05/09/26 – Crewe

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From Rail Ale to Real Ale: A Crewe Beer Adventure

I had a brilliant day in Crewe, starting at the returning Crewe Rail Ale Festival at the Heritage Centre before heading into town for a good wander around some of its best independent pubs and bars. From The Crewe Dog and Borough Arms to Tom’s Tap, Hops, Earl of Chester, Ebenezer’s and finally The Raven, there was loads of variety along the way. I enjoyed everything from traditional cask ale pubs to brewery taprooms and modern beer bars, with plenty of great beer throughout. Crewe has a really strong independent beer scene, and this was a cracking way to explore it.

Crewe grew from a small rural settlement into one of Britain’s best-known railway towns during the 19th century. Everything changed when the Grand Junction Railway arrived in 1837, followed by the opening of Crewe Works in 1843. The railway brought thousands of jobs and helped shape much of the town, with new homes, schools, churches and other facilities built for its growing population. Crewe Works became a major centre for locomotive building and engineering, while the station developed into an important railway junction. The railway remains a huge part of Crewe’s identity today, alongside its long connection with motor manufacturing.

Crewe Rail Ale Festival

I started the day at Crewe Rail Ale Festival at Crewe Heritage Centre organised by CAMRA South Cheshire Branch. The Crewe Rail Ale Festival has become a popular event for both beer and railway fans, bringing the two together in one of the most fitting settings around. The festival had already reached its tenth edition by 2022, attracting visitors from across the country. After further festivals in 2023 and 2024, it took a break in 2025 before making a welcome return in 2026.

This year’s festival offered over 60 real ales, ciders and perries, with plenty of choice across the bars. It also hosted regional judging for the Premium Bitters category of CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Britain competition, adding a little extra interest to the weekend. St Luke’s Hospice was the chosen festival charity, while admission also included access to the Heritage Centre itself, giving visitors the chance to mix the beer festival with a look around Crewe’s railway history.

The setting is a big part of what makes the festival stand out. Crewe Heritage Centre occupies part of the former Crewe Works site, where locomotive building began in the 1840s and helped shape the town for generations. The Heritage Centre opened in 1987 as part of celebrations marking 150 years of the railway in Crewe. Today it is home to historic locomotives, signal boxes, the famous Advanced Passenger Train, railway displays and a miniature railway, making it a brilliant backdrop for a festival with “Rail Ale” in the name.

At the festival I worked my way through a good mix of styles. I went for Divine Hibernation by Four Priests Brewery, a hazy IPA with juicy citrus and tropical fruit flavours; Spinners Gold by George Shaw Brewery, an English pale ale with light citrus flavours; Dave’s House by Tom’s Tap And Brewhouse, an English pale ale with grape, gooseberry and elderflower notes; Summer Breeze by Storm Brewing Co., a golden ale with light summer fruit flavours; Dragon Slayer by Merlins Micro Brewery, an English strong ale with rich malt and blackcurrant notes; and Citra Riwaka – Faithless 238 by RedWillow Brewery, a New Zealand pale ale with tropical fruit, citrus and melon flavours.

The Crewe Dog

Next up was to The Crewe Dog. The Crewe Dog opened in May 2021 as part of the newly refurbished Crewe Market Hall. It was created by Chris Mundie, who was already behind The Salty Dog in Northwich, and brought his love of craft beer and real ale to Crewe. The bar became one of the first businesses to join the revived market hall, which itself dates back to 1854 and was originally built as a cheese market. Today, The Crewe Dog remains an independent bar at the heart of the hall, combining modern beer culture with one of Crewe’s most historic and characterful surviving town-centre buildings.

The Crewe Dog sits inside the busy Crewe Market Hall, with its dark wooden bar frontage standing out against the bright, open space around it. The high glass roof, green metal beams and hanging lights give the hall plenty of character, while long shared tables fill the centre. The pub itself has a darker, more intimate feel, with black walls, warm lighting and a small side seating area. Wooden tables, stools and old barrels are used throughout, with framed pictures and vintage-style posters adding colour to the walls. It feels relaxed and informal, while still being right in the middle of the lively market hall.

There were 4 cask ales alongside a great choice of keg options. I went for Crewe’s Control by Tom’s Tap And Brewhouse, an English pale ale brewed in collaboration with The Crewe Dog, with pineapple and citrus flavours and a fresh, hoppy finish.

Borough Arms

A short walk over the railway in brought me onto Borough Arms. The Borough Arms on Earle Street has been part of Crewe’s pub scene for well over a century. A surviving photograph shows the Borough Arms Inn here in 1910, with a crowd gathered outside. Over the years the pub has also traded under the names Cheshire Casserole and Orient Express. Its present-day story took shape in 1999, when the building was refurbished and reopened by Alan Hinde, founder of Coastal Brewery. John Webster took over as landlord in November 2005 and carried out refurbishment. Sitting beside the West Coast Main Line, the pub has long had a strong railway connection.

Inside, the Borough Arms has a cosy, traditional pub feel, with lots of dark wood, red patterned carpets and a mix of bench seating, stools and wooden tables. The walls are packed with old beer signs, framed adverts and pub memorabilia, while the ceiling is almost completely covered in pump clips, giving the place plenty of character. There are a few different seating areas, including a snug spot around the brick fireplace. The bar continues the same look with more pump clips and old brewery bits on display. Out the back, there’s a large covered beer garden with picnic benches, hanging baskets and plenty of colourful flowers.

There were 10 cask ales alongside a great selection of keg options. I went for Sun City by Oakham Ales, a blonde ale with pineapple, passion fruit, peach and citrus flavours and a fresh, refreshing finish.

Tom’s Tap & Brewhouse

Following the route of the railway in brought me to Tom’s Tap and Brewhouse. Tom’s Tap & Brewhouse has been part of Crewe’s beer scene since 2018, when Sean and Jacqui Ayling took over the former Offbeat Brewery on Thomas Street. Offbeat had been brewing in Crewe since 2011, and the new owners renamed the business Tom’s Tap & Brewhouse after their son, Tom, who also joined the company. Sean brought brewing experience from Pig & Porter in Kent, while the family developed the site into a brewery and taproom. Over the years it has grown into an independent venue, with brewing on site and the taproom remaining at the heart of the business.

Inside, Tom’s Tap & Brewhouse has a relaxed, laid-back feel that suits its brewery setting. There’s a mix of sofas, wooden tables and mismatched chairs, with a small bookcase and plenty of little details giving it a homely touch. One side has a small stage with fairy lights, while the bar area keeps the more industrial look, with black walls and a huge collection of pump badges above the taps. Large open doors bring plenty of light into the room and lead straight out into the yard, where stacks of casks, kegs and pallets make it clear you’re right in the heart of a working brewery.

It was fantastic meeting and chatting to Sean, alongside with Laura Hadland, Ian and Adrian. There was 1 cask ale, a huge variety of keg options, plenty of cider choices and even more to pick from in the fridges. I went for Hillbilly Engineering (Eclipse) by Tom’s Tap And Brewhouse, an English pale ale with fresh, zesty flavours and a light, refreshing finish.

Hops – Belgian Bar

My next visit in was to Hops – Belgian Bar. Hops opened on Prince Albert Street in 2007 and has since become one of Crewe’s best-known independent beer bars. Family-run from the beginning, it was created as a Belgian-style café bar, bringing an unusually large choice of Belgian bottled beers alongside British real ales to the town. The premises had previously been used as a wine bar, but Hops soon developed its own loyal following. Over the years it has picked up several CAMRA awards and has been a regular entry in the Good Beer Guide. Still independently run today, Hops remains a well-established and much-loved part of Crewe’s pub scene.

Inside, Hops feels warm, cosy and full of character, with wooden floors, chunky tables and a mix of chairs and comfortable leather seating. The walls are painted in warm shades of green and orange and covered with beer menus, brewery signs, framed pictures and plenty of other beer-related bits and pieces. The wooden bar sits neatly to one side, with bottles and fridges behind, while a staircase rises through the room and adds to the snug feel. Large windows bring in plenty of natural light. Outside, there’s also a pleasant seating area with tables, benches and large umbrellas surrounded by greenery.

There were 6 cask ales alongside a range of keg options, including several Belgian and German beers, plus loads more choice in bottles from the fridge. I went for Afternoon In Chico by weekend project, an American pale ale with bright citrus and pine flavours and a crisp, bitter finish.

Earl of Chester

I headed next to Earl of Chester. The Earl of Chester is one of Crewe’s surviving traditional corner pubs, a type of local that was once much more common around the town. The pub is already clearly marked on the 1874 Ordnance Survey, giving it a history of at least 150 years. Its name is linked with the Cheshire Yeomanry, later known as the Cheshire Yeomanry (Earl of Chester’s), a regiment first raised in 1797. The pub has remained a modest, community-focused local over the years. In 2023, it gained wider recognition when it proudly appeared in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide 2024 for the very first time.

Inside, the Earl of Chester has two quite different rooms, both with plenty of character. One side has a long wooden bar, grey-blue bench seating and wooden tables, giving it a relaxed and traditional pub feel. The other room really leans into its rock theme, with band posters, record sleeves and music memorabilia covering the walls and even the ceiling, plus a disco ball hanging above. There’s plenty of seating throughout, with a mix of tables, benches and stools. Out the back is a narrow beer garden with picnic benches and string lights, making a pleasant little spot to sit outside.

There were 3 cask ales alongside a range of keg choices. I went for Excalibur by Merlins Micro Brewery, a blonde ale with light malt flavours, gentle hops and a smooth, balanced finish.

Ebenezer’s

Next was to Ebenezer’s. Ebenezer’s story began in Nantwich in 2017, when Lee Garner opened a craft beer and gin bar in Castle Street. The name was inspired by the town’s former Ebenezer Methodist Chapel, built in 1857. After the Nantwich bar became established, Lee teamed up with Steve Shoebridge to bring Ebenezer’s to Crewe in August 2021, taking over the former BeerDock on Nantwich Road. The new bar continued the site’s connection with independent beer and quickly became part of Crewe’s growing beer scene. In April 2022, Ebenezer’s received South Cheshire CAMRA’s award for a new outlet for real ale in the area.

Inside, Ebenezer’s has a relaxed, unfussy feel, with a mix of white painted brick, exposed red brick and plain walls. Wooden bench seating runs along the sides, matched with small round tables, high wooden tables and metal stools. Framed posters and artwork add plenty of colour without making the place feel cluttered, while simple pendant lights keep things warm. The tiled floor and exposed brickwork give it plenty of character, and the large front windows bring in lots of natural light. There is more seating upstairs, while a few wooden benches outside make a great spot when the sun is out.

There was a single cask ale, 8 keg lines and a selection of ciders, plus even more choice from the fridge packed with cans and bottles. I went for Daybreak by Silent Brew Co., an American pale ale with bold citrus and pine flavours and a clean, bitter finish.

The Raven

My final visit in Crewe was to The Raven. The Raven has been part of this corner of Crewe for decades. CAMRA records show it trading on Brookhouse Drive by 1978, when Boddingtons draught strong ale was available there. A big change came in December 2013, when the pub was bought by new owners and became a free house, giving it more freedom over the beers it served. It went on to receive a CAMRA Summer Pub award in 2015 and built a strong reputation for cask ale. Today, the Raven remains a well-established community pub, with traditional games and regular live music still playing an important part locally.

Inside, the Raven still has a proper traditional pub feel, with two separate rooms that each have their own character. One is smaller and cosier, with dark green bench seating, wooden tables and a few traditional chairs around the room. The larger lounge feels much more spacious, with patterned seating beneath the windows, a fireplace at one end and a mix of tables, stools and chairs. There are plenty of big windows bringing in natural light, while the darker woodwork keeps that classic pub look. Outside, there’s also additional seating at both the front and side of the building.

There were 6 cask ales alongside a variety of keg choices. I went for Pineapple Punch by Purple Moose Brewery, a fruited pale ale with subtle pineapple flavour and a crisp, bitter finish.