Durham and Spennymoor formed the supporting cast for a long delayed visit to the Surtees Arms at Chilton Lane, near Ferryhill.
Durham – Aperitif
The Water House
Area: North Road
Style: Wallet Friendly
Visit order: 1
An Amber Taverns pub close to the bus station that wasn’t too busy on this Friday afternoon. A tasty pint from the local Maxim Brewery to set the scene whilst waiting for the bus and the rest of today’s company.
| Brewery | Beer | ABV |
|---|---|---|
| Maxim Brewery | Double Maxim | 4.7% |
Spennymoor
Frog & Ferret
Area: By the Big Roundabout
Style: Traditional
Visit order: 2
A legend of a pub, and well worth the walk from the town centre. Seven cask pumps on the bar, six in operation, four sampled. Excellent value as well. This place is also well known for live music and the annual Frogfest. A real community asset.
| Brewery | Beer | ABV |
|---|---|---|
| Bass Brewers | Bass Premium Ale | 4.4% |
| Bowland Brewery | Hen Harrier | 4.0% |
| Daleside Brewery | Monkey Wrench | 5.3% |
| Rudgate Brewery | Viking | 3.8% |
The Grand Electric Hall
Area: Town Centre
Style: Wetherspoons
Visit order: 3
In preparation for the ride over to the Surtees (and as The Little Tap wasn’t yet open), we took our food again at Spoons. They have a lot of beautiful old buildings in their portfolio. This isn’t one of them, but it’s bright and airy inside and served our purposes very well.
| Brewery | Beer | ABV |
|---|---|---|
| Erdinger Weissbräu | Erdinger Weißbier (bottle) | 5.3% |
The Little Tap
Area: Town Centre
Style: Micropub
Visit order: 4
A lovely little micropub with a handful of tables and a warm welcome. The beers on offer here were all tempting, but there was only time for one today. Decision made and glass emptied, we took the Uber to today’s primary goal.
| Brewery | Beer | ABV |
|---|---|---|
| Hadrian Border Brewery | Secret Kingdom | 4.3% |
Ferryhill/Chilton Lane
Surtees Arms
Area: S of Ferryhill, E of Chilton
Style: Traditional (with a Brewery)
Visit order: 5
Finally, we made it. Thankfully, the Surtees was every bit worth the wait. Out back sits the Yard of Ale brewery, making it almost compulsory to work through the house beers. Glad that we did, with the Consett ale providing a great cameo appearance.
| Brewery | Beer | ABV |
|---|---|---|
| Yard Of Ale Brew Co. | The Circus In Your Mind | 4.3% |
| The Consett Ale Works | Ironsand | 4.4% |
| Yard Of Ale Brew Co. | I Want To Believe | 4.4% |
| Yard Of Ale Brew Co. | One Foot In The Yard | 4.5% |
Durham – Digestiv
The Station House
Area: Under the Viaduct
Style: Cosy Pub
Visit order: 6
Relaxing beneath the viaduct in familiar surroundings with a final trio of ales felt like a good way to finish the day. Beers well kept and served as ever.
| Brewery | Beer | ABV |
|---|---|---|
| Wensleydale Brewery | Shoal2Shoal | 4.0% |
| Two By Two Brewing | Nelson Citra Sabro | 5.0% |
| Wensleydale Brewery | Falconer | 3.9% |
| Today’s Summary |
|---|
| Total Pubs: 6 |
| Total Beers: 14 |
| Cask: 13 |
| Bottle: 1 |
| Strongest: 5.3% |
| Mildest: 3.9% |
We’d wanted to get to the Surtees for a while and it absolutely justified the effort. Spennymoor once again delivered thanks to the Frog and the Little Tap, while Uber did a lot of heavy lifting where public transport probably couldn’t.
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