Home Bars Food Accommodation Garden Beer Diary The Village Things to Do

The Rose and Crown has long been known for the quality of its Cask Conditioned Beer – ‘Real Ale’ - particularly during the last sixteen years thanks to two previous Landlords (Actually, one Landlord and one Landlady). We intend to maintain and build upon this reputation and to continue the Inns association with CAMRA (The Campaign for Real Ale) and the discerning beer drinker. In keeping with this aim, Charles already holds the British Institute of Innkeeping Award in Beer and Cellar Quality.

We are also the ONLY pub in the Quantock Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty to have won the ‘Cask Marque’ award for the excellence of our cask ales. This independent scheme regularly monitors the temperature, appearance, aroma and taste of our real ales to ensure that we always serve a perfect pint. For more information visit www.cask-marque.co.uk .

So what exactly IS ‘Real Ale’. In simple terms this is beer which is delivered in an unfinished state, which then has to be brought to a saleable condition by the pub before it can be served. This process of ‘secondary fermentation’ is controlled by the cellar manager, and only once the beer has been brought to perfect condition with acceptable colour, clarity and taste should it be sold. This clearly is a much more rewarding process than simply dispensing a ‘Keg’ beer where the product is fully finished before it leaves the brewery.

The Rose and Crown has a traditional ‘Old Fashioned’ cellar and dispense system for real ale comprising a stillage for eight firkins, and three gravity pumps at the bar. This is a completely manual system with no gas or electric pumps. Short of serving beer straight from the barrel this is the simplest and - in our opinion – the best system available.

We will normally have three Real Ales on hand pump, usually with strengths between about 4.0% and 5.8% ABV. We are fortunate in having a wide range of beers available, so we try to change suppliers regularly. In particular we are lucky enough to have Stowey Brewery less than 300 metres away – and who could resist buying a beer called ‘Nether Underestimate a Blonde’?

Visit us soon and try a few pints from around the country.