22 November 2019

MoogBREW Taproom

A guest post by Alan Haselden, a CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) member who contributes articles to Ullage, the West Berkshire CAMRA magazine and to Out Inn Cheshire, the Cheshire CAMRA branches' magazine. Alan serves annually at CAMRA's Cheshire Beer Festival.

Margi and Id, owners of Taplow's moogBREW, warmly welcomed the Big Berkshire Ale Hike team during a break from their Thames Path jaunt on the final yet inclement day of British Summer Time.
Located some 10 minutes' walk of Taplow's railway station they brew a broad range of ale types and strengths mainly for key cask [live, cask conditioned ale in a bag within a plastic keg], bottles, cans and occasionally traditional cask. They tend to open to the public on selected Saturdays, which are indicated in advance on their website.
In their smart, snug timber outhouse, capacity barely a dozen, they were serving the 3.5% pale ale 'Wild Hop', the 6% IPA 'Bastard Bunny Strikes Back', the 6.2% speciality ale 'Pretty in Pink' and the 7% stout 'Fast Gerald's Stout'. 
The drizzly, blustery conditions kept us sitting indoors but during fine weather customers can relax in the extensive garden which is well stocked with benches and gazebos. Ale is served in two-third pint measures or less and each is assigned an amusing yet menacing cartoon pump clip. 
The smooth session ale 'Wild Hop' is made from hops picked by Margi from the surrounding countryside; the stout is a typical dry yet potent example but my firm favourite was the flamboyant 'Pretty in Pink', which is pale in colour and infused with pink peppercorn and juniper: its intricate flavour profile is a weaving of grassy, herby notes with touches of lavender and oil of bergamot that doesn't outstay its welcome. 
And I hope our team didn't outstay our welcome because we were there for nearly three hours enjoying the ale and conversing with the locals while the jukebox skanked joyfully through a endless stream of 1970's dub reggae. Well done Margi and Id. We shall be back.


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