Applauding the Effort

 A couple of years ago a new brewery started not very far away and it was based right next to the greenway path that runs along the river.

It was called "Cocksure" and, for some reason I really didn't take to the name.  They changed to Tapestry (maybe new company or maybe just a name change) and they had a little bit of local trade in pubs.  We tried the beers a few times but they were fine, but we never sought them out and for the pub that regularly stocked their beers - we weren't pursuaded to go in often.

Then they started to open their taproom and a friend messaged me (publicly) on Twitter to say "you really must try them..." I replied that I was pleased they were there but had found the beer not really to my taste.  The brewery messaged back with a "please try us again..." or words to that effect.

So we did.  We ambled around to try it out and it was a bit better.  So we tried a couple of other times and we were happy to go there, especially as it involved a bit of a stroll via green stuff (loads of wild fruit trees - and the odd bird to see).  It became a semi-regular haunt even during the pandemic.

Then a sad thing happened:  post-pandemic they fell on hard financial times and then they closed.

After a little bit of time a new venture started:  Props.

Props are a charity that support people with learning disabilities in work and learning skills.  Immediately I liked the idea as it chimes a little with some of my work.

They've been going for a little while but we hadn't made the journey out.

Yesterday, the boy suggested he wanted a bit of a pre-beer amble.  So we made a long-overdue visit via a walk along the greenway.  We took stock of the fruit trees in blossom:  cherries, pear, apple, damson all in evidence and whilst pausing to look at something, we were visited by a cheeky robin.

We arrived at the tap and it was good to see a few people there.  The barman told us they get quite busy now and they've been pleased with how the project is progressing.

We tried their two beers and retreated to the mezzanine and listened to the music.

It has to be said that the beer was OK but definitely felt like "early in the journey of brewing" beer rather than the product of a confident brewer.

We look back to other breweries who we've seen go through this journey (Croft, Route 21, Martha) and what happens when they're able to stick with it and are able to learn.  It can be done.  Early stage breweries are not the finished article and I'm hoping that we'll stop off for another beer next time we're in town and see how things are going.