QUEEN'S HEAD - BEST PUB IN HINCKLEY, BY MILES !

The 'Queen's Head' in Hinckley is, without doubt, the best real pub in the town. While I've had occasional issues with it, what can't be denied is that it looks like and behaves like a proper English pub.

 

Having been voted the Hinckley and Bosworth CAMRA 'Pub of the Year' for 2013 it has much to live up to but it is doing so very well indeed. The regular turnaround of real ales is a great attraction while its support for the very recently established 'Elliswood Brewery' in the town has already caused excitement.

 

Phil and Dawn, plus Dawn's mum Shirley, do most of the work and the beer is always superb; it also comes from every corner of the country and is likely to satisfy all but the most pernickety of real ale buffs. If you're in the area, give it a try - you are unlikely to be disappointed.

ELLISWOOD BREWERY A BIG HIT AT 'QUEEN'S HEAD' IN HINCKLEY !

Last Thursday, Hinckley pub-goers were able to sample the first beer from a new brewery in the town for over 100 years. The "Elliswood" brewery has been founded by 2 step-brothers and their first brew was trialled at the Queen's Head on  Upper Bond Street from 5:00pm.

 

In the absence of the most active members of CAMRA, who had travelled to Rutland for a beer festival, there was little early competition to get a pint, though even arriving at 5:03 wasn't good enough to be first to the trough; I was only second. "Just One More" was aptly named as everyone who tried it had at least just one more; some of us managed to order just one more of "Just One More" several times !

 

"Just One More" is an amber beer, hoppy, bitter and very drinkable at 4.2%. It had apparently been planned to be 4.1% but the brew had other ideas; I don't think anyone argued about it, they just enjoyed the very nice ale. One of the brewers, Tracy Ellis, turned up to find out how his beer was being received and must have gone away very happy; the 9 gallon barrel was sold out by 8:15pm and many CAMRA members who rushed back from Rutland to try a sample were disappointed to miss out. I had told Phil, the landlord, that one barrel wouldn't be enough but .......... :-(

 

"Just One More" will. hopefully, be back on sale in the Queen's Head next Thursday and another brew, "Thirst in Line", is scheduled to be available at the Market Bosworth Rail Ale Festival between 26th and 28th July. Here's hoping the old liver holds out !

'RAILWAY' IN HINCKLEY TO RE-OPEN 2ND MAY.

After having been closed unceremoniously and without warning at the beginning of March, my old regular haunt, The Railway Hotel in Hinckley, is said to be going to re-open on the evening of 2nd May. However, it seems that the much vaunted refurbishment of the property is far from complete and only part of the pub will be in use, with building works continuing until the end of May. Having originally indicated that the pub would close for 6 to 8 weeks for refurbishment, it's now set to re-open after some 9 weeks with only part of the works done; we will have to wait at least another 4 or 5 weeks for completion.

 

The re-opening will, reportedly, be a low key affair but it's unclear exactly what will be on sale. Beers and a cider on handpump have been mentioned but will there also be any lager ? What will be the opening hours and prices ? Basically, who knows ? The landlord is a relative of one of the owners of the 'Steamin' Billy' brewery and has been transported from another brewery house at Syston, while the brewery is still advertising for an assortment of staff for the pub.

 

I know that many members of 'CAMRA' are pretty excited about this venture but, as a simple pub regular, I find it all a little concerning. I fear that the brewery has taken on and promised more than it can deliver and it will be the old regulars who suffer, with shorter opening hours and higher prices on top of what will eventually be a 3 or 4 month hiatus 'to boot'. Only time will tell if my fears are justified.