Finally, we made it.  A long-delayed trip to Stockton and one that, by the end of the day left us wondering why we’d waited so long.  A day of exceptional pubs lay ahead.

The sign above was an instruction rather than a recommendation. We duly complied.

Stockton – High Street And Thereabouts

The Sun Inn

Area: High Street
Style: Traditional Boozer
Visit order: 1

Alighting the bus, we saw the happy sight of The Sun Inn, a good fifty steps away.  Two hand pulls, both Bass.  A tough decision, but we made the right one.  Rumour has it that the Bass here is excellent. it is.  Given the pubs to come, we opted for a half.  In hindsight, that was a mistake.  We missed the “banked Bass”, more on that shortly.

The Golden Smog

Area: Hambeltonian Yard
Style: Micropub with a local focus
Visit order: 2

The first of four standout micropubs.  Five cask ales and a cracking atmosphere.  I also love the branding of The Smog and regret not picking up a t-shirt.  An excuse to return.  This is also where we learned about the “banker” at the Sun.  Part pulled Bass kept cool, then topped up quickly for a lively pint with a generous foamy head.  Noted for next time.

Brewery	Beer	ABV
Marble Beers Ltd	Extra Special Marble	5.5%
Anarchy Brew Co.	Blonde Star	4.1%

Tipsy Turtle

Area: Regency West Mall
Style: Micropub
Visit order: 3

Next up, another excellent stop.  A genuinely warm place, both behind and in front of the bar.  We were just too late for the celebratory collaboration with the local Three Brothers Brewery.  “Shellabration” – a name worth the trip alone.  The landlord was quick to recommended other pubs in town, something that became a theme throughout the day.  Good to see local places backing each other.

Brewery	Beer	ABV
Salopian Brewery	Darwin’s Origin	4.3%
Pennine Brewing Co	Blazing Firefly	4.0%

The Thomas Sheraton

Area: Bottom of the High Street
Style: Wetherspoons
Visit order: 4

A new Spoons for me and surprisingly quiet for a Friday afternoon.  Kudos to the cook on the presentation of the dishes on the standard menu.  The building , an old court house has some nice features.  But more unusually, the loos are on the ground floor.  Always worth noting.  A meal deal beer and a real ale before moving on.

Brewery	Beer	ABV
Erdinger Weissbräu	Erdinger Weißbier (bottle)	5.3%
Elgood’s Brewery	Patron Saint	4.3%

The Kopper Keg

Area: Dovecot Street
Style: Micropub
Visit order: 5

The third of the day’s micropubs, and another strong one.

Special mention to the landlord, whose attention to an Old Fashioned was something to behold. The recipient was clearly delighted with the result.

Real ale and cocktails, both taken seriously. A combination that works well.

Brewery	Beer	ABV
Darkland Brewery	Bullion	4.2%
Twice Brewed Brewing Co.	Sing Me Spanish Techno	4.8%

The Fifth House

Area: Green Dragon Yard
Style: Micropub
Visit order: 6

Teesside’s smallest pub. One we had to double back for, as it wasn’t open on our first pass.  Worth the effort.

More cask ale on show and a couple of very good pints as we headed into the latter part of the trip.

Brewery	Beer	ABV
LHG Brewpub	Trueform	4.2%
Flying Gang Brewing	My Mistress Is The Sea	4.0%

Mavericks Bar

Area: Silver Court/Wasp’s Nest Yard
Style:
Visit order: 7

With a little bit of time before the bus, we headed into Mavericks.  No real ale, but a genuinely warm welcome.  A bit of Tiny Rebel is rarely a bad thing.

As with several stops today, the décor leans towards the quirky here and probably deserved more photos than I took.

Brewery	Beer	ABV
Tiny Rebel Brewing Co	Clwb Tropicana (keg)	5.0%

The Songbird

Area: Wasp’s Nest Yard/Silver Street
Style: Cosy modern bar
Visit order: 8

Ten minutes to go and The Songbird was open. Decision already made.

Reopened earlier this year and looking well put together. The feel and fittings match the beer.

Pleased to find a Three Brothers beer on here. Always good to finish on something local.

A quick half and finally off for the bus.

Brewery	Beer	ABV
Three Brothers Brewing Co	Atlantic Pale Ale	5.0%

Durham

The Station House

Area: Viaduct, Durham
Style: Micropub
Visit order: 9

An hour on the bus builds a thirst, so we finished at the ever-reliable Station House.  A couple of new ales for me here, with The Durham Brewery particularly impressive and a fitting end to the day.

Brewery	Beer	ABV
The Durham Brewery	Devil’s Lapstone	4.8%
Two By Two Brewing	Leap Frog Pale Ale	4.1%

Stockton is full of narrow lanes and yards. Worth bearing in mind, as it can make tracking down the better pubs a little less straightforward.

We expected good ale in Stockton. We didn’t expect the micropub scene to be so strong.

The High Street has clearly seen investment and looks the part with a range of independent and slightly offbeat shops adding to the character.

A trip well worth making, and one that’s likely to be repeated.