The Old Cannon Brewery

The Old Cannon Brewery is a brewpub in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, UK.^[1] They have a roster of regular cask ales that are produced year round, as well as several popular seasonal beers that are produced at certain times of the year. It is one of two breweries in Bury St Edmunds, the other being the Greene King Brewery.

The Old Cannon is a genuinely independent free house in Bury and certainly the only brew pub in Suffolk where you can actually see beer in the making on a regular basis. Beers are made on the premises using East Anglian grown and malted barley and choice hops.

Children under 10 cannot be accommodated in the pub or restaurant.

History

This Victorian property was originally home to the Cannon Brewery, which closed during World War I. It was later home to a Greene King pub called The St Edmunds Head, which closed in the early 1990s. The St Edmundsbury Record Office shows Pat and Liz Spillane purchased the property from Greene King in 1994, renovated the buildings, and reopened as The Old Cannon Brewery in December 1999.

Previously known as the St Edmund’s Head, the pub opened in 1845 with its own adjacent brewery, now B&B rooms, built 2 years later and known locally as the Cannon. Brewing ceased in 1917 due to the war and the pub was closed in 1995 by Greene King. Reopened in 1999, after a short stint as a photographer’s studio, the pub has is now known as the Old Cannon Brewery. The Old Cannon Brewery has been brewing on site since 1999 using vessels. The polished steel mash tun and kettle dominate the bar area; and they brew their own beer on a weekly basis. They always have their core beers Best Bitter and Gunner’s Daughter available for customers. These are complimented with one of their own seasonal beers such as Hornblower or Brass Monkey in the Spring; and Gunport Stout, or Black Pig in the Autumn and Winter.

The Old Cannon Brewery is the only brew pub in Suffolk where you can watch the beer being brewed on site thanks to their polished steel brewing vessels which form a stunning feature of the bar. The Brewery now supplies its beer to many pubs and outlets around East Anglia.

Brewery

The seven barrel brewplant is situated in a room above the bar, by the bar and in the pub cellars. Their beers are made from East Anglian grown and malted barley and choice English hops; and they brew once or twice a week, usually on a Monday or Wednesday when you can sit sipping the results whilst watching the next brew in the making!

To compliment our Old Cannon beers they have a constant rotation of guest ales from around the country as well as Adnams Southwold bitter, their regular guest beer from the Suffolk coast.

If beer is not your tipple, They have a full range of spirits, local Aspall cyder, Suffolk-grown apple juice and a carefully selected range of wines, many of which are available by the glass. Their house draught lager Calvors 3.8, a Suffolk lager brewed on a farm in nearby Coddenham.

Restaurant

The Old Cannon restaurant uses locally sourced ingredients for its seasonally changing menu. It offers light mains for those with a smaller appetite and these can also be bought as starters.

They use their own brewed beer in the cooking such as the Best Bitter Cod and Chips and Gunner's Daughter Sausage and Mash. They also have a smokehouse on site where they smoke cheese and fish with their own beer. They also cure bacon and meats with their own beer.

Products

The names of many of the beers maintain a British nautical theme. For example, The Gunners' Daughter is reference to the practice of disciplining sailors with a lashing received while leaning over the ship's cannons, known as 'kissing the Gunner's Daughter'. Powder Monkey is a term for the young boys who carried the gunpowder on the ships and Black Pig was a derogatory term for Spanish Galleons.

Take away beers

All their beers can be sold (bright) in 2, 4, 18 and 36 pint take-away containers. They also sell an 8 pint mini-cask which will keep, unopened, for up to 6 weeks. See the price list on the website and order.

Beers

Best Bitter 3.8%ABV

One of our signature beers. Brewed using Bobeck hops giving a nice crisp taste, amber in colour, a biscuity, malty, moreish beer with a fruity, toffee smell, absolutely full of flavour.

Gunner’s Daughter 5.5%ABV

Another of our signature beers and Silver Award winner, (East Anglian Beer Festival 2010). A well-balanced strong deep copper ale with a complexity of hop, fruit, sweetness and bitterness in flavour. This premium bitter leaves a pleasant lingering aftertaste.

Bow Chaser 4.0%ABV

Brewed seasonally, a pale gold lager style blonde for those long summer nights, with a floral and malty bouquet on the nose. Brewed with Fuggles Hops it’s dry and crisp and refreshing.

Rusty Gun 4.0%

First Gold hops hit first with a smooth finish –our Best Bitter in reverse. This beer is amber in colour, smells fresh and fruity and is a well-balanced delicious caramel bitter.

Hornblower 4.0%ABV

(Silver Award winner, East Anglian Beer Festival 2011) A light coloured ale with a hoppy, citrusy overtone and a hint of blackberry.

Blonde Bombshell 4.2%ABV

This golden bitter has excellent body allied to a clean and refreshing character. First Gold hops combine with East Anglian malt to give a smooth, balanced flavour with citrus and lemon overtones it is crisp, zesty and dry.

Black Pig 4.2%

(Bronze award winner, East Anglian Beer Festival 2009) A black porter with an aroma of apple, chocolate and vanilla, this quaffable ale is made with Willamette hops and Chocolate malt leaving a smooth, roasted taste.

Brass Monkey 4.6%ABV

Our brewer’s twist on the well hopped blonde American IPA.

St Edmunds Head 5.0%ABV

An annual brew to celebrate St Edmund’s day on the 20th November, this dark, strong and malty ale has a sweet caramel depth and dry aftertaste with a scent of citrus on the nose.

Gunport Stout 6.5%ABV

Styled on a Russian Imperial Stout, the Gunport has a smooth chocolate flavour.

Powder Monkey

One of our ‘secret’ beers, the Powder Monkey is made up of half a pint of Best Bitter and Gunner’s Daughter.

References

External links

• Old Cannon Brewery Website

• Map sources for The Old Cannon Brewery

Coordinates: 52°14′59″N 0°42′53″E / 52.2496°N 0.7147°E / 52.2496; 0.7147