Gilbert White’s House & Gardens, in Selbourne, Hampshire, is inviting all to the opening of its Jubilee Tap Room, on 5th January, at 5.30pm.
The first official pints will be pulled by the Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, Nigel Atkinson, with the beer coming straight from the 1765 brewery over the road.
The Jubilee Tap Room is in the redeveloped ground floor of the old Queen’s pub, which closed in 2016. To continue the tradition of the site being a space where local people and walkers can enjoy their evening tipple, it was important that the project was community led.
The local volunteer brewers at Gilbert White’s House & Gardens have guided the appointment of the Tap Room manager, as well as the style and menu of the venue.
Initially, it will open from Thursday to Saturday evenings. It will also open for special events, such as the upcoming coronation of King Charles III, and serve as space that can host groups’ and organisations’ meetings and workshops.
The bar was named the Jubilee Tap Room back in June to honour the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The royal name reflects the venue’s recent history, having previously been called the Queen’s. Going further back in time the pub was called The Compasses.
In addition to being a naturalist, Gilbert White was a man who enjoyed his beer, and The Compasses is a place he would no doubt have frequented. White even kept a regular diary of his own brewing exploits, and just 13 days before his death in 1793, he had been bottling up beer in his brewhouse.
In honour of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, the volunteer brewers crafted Platinum Blonde Ale. In celebration of the Tap Room’s opening, the brewers have got again with a new brew of Platinum Blonde Ale, but with the ABV upped from 3.8% to 4.2%.
In addition to the craft beer being available on tap, the venue will also be serving wine, cocktails, gin, and other local beverages. Snacks will also be served, using local produce, including watercress and ale sausages.
The opening of the Jubilee Tap marks another milestone in the history of Gilbert White’s House & Gardens, and provides a new outlet for the beer brewed in the historic 1765 brewhouse.
