while also highlighting its smaller size compared to its bigger counterpart.

Inside, you’ll find a cool mix of musical memorabilia scattered across the walls and ceilings, making it a really unique and quirky place. It’s all about rocking out, socialising, and enjoying drinks in a super friendly and inclusive atmosphere.

At the bar, there’s a selection of cask ales, some of which are cleverly renamed after rock legends. You can often spot Nottingham Blondie, Nottingham Hendrix, Nottingham Lemmy, and Nottingham Ozzy on the menu, Blondie being my choice today. A light and refreshing blonde ale.

The Wheeltapper

A quick stroll takes me to The Wheeltapper, a cool micropub that pays homage to Loughborough’s railway heritage, which has strong ties to the industrial revolution and the rise of rail travel in England. The name “Wheeltapper” comes from the workers who used to tap on wheels to check for any flaws.

Inside, there’s an L-shaped layout featuring a big bar and plenty of seating. The walls are decked out with railway memorabilia, including a painted front of a steam engine that doubles as a dartboard. Plus, there’s a spacious outdoor beer garden to enjoy.

Pete gives a super friendly welcome here and has an awesome selection of both cask and keg beers. If you’re looking for gluten-free options, you’re in luck! Pete runs the “Beers4Coeliacs” group, which you can check out at www.beers4coeliacs.co.uk. I decided to try out “Sabro Type Beats” from Shiny Brewery in Derby. It’s a tasty pale ale that features Sabro hops, bringing in some awesome tropical flavours.

The Organ Grinder

Just a short walk away is The Organ Grinder, Loughborough, a pub operated by the Nottingham-based Blue Monkey Brewery. It used to be called The Pack Horse until the current owners took over in 2012 and gave it a complete makeover.

This pub has a history that goes back to the 18th Century when it was originally built as a coach house. Over the years, it has kept many of its traditional features, giving it a charming vibe that showcases its historical architecture. The building still has plenty of original details that add to its unique character. At the back, the Ostler’s House boasts an original cast iron cooking range, enhancing the cosy atmosphere, while several quaint rooms offer intimate spots for patrons.

When I walked in, I was greeted with a warm welcome and a snug, inviting vibe. They have an impressive selection of 9 cask beers along with a variety of keg options, featuring all sorts of styles and strengths to pick from. I chose “Bludolph” from Blue Monkey Brewery. It’s a tasty Double Dry Hopped pale ale made with Cashmere and Motueka hops.

Moonface Brewery and Tap

Next up is Moonface Brewery And Tap. This micropub opened its doors in October 2018, taking over a former warehouse and art studio, which is part of the cool trend of transforming industrial spaces for new purposes. They kicked off brewing in November 2019, using equipment from the old Winfields Brewery in Portsmouth. Their debut beer was a 3.5% Mild Ale, hitting the taps in December 2019.

Today, Lisa and Pete gave me a super warm welcome, and the inside has such a cosy vibe with plenty of seating scattered around the bar, even in the brew room. It’s set up perfectly for chatting, which is awesome. Don’t forget to try the tasty cobs and other local goodies available at the bar.

You can choose from 5 cask ales, all served gravity style, including one of their own creations, “Mother of All Drama Queens,” a 5.5% Pale Ale. Plus, there are 2 keg beers and a solid selection of ciders to enjoy alongside the beers.

The Needle & Pin

Taking a stroll back across Loughborough leads me to The Needle & Pin. This awesome micropub opened up in December 2015, and it’s set in a spot that used to be an electrical shop, which ties into its name. “Needle” refers to electrical devices that use needles, while “Pin” relates to the pins on electrical plugs and also nods to the textile industry, a big part of Loughborough’s history.

As soon as you step inside, you’re welcomed by a warm and inviting vibe that feels like a snug terraced home. There’s seating on the ground floor and more upstairs, with the bar raised a bit on the lower level.

When I dropped by, Sean, Rebecca, and Ben gave me a friendly welcome and showcased a fantastic selection of four cask ales, plus a variety of keg beers. There are also fridges packed with more cans and bottles to choose from. I kicked things off with “Bostin’ Mild” from Green Duck Beer Co. in Stourbridge. It’s a flavourful Dark Mild that really hits the spot. Then, I moved on to “Toxcitracy” from Black Iris Brewery in Nottingham. It’s a super tasty and smooth American Pale Ale that’s easy to enjoy.

Interestingly it is also the site of a Zeppelin bombing incident. The Loughborough zeppelin incident happened on the night of January 31, 1916, during World War I. It was part of a bigger German air raid that hit several spots in England, mainly to mess with industrial and military activities. The zeppelin that carried out the Loughborough attack was LZ 59, which was also called L 20. A plaque exists over the road.

The Fox Cub

Just a quick 20-minute bus ride from Loughborough takes you to Barrow Upon Soar, where I’m checking out my next two pubs. First up is The Fox Cub, which just opened in September 2024 after being transformed from an old hair salon. It’s run by Charnwood Brewery, based in Loughborough.

As soon as I walked in, I was greeted with a super warm welcome from the bar staff, including Karen, who I had met earlier this year at The Sorrel Fox. The place has a cosy and friendly atmosphere, with plenty of seating and a big front window. In the summer, they open up the windows and add extra outdoor seating out front.

On tap, they’ve got four cask ales from Charnwood Brewery, plus a variety of keg options. There’s a nice mix of styles to choose from! I picked “Snow Fox” from Charnwood Brewery. It’s a Christmas special that’s a light, refreshing blonde ale that’s super easy to drink and really enjoyable.

The Navigation Inn

After a quick 10-minute walk, I found myself at The Navigation Inn This pub has a fascinating backstory linked to the local canal system’s growth. It’s been around since at least 1803, originally built to serve canal workers and early boat crews who passed through the area.

As soon as I stepped inside, I was greeted by a cosy vibe. The place is divided into several rooms, plus there’s some seating out front and a lovely canalside patio in the back. It’s a nice, quiet spot—super calm and relaxing. The bar top is pretty cool too, featuring old penny coins embedded in it.

At the bar, there were three real ales on tap, along with a bunch of keg options to choose from. I went with “Maqruis” from Brewster’s Brewery in Grantham. It’s a tasty traditional English Bitter that has a nice, light maltiness, all wrapped up with a subtle hoppy finish.

The Three Nuns

My last two stops were back in Loughborough, just a quick 20-minute bus ride away, starting with Three Nuns. This place has a pretty interesting and tangled history, mainly because of a big mix-up with its name that happened around fifty years ago. It was originally called The Three Tuns, which is a pretty typical name for pubs in England, usually linked to the three casks or barrels used in brewing. The name change happened when a brewery tried to switch it back to the original name after digging through some historical records. Unfortunately, they misread the documents and ended up registering it as The Three Nuns instead of The Three Tuns. By the time they realized the mistake, it was too late to fix it since the new name was already official with the local magistrates.

These days, it’s run by Everards Brewery from Leicester. When you walk in, you’re greeted by a warm, inviting atmosphere with plenty of seating and a big bar that serves drinks from both sides.

On the bar, there are five cask ales to pick from today, along with some keg options and the delightful aroma of mulled wine wafting through the air. The Christmas Special that caught my attention was “Sleighbell.” It’s packed with bold, fruity flavours, making it both rich and cosy, plus it has a unique wine-like taste and a beautiful ruby hue.

The White Hart

My last stop is just a few doors down at The White Hart. The name comes from the heraldic symbol of a white stag, which has been linked to various English royal families over the years. This place has been around for centuries and was perfectly positioned to welcome travellers passing through Loughborough, making it a key pit stop.

It was pretty lively when I walked in, but the atmosphere was super inviting. There are plenty of seating options, plus a massive outdoor beer garden, some of which is covered.

At the bar, you can choose from six cask ales, including a couple of gluten-free options. There are also tons of keg beers and other drinks to pick from. I went with “Rocky” from Shiny Brewery in Derby. It’s a light and flavourful Pale Ale that’s super easy to drink, made with Cascade, Mosaic, and Zeus hops.