retiredmartin

December 2025. Waterbeach.

Ask anyone about Waterbeach and they’ll say “Ah, that’s where the Southworths ate a Chinese takeaway with folded bits of card“, but it’s also renowned as the place with two breweries and a Brewery Tap that isn’t.

Pastore is the fruit sour specialist whose beers pop up in the craft beer places (and the Crown Posada), who open the doors once a month, and for the first time in years that once was a Saturday I was Home (2).

A slightly subdued end of year event, after a big Christmas event a fortnight ago,

but loads of ideal Christmas presents for the lady in your life who hates sours.

I love sours, I think I may be the CAMRA member with the widest taste in beer (Q “What sort of beer do you normally drink ?”. A “wet”).

But I’ve no interest in brewery tours. Whoever asked how Crispy Shredded Beef was made ?

However the two lovely Pastore lads do chat trade, and Sheffield (they’re at Neepsend Craft Beer fest in February) and pasties.

Actually, veggie empanadas from Waterbeach’s own Pastim Bakeries, but empanadas makes me sound a bit Southwold.

But what about the Boring Brown Bitters, you ask ?

That would be a Negroni style sour and an oatmeal stout, obviously.

But the star of the day is their own take on Gluhwein,

a stunning winter warmer concocted upstairs where they keep the kettle and served in artisan mugs.

I almost resisted the temptation to declare it “possibly end of the barrel”.

Almost.