I wonder if Mike Mason had any idea of the numbers before opening his new taproom in Threemilestone, Cornwall, yesterday evening?
A choice of cask or keg at the bar. These guys were kept very busy all evening.
I hitched a lift and we arrived well before the advertised start time of 7pm to find the party in full swing. I say party. Well, Louise Treseder, from the Driftwood Spars hotel and brewery was there. So that defines it as a party in my book. As the evening drew on, the queue to the very efficient bar was stretching through the unit and out the front door.
Mike, of course, was the former head brewer at Driftwood Spars, succeeding the late and very much missed Pete ‘Fluffy’ Martin, pioneer of the new era of brewing at the popular North Cornwall venue. While there, Mike developed Pete’s legacy and introduced some recipes of his own which received great ratings. His assistant brewer at Driftwood Spars, Tim Lawrence, is now head brewer there and dropped in for his friend’s opening night.
So straight in with a pint of refreshing, citrussy 4% ABV Three Spires ale, on cask. A proper delight for a sunny spring evening, and a perfect accompaniment to the pizzas on offer from The Pizza Cabina, to be found on the same out-of-town estate.
The beers were a mixture of cask and keg offerings, and all collaborations, with Driftwood Spars (of course!), Castle Brewery, in Lostwithiel, Bluntrock, at Rock, and Lost Brewing Co, in Newquay. South Westie IPA was a hazy, fruity delight, and Baltic Porter a perfect rich, roasty end to the session.
The taproom bar, rescued from the National Brewery Centre, in Burton
The taproom itself has been decorated nicely with brewing and pub memorabilia, the centrepiece of which is the beautiful sturdy bar which has been rescued from the now closed National Brewery Centre, in Burton.
I heartily recommend a visit. Going forward, the taproom will be open from 2pm-10pm on Fridays, noon-11pm on Saturdays, and noon-4pm on Sundays. There are buses to Threemilestone from Truro, then it’s a walk thought the industrial estate to the new Cedar Units (at TR4 9LD).
