please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
This was our final pub of the night and another brewpub. The brewing equipment is near the entrance at the side of the bar. Staff are very professional and know their stuff. This is an old building. But the interior feels very clinical and lacks atmosphere. There is accommodation just across the courtyard. Ales from Old Cannon were Best Bitter, Gunner's Daughter & Rusty Gun. I wasn't overly impressed with my Gunner's Daughter. Guest ales were Woodfordes Reedlighter & Adnams Broadside.
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The Old Cannon brewery and pub is a short walk from town heading back towards the station in a street of terraced houses giving it a real back street local feel.
Open plan inside with the 2 silver mush tuns in full view & wooden flooring throughout.
On my visit there were 3 of their own ales across the pumps, my choice of Gunners Daughter @ 5.5% was excellent, their other ales on were Best Bitter and Black Pig, apparently the Black Pig was also very good.
Food served and was being enjoyed by 3 locals who along with my group of 6 were the only punters in.
We stayed for nearly 2 hours enjoying our beers and having a crack before leaving for the football. This is the sort of pub that I use the GBG for as I wouldn’t have found it otherwise being away from the town and not exactly on the walk from the station.
Scores highly from me for the quality of the ales and the pub itself.
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Stayed here for a couple of nights, the room was excellent, the breakfast good but a bit on the small side, the food in the evening was good. The bar itself lacks atmosphere, it is all very stainless steel and srcubbed tables, the staff very friendly and the beer very good both Old Cannon and 2 guest ales. Nearly a very good pub, just need to sort out the interior design to get some warmth in to it. But a joy to go to Bury St Edmunds and not drink Greene King!
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A seemingly worthwhile venture with an on-site brewery, meals and rooms. Tidy-looking complex, with a clean and bright interior. Our own experience was that the food could be improved a bit, yet was still on the good side of adequate and the Gunners Daughter ale was very moreish. Excellent service too. The ales are available in bottle conditioned form.
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Beer was excellent but does tend to feel a bit clinical (maybe because the brewhouse is in the bar) and a bit more bistro like than publike.
anonymous - 19 Jul 2014 23:04 |
I like this place and have previously rated highly and left very positive fedback. However, yesterday we were served two pints that were really well past their prime. They were changed with no problem, but they should never have been served in the first place, you could smell the vinegar as they were being poured.
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We called here for lunch en route to a short break on the Suffolk coast. As well as enjoying a couple of superb pints of Gunner’s Daughter (which is brewed on the premises), the bar meals which are freshly prepared from locally sourced produce, were first class too. I can’t fault this place. No hesitation, 10/10.
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Whoah!!£6.10 for a small glass of wine?!
The nice lady behind the bar actually apologised when she asked for my money.
Big emphasis on the food,as with many pubs in Bury these days.
But this place has some serious competition in the ale market nowadays in the shape of The Bury Beerhouse (which is a 5 minute walk from The Cannon) and The Dove,which for me takes the biscuit in Bury for top-notch authentic ale and atmosphere.
So,while this is good pub it does require a walk form the town centre.
A walk which I would probably now take in the opposite direction and go to the Dove instead.
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Great food (and a very pleasing emphasis on locally-sourced produce) and really good selection of beer.
The in-house ales are usually worth trying , especially Gunner's Daughter. They also tend to have 2 or 3 guest ales, plus their house lager is provided by Calvors in Suffolk (really tasty).
Well worth a visit if you're in Bury St Edmunds.
Olsta - 30 Oct 2012 16:38 |
Arrived here for a booked visit of the rather cute little brewery last Saturday. As we were somewhat earlier than planned, we got stuck in to the OCB beers - 3 featured (Best, Gunner's Daughter and Rusty Gun) although we were reliably informed that many more are made, depending on seasonal availability. The cask beers were largely kept very well; cool but not too chilled, clean and crisp in body. The Rusty Gun was in very fine form; perhaps not ideally to my personal taste but clearly a sound beer. The Gunner's was well-received by others in our party as was the Best - though that had to be changed early-on as the first couple pf pints were absolutely chock-full of sediment! Bad luck maybe, though expecting one of us to pay for a replacement when the original beer was undrinkable seemed a mean touch (I managed to exchange mine without any money being asked for so maybe it was just a misunderstanding).
That brings me to service and so on. The young chap who gave us the tour was informative and well-presented. All aspects of the small but eminently capable operation were explained. However, the service at the bar was I must say poor. 2 young girls of foreign extraction (not necessarily relevant but language seemed limited - barely a word spoken to any of us), who seemed to have little awareness or respect for the drinks they were pouring; at one stage 1 of them was attempting to transfer some beer into a take-out and ended up spilling most of it on the work surface! It was hardly a jolly and hearty welcome in that respect.
The pub itself has apparently been given a considerable makeover in recent years; the brewery dates back to 1999 but clearly the current arrangement with the immaculate (but still used) silver tuns tucked away in the corner is a much fresher development. There is a contemporary twist to the place, which is light and fresh in feel, though for my tastes lacking in a genuine sense of character, especially given the pub's age. I fear that any patina the place had was torn away when the upgrades were embarked upon. Still, a smart venue to eat and drink which I'm sure is very successful.
The food looked tempting, though we didn't indulge as our visit actually didn't last long - regrettably the brewery were comparatively ungenerous with the samples given to us after the tour (only 1 pint per person - usually we're used to several - sorry!). We decided we'd make the most of our Bury experience and headed off to the nearby (and excellent) Beerhouse, and thence into town.
A cracking little enterprise, and one which I hope continues to prosper. But as a pub, I left feeling somewhat deflated. I'd come back if up in Bury again, but maybe I'd visit their nearby brew-pub competitors at the Beerhouse first...
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Very good beer, good food and open all day. No issues with service as there seems to have been in the past from old reviews. Will come back for a brewery tour on a Saturday.
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From one or two of the comments on here, we visited with a degree of trepidation. However, I can report that the Old Cannon is as good as ever. We wanted to stay the weekend, but they only had rooms on Friday and all were booked out on Saturday (many places try to prevent this, and it needs some attanetin, please). However, the beer was very good (the Best Bitter less so but mine was one of the last pints out) with the Gunners Daughter outstanding. The food was also of a very high standard, and the service absolutely superb and friendly from all the staff. It's something we noticed in Bury, how friendly and efficient the staff in pubs are, much more so than most other towns. One waiter came over to check that the Gunners Daughter was OK, as we had to wait for the cask to be changed.
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Lovely old brewery buildings and yard, tried all 4 of their brews, all good, the brewery is in the bar, food looked ok too. Well worth a visit when in Bury St Edmunds.
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One of the best real ale pubs in Bury St Edmunds. Definitely worth a visit.
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The pint of Rusty Gun I had tasted like it was brewed in a rusty bucket ! They were only serving OCB ales + Adnams today so if the policy is now not to sell guest ales (apart from Adnams) I will not be down there very often.
The ales used to have character and were works of art but now they all taste metallic and the quality has dipped significantly (I suppose we should expect that with a name like the Old Cannon)
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Another great visit. Interesting and clean pub with plesant staff serving their own beer and true guests (not something the other brewery in town promotes). Good food although on the expensive side (not bad value for money though).
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Went in again today (after a break) - owners looking for a tenant to run. Prices gone up and own beers (Best and Gunners Daughter) but 4 guests including Adnamas Bitter available. Every table had a number on and The Times eat for a fiver campaign now available. I do not know what has happended to the drinkers who used to frequent the place - With a number of new watering holes, good beer and little food, makes choice a lot easier on wherre to try numerous ales and bitters.
I shall look out for a change to the management and post when the time is right.
Wappo - 25 Jan 2011 14:44 |
The Old Cannon is unique and I love its atmosphere and the type of serious drinkers it attracts, the range of Beers always gives one a difficult choice as all are first class and kept well however , on the 8th Jan it was closed to all for a private function, I could not see anything about this on their Website but there was a A4 sheet placed in the main entrance for you to read after you had made your journey. Not good enough really with the amount of competition now growing in and around Bury St Edmunds .This type of treatment made me feel somewhat cheated. Still love the place but how many more like me had their Sat Night runined.
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I always visit this bar when I'm in BSE and was pleased to see that it was still open despite major refurbishment works going on everywhere! Had time for a pint of Best Bitter (excellent and only �2.50) plus their new beer St.Edmunds Head ( a dark ale at 5% - again very drinkable). I have stayed at the Old Canon on a couple of occasions before and found it very acceptable in every respect. I can't comment on the "slow service" as I have never had a problem, but it does get very busy especially for food so perhaps that's where the problem is. I would always recommend the Old Canon and it is well worth the walk from the town centre.
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After booking a few weeks back I found the atmosphere very congenial after a spell of terrible weather, my room was nicely prepared and was more than welcoming. After visiting the lovely town, I came back for dinner where the prices were well priced and above all, cooked to an abundant standard. BUT, and this is where it took a spiral downwards. After the meal myself and my wife stayed for a drink and found not only the service to be some what slow but the the brewery standard a let down to say the least. After speaking to a customer is was supposedly the norm of recent and although it was a lovely stay, the beer and the service was well below par.
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Good pub but service lets them down; far too slow
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Well the trade description was correct "Mushroom on Toast" at what is now either a novel variation of gastro or a theme pub. Gastro is now nano cuisine and theme is orienteering if you order the above item at nearly �6. Whilst I am assured it was tasty by those who ordered it unless you have 20/20 vision ask for an accurate grid reference so you can find your food, not good on navigation then ask for a guide. Whilst the beer remains good, some menu options are clearly very poor value and will not encourage repeat custom from comments heard.
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Visited on 30/12 with the family and it is as good as many on here sya. The food was excellent, the service friendly (if not speedy) and the beer sublime. My wife and both agreed that Gunners Daughter is a superb beer and dangerously drinkable. We will return.
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The Dove across town is providing some competition on the beer front with 6 handpumps but not on the food front apart from good scratchings.
Needs to pull its socks up on service at the bar from time to time.
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A very good pub with a fine selection of beers. Usually has a guest beer and Adnams best as well as up to four of their own brews. Also sells Calvors Suffolk lager. The Black Pig and St Edmunds head are particularly to my taste. Has an excellent menu and is well worth visiting if in the area. All the staff are friendly and welcoming. It can get busy in the evenings and Wednesday and Friday lunchtimes. It opens all day now on Saturdays and Sundays.
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Back again for some birthday grub with me missus.Had a lager that came from nearby village which was surprisingly good!!!Lager in Suffolk eh?.......
Food was good but somewhat measly portion sizes and a '�2 for a side order scenario'.So you don't really know how much grub you'll get if you're new,so over/under ordering is a potential hazard.
I had Venison stew.Flattened in under 4 minutes.
But,hark at me,doing a pub review and going-on about food!.......but that was the purpose of the evening.Think i may use the Canon as an ale venue only from now on.Thats the problem when your girlfriend is a qualified chef I guess!
The Gunners Daughter is superb as ever.Still love the vibe which is a nice,Sunday lunchtime kinda thing.
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Went there yesterday afternoon and found the beer very good and tasty.Aspalls too for my lady.Perfect end to a good day as we waited for the train.Went for one beer but stopped for three.
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My favourite pub to visit when in Bury St Edmunds. Never had a bad pint, not tried the food but everyone I know who has gives the place the thumbs up. Generally pleasant clientele and always seems to be free of chavs and other general vermin. A good place for a couple of nice relaxing pints with friends.
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'Small is Beautiful' is certainly exemplified when you compare the quality and taste of the beer brewed here to that on offer at the end of the Greene King Brewery tour on the other side of town. Nice, neat clean and tidy brew pub with somepleasant fare on offer. It does close in the afternoons though.
anonymous - 29 Aug 2009 16:59 |
Still remains my local, regular staff attentive and often ready to discuss the merits of the ales on offer and hand over a sample to aid discussion. Despite the shortages of certain hops Joe has become more consistant with his brews but still gets a bit touchy if the regulars pass comment at times. Still a good experience.
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Revisit last week found the usual two Cannon brews plus a guest of Triple FFF Mild and another I forget (maybe Adnmas?). One of the Cannon ones was served very cloudy and had to be taken back - bit miffed that wasn't spotted by the staff in a place like this. Otherwise, the quality was excellent.
We had out beers in the sunshine under the trellis, a fair setting. the inside is more clinical and food-oriented that I remember so it isn't quite becoming of a long session.
Prices are expensive for the BSE area but they're worth it in the end.
Well-worth seeking out but don't necessarily expect a 'pub' experience.
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Well, a mate from out of town decided to use The Old Canon's B+B facility,so I found myself returning to a pub which I've always known was towards the top-end of Bury's range.(See my earlier review below)
This time around,I found myself much more appreciative of the Canon's relaxed and refreshingly Chav-free environment.Very much a 30+ professional vibe in here; refreshing after heavy prolonged exposure to Bury's declining standards elsewhere.(I'm a born-and-bred local by the way)
So, several Gunner's Daughters ensued.Fantastic pints!Then a great meal of similar excellent quality.(nice menu)Friendly 'hassle-free' service.All the beer is well-kept.
Improvement suggestion?How about a good ciggy-shelter?
All in all though,a pub I warm to as I mature from lager-bashing to real-ale fan.
Yeah,its a gastro-pub.But all wares are reasonably priced and the vibe is nice.Will use more.
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Lovely ales, great food and friendly staff. The interior is has lost some character from the gastropub style makeover since my last visit, but all the other great qualities of this establishment remain. I understand the bedroom accommodation is also of a good quality, this is backed up by them always being fully booked every time I try to book a room!
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Really enjoyed our visit here. The interior is very modern and gastropubby but the staff were friendly and the atmosphere relaxed. The beer was excellent- we had the Gunners Daughter, 5.5% and dangerously drinkable. Food was equally good- higher quality than your typical pub food, without being wildly expensive. All in all, a gem, Bury is very lucky to have this alternative to all the Greene King pubs.
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Middle class but pleasant enough.The ale is indeed good.A nice interior and good food apparently.Probably popular with visiting townies attempting escape from 'Suffolk charm' on Bury's main drag.
This place is worth a look if you're an ale drinker,and probably is if you're not.
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Paid another visit here on Saturday with a large group of mates and staked my reputation on this being a quality stop-over. No-one was disappointed and there was total agreement on this being a top quality pub. Four of their own superb ales on offer along with a couple of guests. Cannot speak highly enough of this place.
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The Old Cannon has re-opened after a sympathetic re-decoration. An ideal venue to try out the house brews, with Joe the Brewer often on hand to dispense beer and wisdom. Food prices have dropped a bit.
Wappo - 14 Nov 2008 11:04 |
Note: closed for refurbishment until 28 October.
Regis - 22 Oct 2008 13:14 |
nice enough surroundings - but do stick to the beer.
Non-ale drinkers will be disappointed - the wine list is a real shocker. Poorly-made overpriced examples - both red and white - from the dregs of someone's wholesale list.
When will licencees wake up and realise that people will willingly spend more on a decent drinkable wine by the glass?
The Cannon's choice is frankly dire.
A couple of the staff could well claim a richly-deserved rebate from the charm school too.
And why does sausage and mash cost three quid more in the evenings than at lunch-time?
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Was in on Saturday night for a school re-union. What a decent place, good beer - their own brewed stuff was excellent, with a wide range of others, good food and excellent service. As has been said before if you are in Bury and fancy a decent pint in decent surroundings you wont do better!
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Best bitter excellent. Food plentiful and tasty. Not too bad as a B&B either, and the best choice in town if you're on a budget. Note:Suffolk ales beerfest on 24th/25th August.
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Quality pub, brewery and restaurant. Each time I've visited they've had 5-6 handpumps on, including 3 of their own beers. Perfect quality of beer in a pleasant atmosphere. Agree with Quinno - a must visit if in BSE - it's by far the best pub in the town.
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A lovely brewpub, offering up some nice beer in quiet (but not lacking in atmosphere) environment.
Odd to see all the brewing paraphernalia on display, gives it a bit of a USP.
Beers taste good, and food is available. Diners mix with drinkers which may put some people off a bit, but it didn't bother me.
A must visit in BSE (and there aren't many of those).
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Oops! I meant Friday's visit.
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Friendly free house brew pub in BSE. In a totally G/K dominated area this is by far the best choice. Five hand pumps with three of their own brewed beers. Old Cannon Best Bitter ABV 3.8%, Gunner's Daughter ABV 5.5% & Blonde Bombshell ABV 4.2%. The two other hand pumps are Adnams Bitter and one ever changing guest ale. On Saturday this was Puddlers by I think Thomas Guest. I cannot however find the beer or the brewery in the GBG. I saw they were selling Old Cannon polo shirts for �15.00. I may have been tempted however without the words 'brewery' on it, I did not want anyone thinking I was supporting a certain North London team.
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Excellent pub-Enjoyed most of the beers especially Gunners Daughter and the Best Bitter not too keen on the Blonde (strange afertaste),friendly staff.
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Terrific microbrewery pub tucked away in a residential area about 10 minutes walk from the town centre. They have a small range of beers brewed on premises, 3 available on my visit - Best Bitter, Blonde Bombshell and Gunners Daughter (temporarily renamed Gunners Slaughter by the Spurs fan owner following the 5-1 demolition of Arsenal in the Cup Semi). A couple of �ordinary� beers are also usually available (Adnams on my visit � the other pump was redundant). The interior is fairly basic with bare floors and plain d�cor although the ceiling above the bar has been removed to reveal a couple of precarious looking doors above that open out to a 10 foot drop. A false balcony has been put in at the original floor level. In one corner of the bar sits the large stainless steel vats used for brewing the beers and there is certainly no faulting the quality. It is a delight to find such a unique pub in a town dominated by Greene King and the only major disappointment was that a proportionally large area appeared to be reserved for diners given that the emphasis and main attraction is the beers. I didn�t actually note many people eating during the couple of hours we were there but the bar area was getting pretty full. Overall a very welcoming and also dog friendly pub and a place I will certainly seek out again when I next visit Bury.
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Wow! What a pub!
The home-brewed beers are great. I tried both the Gunners Daughter and the Blonde Bombshell earlier this week - both were fantastic, the Gunners Daughter being very very good!
It's a really good pub, just over 5 minutes walk from the station (so you know what to do when waiting for a train - I did!) with a friendly welcome.
Good stuff!
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Although Adnams and other worthy bitters are often here as a guest beers you must try the pubs own brews. I've had the Gunners daughter several times! The food is good but it is also an excellent place for a pre (and post) dinner drink when dining at the superb Chalice just across the road. As an added bonus the waitress in the Chalice will fetch your favourite tipple from here in two pint jugs!
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seemingly the best beer in town.....it's not Greene King then!
Gunner's Daughter very tasty...Blonde Bombshell excellent!
friendly sorts behind the bar, very busy Saturday night, pleasant interior with character and brewing kit!
all round well worth visiting....I'll try the food next time.
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Wow what a find, catch a train! Well worth the short stroll from the station leaving your car behind in the garage�.to sample some fine ales. We tried the �best� and the �gold� and both were fresh, extremely tasty and good value! The stronger �Gunners Daughter� (5%+) was a little scary but made an appearance later in the evening in one of our parties sausages. The wine list was mainly Adnams wines, always a good sign, with many served by the glass�!
For a bite to eat, sample the fine rustic food which was predominantly seasonal and reasonably priced, little choice for vegetarians but carnivores and fish eaters will do well scoffing here. The seating is in all wood and the natural light is excellent; plenty of room at the bar and the service was pleasant enough being busy for a Wednesday evening. New owners for the last year and they are keeping the flag flying for BrewPubs, go for gold�..and of course Beer is Best..!
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Best brewery in Bury. You have to try the Gunner�s Daughter. Second best place in Bury for lunch. Food has always been outstanding. Does get busy on the weekends.
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Very good standard of food and good service, a little noisy as the bar gets quite full and there is no separation between the bar and the restaurant, car parking is a problem at busy times but all in all one of the best places to eat in Bury St Edmunds.
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A very friendly pub with an excellent selection of beers and very good food. The restaurant is popular in the evenings. This pub is now non smoking inside although those are partial to the noxious weed can still light up outside in the beer garden.
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Tried the home brewed Gold and best both superb. What a terrific brewpub. Didn't try the food as too pricey. Car parking a bit tricky around the area if you cant get in the pub courtyard.
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Many of the tables in the evening are set for dining, which is rather disconcerting for anyone only desiring a drink. Simply decorated but a pleasant experience enhanced by good quality beer. Incidentally, part of the brewing equipment is in the bar and if you are so inclined you can enjoy their fairground style distorting mirror effect!
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Due to family connections I've been making the 200 mile round-trip journey to Bury and its pubs for 30 years and have seen many changes (and many pubs closed). I would agree that this phoenix has risen from the flames over the last 5 or 6 years (Greene King closed it down during the 1990s) to become the best boozer in town. Excellent value food (huge portions), excellent ales brewed in house and very attractive bar staff - what more could you want?
Yesterday, on my twice yearly homage to Bury, I had the OCB Best Bitter and OCB Gunner's Daughter plus a massive 'Toad in the Hole'. Other beers on the bar included OCB Blonde Bombshell and Adnams Bitter.
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Fantastic pub and restaurant, easily the best in Bury, and now completely non-smoking too. Great beer brewed on the premises, and always have at least one guest ale on as well. Food is also top quality, not the cheapest, but well worth the money. Highly recommended!
dtp82 - 26 Jun 2006 23:09 |
This is one of my all time favourite pubs. Beer (their own or guest) always good and the food is excellent. Can get very busy on a Friday/Saturday night but service is always quick and efficient.
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Very fine place, and no complaints from me about quality, quantity or price of the food. The beer is good. There aren't many pubs that I would make a special journey to visit, but this is one.
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The best pub in Bury St. Edmunds by a long long way.
The Old Cannon Brewery has a selection of ales brewed on site including seasonal beers. The brewing equipment decorates the bar. Their greatest beer is the Gunners Daughter but it does get you drunk quicker that you think. Also recommended is to ask for a �Powder Monkey� which is a mix of the Gunner Daughter and their Best Bitter. There are also regularly changing guest ales from across the country and a selection of strong continental beers.
There is no duke box or alcopops so the Garyboys (local term for Chavs) stay in pubs such as the Queens Head and The Dog and Partridge the other side of the town centre leaving this place for the more sophisticated drinker. Rumour has it the Cannon is frequented by many off duty policemen and teachers because though the place is often packed out on the weekend, it is never full of kids.
You need to book to eat and the food is a little disappointing for the price so skip the dinner and fill up on the calories in their lovely beer instead.
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A perfect pub. We sought this out after tasting their beers at a festival. The beers are fresh flavoured and interesting. The building is a visual pleasure: check out the mysterious door to nowhere opposite the bar. Nice to see Mild served as a standard.
Theo - 12 Nov 2004 11:44 |
brew their own foul tasting beer!, even the guest beers always taste the same which i think is down to their pipes.
Stephen Tally - 17 Sep 2004 11:07 |
a great place to eat and meet friends.
Phil - 20 Aug 2004 11:52 |
A lively, friendly pub, especially popular with those who have been driven out of previously popular pubs by jukeboxes, fruit machines and the curse that is big screen sport.
It is a free house microbrewery and the brewing equipment stands in the bar with you. The Best is good, but the stand out brew is Gunner's Daughter, a strong bitter that is very moreish. Recently Richard, the landlord and brewer,has introduced seasonal brews such as Spring and Winter Ales.
There are regular interesting guest beers if you can drag yourself away from the house beers and a small but tasty wine list. The courtyard beer garden is a wonderful sun trap in summer.
Mark - 5 Jun 2003 12:31 |
