The Taproom
Stroll through idyllic countryside to the fabulous new taproom.
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Between Market Harborough and Braybrooke village lies one of the best border-straddling secret spots – perfect for walkers, cyclists or anyone who fancies a pint. While we are obviously hoping Braybrooke Beer’s Tap Room is a humongous success (and early indicators tell us that it is bound to be) we’d also quite like to keep this one all to ourselves to ensure we bag the best spot each weekend! We spoke to Luke Wilson about the opening of the Tap Room, and the fabulous Griffin Trail that links the venue to Braybrooke and The Brampton Valley Way.
The Tap Room has been a big hit over its opening few weeks – how has it been to see it come to life? It has been amazing to get the taproom up and running and we have been so excited to have people coming to visit us. It has been in the planning for a number of years and everyone has put in so much hard work, so to finally get it going has been really great. We are very child (and dog!) friendly, so everyone can enjoy the space. Can you go back a little and explain how the idea for the Tap Room and the Trail began? Since we started the brewery in 2017, we always aspired to have a tap room, but due to one thing or another (Covid etc.) it never happened. Then, a couple of years ago, we decided to do a small expansion at the brewery that provided the perfect opportunity to create the tap room space. The Griffin trail came about after we were approached by North Northampton Council, who had identified the route as part of their Greenway plan. The Greenway Plan is a network of safe, mostly traffic-free routes suitable for walkers, wheelers and cyclists, connecting North Northamptonshire and beyond. We then worked closely with the Braybrooke Parish Council and North Northamptonshire to plan, raise money and subsequently build the trail, plus a spur that comes down to the brewery. The Griffin Trail currently finishes one field before the Brampton Valley Way, and whilst there is still a footpath through the final field, it has not yet been surfaced in the same way as the rest of the trail. The field has a different landowner and we are all very hopeful that they will agree to allow the project to be fully completed soon. What were your biggest challenges throughout the process? As with any development, there are always several hurdles and hiccups along the way, and so probably the biggest challenge was staying focused and patient, knowing we would eventually get there! Are there any more plans for the Tap Room over the coming year? Yes, we are hoping to do a number of events, including a collaboration with the Wild Sauna Club (wildsaunaclub.co.uk) and we will be hosting our annual Harvest Party on Saturday 13th September. Who have you collaborated with to create the space and the menu on offer? Locally, we are working with the Garage Bakehouse, Joseph Morris butchers, Saxby’s Cider, Partizan Brewery (based at Langton Brewery) and Berry Bespoke Design & Build (a Braybrooke-based building company). What has been your highlight so far? Seeing people using and enjoying the space and hearing all the feedback, especially after all the hard work everyone has put in to get us here. The Saturday after we opened, I looked out of the window and saw a whole host of people using the path, bathed in sunlight, and I thought: That’s exactly what I hoped when it all began.’ What else do you have going on at the moment? We have a monthly lager subscription club called the Braybrooke Lager Club where members get a box of 12 bottles delivered free to their door every month. It is a mixed case of our classic core beers (including our famous Keller Lager), specials and collaborations plus guest lagers each month specially selected by us. There’s also a wide range of extra benefits and goodies and members can pause or cancel their membership at any time. We also run The Swan Pub in Braybrooke village – a beautiful 17th Century pub serving delicious food – and our own beer, of course! The Braybrooke Beer Taproom is open Friday-Sunday 11am-6pm.
Pastries/cakes available from 11am; Hot and cold street food served from 12pm-5pm. Also open Monday-Thursday 10am-5pm serving coffee, drinks and retail sales only. Braybrooke Brewery, Braybrooke Farm, Harborough Road, Braybrooke, LE16 8LJ For more information visit braybrookebeer.co |
Issue 25
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