Newton Abbot Pub Crawl

In which we set out to visit the two current Good Beer Guide entries in Newton Abbot, plus a couple of other pub picks and one of the last remaining cider houses in the UK.

10:30 we set out in mist and rain from our East Devon base.
1:30 we made it to Newton Abbot having been scuppered by bus diversions and cancellations.
Heck, Devon by bus is hard work.

But at least by the time we arrived the weather had dramatically improved...

The church tower was decked out with seasonal decorations, whilst the library was looking magnificent in the sunshine...

After our journey we needed somewhere to eat and were keen to do something other than a predictable trek to Spoons.
That's how our first pub came to be chosen quite randomly on the basis that we happened upon it and they had a sign promoting home-cooked food.

The Jolly Farmer (8 Market Street, Newton Abbot, TQ12 2RB - web)
This was originally built as the Bradley Hotel in 1864, whilst it's now an interesting town centre pub and music venue.
The soundtrack was full-on Christmas music, although Frankie Goes to Hollywood somehow managed to hijack the festive selection providing a welcome change, even if it was just one track.

The Jolly Farmer advertised the best Jail Ale in town on one of their A-boards outside - it was okay, but whether it's the best in town I can neither confirm nor deny.  If you fancied an alternative ale, that would be a St Austell Tribute.
Great big menu of food with a huge plate of bangers 'n' mash filling me up nicely.

Food sorted, we made a walk through the town centre and down to the railway station.
We quickly popped across to Tuckers Maltings to check the opening times, which is how I came to have blue-sky pictures of a 5pm opener in December.

Then made our way to the Railway Brew House,adjacent to the station...

Railway Brewhouse (197 Queen Street, Newton Abbot, TQ12 2BS - web)
It's not actually a Brew House any longer - the Platform 5 Brewery used to be based here but have since moved to Torquay.

The Bass, teased by WhatPub, wasn't on, the choice instead being Exeter 'Avocet', Tim Taylor's 'Landlord', more 'Jail Ale', or the aforementioned Platform 5 pale or stout.
I'm making the most of the available stouts in the winter months, so plumped for 'The Black Crow' which was most enjoyable.

The pub is a simple one-roomer, where big screens were showing Empoli v AC Milan which no-one was watching.  There was a good afternoon crowd in, quite a few of them getting merry sinking the Jager shots.

And the railway memorabilia made a change from mild smut in the gents...

Heading back toward the centre, then branching up to East Street, we were making our way to somewhere a little bit special...

Olde Cider Bar (99 East Street,Newton Abbot, TQ12 2LD)
The building started out as three houses, built in 1838 to replace a farmhouse.  It was later converted into a very basic public house, owned by Whiteways cider makers of Whimple.  In spartan surroundings punters would quaff cider that was ladled out of 54-gallon hogsheads.
The addition of the bar in the sixties (still the same one you can see today made out of old barrels) made it a little more formal.

Former mutton-chopped owner Richard Knibbs took over in the 70's and ran the pub until 2015.  He caused a furore with a rule that women were only allowed halves, which he relaxed after losing a live debate on TV about the issue.

Around the bar are three seating areas with basic bench seating, and more space in the corridor to the rear and the yard outside.
The cider choice was pretty over-whelming: specials listed on a laminated sheet and regular offerings advertised on a blackboard.  Lots of cider.

I opted for the Sams Dry from the barrel, £3 a pint.
Mrs PropUptheBar was very happy with her chilli mead from Lyme Bay. 

As we sat down the background music was 'A  Spaceman Came Travelling' by Chris De Burgh - and I thought he only made Lady in Red.  Made a nice change from Christmas music anyway.

Part of me wished I could stay in the Cider Bar all evening.
Another part of me knew I'd fall over if I did.

We moved on, although we didn't have far to go with Teign Cellars being two minutes walk down the same road.

Teign Cellars (67 East Street, Newton Abbot, TQ12 2JR- web)
This corner pub was previously the 19th century Devon Arms, as well as having other names prior to becoming the Teign Cellars.

It's a low-ceilinged single-room bar with plenty of comfy corners to tuck yourself into, or high posing tables if you prefer.

There was one cask ale available - an O'Hanlon's 'Firefly', but we were drawn to the alluring keg fonts, eyes lighting up at the interesting choice.

I had a great Christmas beer here - a 'Pannettone Pastry Stout' brewed by London nano-brewer Jiddler's Tipple, in collaboration with By the Horns.  Wow! 
Vanilla, raisins, citrus fruit and brandy thrown in the mix - it's enough to make even a seasonal grump like me feel a bit festive.

For the last stop of the day, we headed back toward the station (yes - we walked back and forth on a long route through Newton Abbot - we were tied to staggered opening hours of everywhere we wanted to visit).
Here's the early afternoon blue-sky pic of Tuckers Maltings...

Maltings Taphouse & Bottle Shop (Tuckers Maltings, Teign Road, Newton Abbot,TQ12 4AA - web)
The traditional malt house used to be open to visitors, but sadly closed in 2018.
The Taphouse is located in the old visitor centre shop on the ground floor.  Next door neighbours are Teignworthy Brewery and it was their 'Edwin Tucker's Prize Ale' that I drank here - the only ale on cask on this visit.
Alongside this was another brilliant craft keg selection displayed on a video screen.

As you head back from the first floor WC the signage harks back to the days when this was the end of the visitor tour...

We had to drink-up rather too fast in the Maltings in order to ensure we caught our bus, which is a shame as I'd like to have stayed longer.
Great day out - great pubs and bars - amazing cider house.  Yep, I liked Newton Abbot.