A SPECIAL occasion sometimes calls for a special beer and Colchester’s the ‘Other Monkey Brewing’ has the variety, quality, and atmosphere to ensure your celebrations feel unique.
The Other Monkey Brewing Brewery and Taproom on St Nicholas Street is next to, and accessible through, the Three Wise Monkeys on Colchester High Street.
I had been to the downstairs of The Taproom, but not the upstairs, for a friend’s birthday in January, when it is quieter for all pubs, drinking refreshing albeit normal gin and tonics.
However, after visiting the Taproom last Saturday after England got through to the Euros semi-finals, I wish I had thought of choosing to drink their reasonably priced but ‘exclusive’ craft beers back when I was a party guest.
On Saturday, my first drink was the ‘Ten Thousand Lies’ beer by the Other Monkey Brewing, brewed in the building, which was on draught – and the most prominently labelled.
As I was asking about the beer, I was given a sample which as well as being very good customer service, made me even more eager to spend due to its very nice taste.
At 4.5 per cent this bitter ale was very filling, a bit pungent, and really you could nurse this drink for an hour – or maybe one half of a football game – quite easily.
The ‘Ten Thousand Lies’ was enjoyable to drink, and I did increasingly like the malty flavour, but my retrospective suggestion for newbies such as myself would be to order a half pint, so you really enjoy all of it.
My next drink was a guest ale, the German Burnt Milles Helles lager at £6.20, which certainly tasted like a high-quality lager, a definite crowd pleaser with its refreshing but not weak sharpness.
Having somewhat played it safe with the highly recommended Helles lager, I next asked about what non-alcoholic or low-alcohol options they had.
At 10pm there was only option left, a can of the Big Drop Galactic Milk Stout, which was vegetarian, gluten-free and alcohol free.
Having a sip, it tasted artificially fermented.
Perhaps I also disliked it because it was my first ever milk-stout-style drink, but overall it was fun to try – maybe an experimental mistake is the most exclusive and memorable type of pub experience.
With great interior architecture, wooden beams meets steel distilleries, and TVs for mass sport.
This is a must-visit in Colchester.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here