Becko's Burnley Boozer of the month, February 2002
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The Ministry of AleThe Ministry of Ale
9 Trafalgar Street
BURNLEY
BB11 1TQ
Tel: 01282 830909 |
Map |
When I returned to live in the North of England (and Burnley in particular) in 1998 / 1999, this gave me the opportunity to visit all the pubs in Burnley and surrounding areas. I should say 'revisit', having been in them all before. I remember in the infamous Orient season travelling to obscure outposts to make the claim I'd visited every pub in Burnley. Well, some were crap, and still are. Some were good then, but alas not now, and some no longer exist. There are, however, more than a few decent pubs in the area, if you know where to look.
The Good Beer Guide is as good a starting place as any. I'm sure most of us are familiar with all the entries in Burnley, and very good they all are. Then there is the Pub Guide on this website, which details pubs you might not otherwise try. It provides details of pubs that serve real ale. That is what drinking is all about for the people who are going to be reading this, isn't it? "Where can I get a decent pint in Burnley?" "I've been to all the GBG pubs; where can I try now?" What I'm trying to get across is that this series of articles will be about pubs that I would recommend, and it's up to you if you want to try them out.
I think I've been in the Ministry more than any other pub since I moved back - and it didn't reopen until about October 2000, so just over a year, then. In my opinion, this is the best pint in Burnley. I have never had a bad pint in there. I did once ask Mick, the licensee, to change a pint for me, but I had already had a skinful when I thought it tasted off. In retrospect it did taste odd, but there was nothing wrong with it - it just wasn't to my taste. Well, if someone tells you they like every pint of real ale, then I suggest that there is something wrong with them.
Check out the Pub Guide for a good description of the pub itself. DIY is not Mick and Graham's forte, but running a pub is. Along with Mick's wife, Sandra (whom I insisted on calling 'Ann' for several months), you are assured of a warm welcome. Your pint will be topped up without asking, and how many pubs can you say that of?
So, the pub has been open for just over 12 months, and is not in the Good Beer Guide. Well, it should be! I'm told that in the first year, just over 220 beers were sold, and only three had any wastage to be disposed of. That suggests that the majority of people who go in there do so for the beer. I saw someone ask for a pint of Boddies smooth the other day. A very rare occurrence in the Ministry!
The bar billiards table has now gone, and a dartboard is to replace it. Excellent. Although my darts is not that good, I do like a game.
The pub is basic, and does lack a little character, but for me the main criteria are the standard and the range of the ale, and these are second to none. Thursday night is Quiz Night, and eight pints is the prize. With only about four or five teams taking part, the odds aren't that bad.
Don't forget that this is Burnley's second brewery, too. The Moonstone Brewery, to be precise. Tiger's Eye (at 3.8%) and Moonstone Dark (at 4.5%) are the two frequently-brewed ales, although there have been teething troubles with both. At times, the Tiger's Eye just won't clear. There's nothing wrong with the taste, though.
The Moonstone Dark looks great. I'm a lover of all dark beers, whether they be mild, porter, old ales, or foreign beers (like Chimay). When it's on form, it's as good a pint as you will drink. But again, it has problems, and the brew over Christmas was just too bitter. Don't let this put you off, though, as there is a third offering: in the form of Red Jasper, weighing in at an impressive 6%. I've only drunk it in halves, myself. It's not as sweet as you would think, and is very drinkable. Beware!
If you've visited the Ministry before, then I'm preaching to the converted, because any night or day out in Burnley should include at least one visit to this pub. I sometimes start and end there. If you haven't been there, then make the time. I doubt if you will be disappointed. Oh, and if you know where you can get a better pint in Burnley, then take me there and buy me one, and I'll tell you if you are right.
Becko
February 2002
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