PASTY AND PASTORE

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.

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

29 thoughts on “PASTY AND PASTORE”

      6. I’m not sure if our eldest – whose birthday was two days ago – has yet recovered from learning that all the decorations weren’t put up everywhere for him…

        Liked by 1 person

      10. “Harvey’s 7.5% Christmas Ale at 11am” surely couldn’t be bettered.
        I’ve marked the first day after the solstice with a walk to Rugeley ( three hours from home to the Red Lion ) and Elder already in leaf heralds all the greenery we can expect in spring as days get longer and Proper Days Out become more regular.
        Cask at £2.70 on Mondays in the Red Lion and a Bass at £3.30 in Craft Union’s crown meant change out of £9 for three pints during my ninety minutes in Rugeley before the bus home.

        Liked by 1 person

      11. But I was reading on Discourse that cask would be £7 a pint soon, Paul.

        I was surprised a 7.5% Harvey’s barley wine was “only” £5.50 in the smartest bar in Hastings (the White Rock theatre bar).

        Like

      13. There’s a mimosa tree coming into bloom near here, Paul. It’s been so mild since that cold snap that it’s going into spring mode it seems. Yes it’s uplifting that the days are getting longer from now on.

        It’s helping by the absence of Christmas music at the moment too, but this comes at the price of hearing King Crimson’s 21st Century Schizoid Man and a multi-artiste mangling of Bird On A Wire…

        Liked by 1 person

      17. Yes Martin, but there’s a few on that Discourse realising that Craft Union pubs might not be quite as dreadful as they imagined.
        Yes Etu, an early spring, but maybe not for East Anglia where the wind’s straight across from the Uninals.

        Liked by 1 person

  3. “but it’s also renowned as the place with two breweries and a Brewery Tap that isn’t.”

    I’m… intrigued.

    “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).”

    Serendipituous!

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

    (slow golf clap) – and a tip of the hat to your bravery

    “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”).

    Have you and Bass had a falling out then?

    “But I’ve no interest in brewery tours.”

    The allure of most brewery tours is the free beer at the end.

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

    When you say ‘pasties’, you mean the oggie kind, not the burlesque kind, right?

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

    Pfft. That’s just Spanish for ‘pastie’.
    (the food one, not the other one, which is technically ‘food’ in a sense for babies?)

    “But what about the Boring Brown Bitters, you ask ?”

    Hey, it’s the start of the holidays. Time to get your beak ‘wet’ with other concoctions.

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

    (looks down)
    Oooh, kriek! I shall be on the hunt for unique stuff once we are safely settled in my oldest son’s home (the one with the grand kids).

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

    LOL! (slow golf clap)

    Cheers

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. History. Waterbeach had a long forgotten brewery and the Brewery Tap was its actual tap, retaining that name long after the brewery faded from memory. It’s a very basic boozer opposite the entrance to the (also closed) air force barracks.

      Two local small breweries live just up the road in the small industrial estate. Quality trad brewers Milton (who moved from Milton and brew that 7.5% Marcus Aurelius Mrs RM only drinks in pints) and Pastore, which is essentially a fruited sour specialist. I rate them both highly. Milton run 4 pubs in and around Cambridge, but Pastore won’t run a pub.

      I was championing Bass (along with Ian, Mudgie and others) when I started the blog, having drunk it at its best, but frankly I have no “favourite” beers, which always irritates people who ask.

      Absolutely no burlesque !

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Thumbs up on the history lesson.

        I can see where not liking one particular beer has its merits (I’m sort of like that, after being a HUGE Guinness fan).

        My lips are sealed on the burly thingy.

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Has this mental imagine of Martin finishing off the entire Pastore range and then removing his clothing in a random order whilst the music of some obscure North American female plays in the background. Possibly whilst gyrating inside a mash tun.

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