19/11/22 - The Good Beer (Micro) Pubs of Marple

Good Beer Guide Ticks - #762 to #764

Stage 5 of the Greater Manchester Ringway leaves me at a bus stop in Strines - a mere 2 miles from the three tick town of Marple. With a twice hourly bus service.

I have to admit, I thought The Samuel Oldknow would be a spoons. Or maybe a Sam Smiths.  I was not expecting a micro but this is the theme of the day.  

And it might just be the greatest Micro that I been to.

Certainly the best stocked.

Scores on the board

A decent collection of Belgian.  And Somerset Ciders.

Add to this, a very fine whisky collection - including some very tempting Japanese options and it could have been a messy, 1 tick afternoon.  

The place was heaving, inside and out - where a mulled wine counter was seducing the street market punters. I was forced to bar hang, as it was the only available space. But bar hanging is the best place to get into conversations.

Strange Times - Perfect Pint

Bevi - a real ale and prosecco bar that may just be a unique combination - offered less choice.

Bustling Marple

Modus Operandi

What was on offer included two Titanic Porters. The common plum and lesser spotted cherry. The barkeep telling me it was his idea for this brew and he contacted the brewery, who agreed to produce it.

Whilst I had him in conversation, I should have asked how they got a full sized pool table up those stairs and with hindsight, was the reuse of kegs as urinals a good idea.

Onwards to Traders. You are never sure what the USP of a micro will be but you are not going to go far wrong by adding "Pie" into the advertising.

Or chips, as it transpired

Drink selections are made from an electronic screen that swaps pages every 15 seconds. Cue the opportunity for a lonely pub ticking rambler to do the whole Peter Kay booking holidays on teletext routine.

To be fair to the staff, they did laugh along.  Even if they were dying on the inside.

Don't make it bigger

The screen also held a live feed to Untappd checkins.  

I tried not to let this influence my rating for 9% imperial stout. Not that there were any concerns, it was delicious.  

As was the pie.