Real Ale at Caldmore Taverns

There are a few things you can take for granted when you walk into a Caldmore Tavern. A pub steeped in tradition. A warm welcome from the staff and the locals. And, of course, a fantastic selection of real ale.

We have 19 pubs across Stoke-on-Trent, Leek and Congleton. Each has its own unique character. All have an outstanding choice of quality beers.

To understand what makes our ale selection truly exceptional, we asked a few of our landlords to enlighten us:

Michael – landlord of The Throstle’s Nest in Congleton. He has a background in brewery sales, so he knows all about premium ales.

Katie – landlady of The Woodman in Hanley. She’s truly passionate about maintaining The Woodman’s coveted spot in CAMRA’s Good Beer Guide 2025.

Guy – landlord at The Fountain Inn in Leek, which has an impressive line up of eight real ales at any time.

So, without further ado, let’s get a proper taste of real ale at Caldmore Taverns…

First, we head over to Buglawton, a suburb of Congleton, home of The Throstle’s Nest.

From the outset, you know you’ve walked into a Caldmore pub. The distinguished yellow decor, the leather seating areas, and the warmth of tradition.

It’s Quiz Night and the place is buzzing.

As we head over to the bar, landlord Michael is busy serving his patrons. The first thing you notice is the taster jars next to each pump. Great for giving customers a visual idea of what they’re ordering.

As we begin to chat to Michael, you can immediately sense the enthusiasm in his voice as he talks about his impressive line-up of ales.

“We currently have six lines on,” he explains, pouring a pint of BG Sips from the Blue Monkey Brewery.

“Bass is a constant. Our customers love it. But we always dedicate one of those lines to something special. Something like Wye Valley’s ‘Butty Bach’, which has previously won CAMRA Gold for ‘Beer of the Year’.”

As he continues, it’s evident that Michael knows his real ales like the back of his hand.

“We always have a stout, plus something with a higher ABV like Jaipur,” he adds.

“We aim to balance quality with value — our 2 for £6 promotion is a big hit with the customers.”

Michael is particularly proud of his commitment to offering ales that aren’t widely available elsewhere.

“We try to bring in ales that set us apart from other real ale pubs in the area,” he says, greeting a regular at the bar.

“Listening to customer feedback is key. If people start asking, ‘When is such-and-such coming back?’ — we know we’re onto a winner.”

We asked Mike to give us a selection of go-to ales that are often on his radar. Here’s a taster…

Butcombe Original (Butcombe Brewery) – A classic amber ale with a rich sweetness and peppery hop notes.

Moonshine (Abbeydale Brewery) – A multi-award-winning pale ale with a floral aroma and citrus finish.

Plum Porter (Titanic Brewery) – Titanic’s best-seller. A sweet and fruity porter with deep stone fruit flavours, a firm customer favourite.

Jaipur (Thornbridge Brewery) – A pioneering craft IPA that packs a punch.

Butty Bach (Wye Valley Brewery) – A smooth, premium ale brewed with traditional hops and malts.

Next, we head to The Woodman, fresh from their inclusion in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide 2025.

Landlady, Katie, is equally passionate about her ales. Hence, The Woodman is steadily building a reputation as one of the best pubs in Stoke-on-Trent for real ale.

Indeed, recent customers have included the cast of The Great Pottery Throw Down, following a filming session at Gladstone Pottery Museum.

Tonight is Open Mic Night, a popular evening that showcases local talent. The Woodman has a split-level bar and Katie is busy in the upper section.

“We take real pride in our ale selection,” she says, stamping a Loyalty Card for one of her regulars.

“Our customers love variety, so we like to mix things up a little.”

There are four hand pumps on offer.

“Bass is a permanent line and we’re starting to build a good reputation with that,” Katie continues. “We always have a blonde and a dark. Then the fourth hand pull rotates depending on what interesting ales I can find, and what time of year it is.”

As she takes a moment in between customers, Katie lets us take a quick snap of her with the Guide. She’s immensely proud of what she’s achieved since taking the reigns at The Woodman.

“Being part of the [Good Beer] Guide is proof that we’re doing something right,” she retorts with a beaming smile.

Here are a few of the ales on offer while we’re there:

Oracle (Salopian Brewery) – A bright, golden ale with crisp citrus notes and a refreshing finish.

Darwin’s Origin (Salopian Brewery) – A copper-hued bitter with a unique blend of old and new world hops.

Nightjar British Stout (Wye Valley Brewery) – A rich, dark stout packed with coffee notes and a dry finish.

Over in Leek, The Fountain Inn is another shining example of Caldmore Taverns’ commitment to quality ale.

Landlord, Guy, has been with us for seven years and has over a decade of experience in the industry.

“I’ve been working as a landlord on and off for 10 years,” says Guy, stepping away from the bar to chat.

“Real ales are definitely my speciality,” he says with a familiar smile. “I’ve got a fantastic team here that really knows their stuff. They make my life easier, and they’re great with our customers.”

Guy takes pride in listening to his regulars, often taking requests for specific ales and doing his best to source them.

Testament to the dedication of the team, The Fountain has recently earned two esteemed awards from CAMRA:

• Staffordshire Moorlands Urban Pub of the Year 2023 (Winner); and
• Staffordshire Moorlands Urban Pub of the Year 2024 (Highly Commended)

Here’s a selection of Guy’s present lineup…

Bad Bill (Wincle Brewery) – An exceedingly drinkable malty mild. Guy’s current guest ale.

Butty Bach (Wye Valley Brewery) – A firm favourite among customers, as it is at The Throstle’s.

Stairway to Heaven (Burton Bridge Brewery) – A strong golden bitter with a fruity and hoppy start, a hoppy body, and a mouthwatering finish.

Bridge Bitter (Burton Bridge Brewery) – Described by Guy as a solid ‘all-rounder’. It has a gentle malt and fruit aroma, a balanced start, and a robust hop finish.

Bass – A staple at The Fountain, just like all Caldmore Taverns pubs.

Best Bitter (Beartown Brewery) – A toffee and light-hopped British amber session beer that’s always on at The Fountain.

Oracle (Salopian Brewery) – Every bit as refreshing as it is at The Woodman.

Now then. We can’t talk about quality ales without giving a mention to our…

As Mike alluded to when we spoke to him at The Throstle’s, Bass is a mainstay there – as it is in all our pubs.

None more so than The Globe in Tunstall, where their perfectly served pint of Bass has a bit of a cult following among beer lovers.

The pub’s dedication to keeping Bass in top condition has earned it a glowing reputation. Folk travel from far and wide to enjoy a pint of this iconic ale.

“If you’re in the Potteries and you fancy a flawless pint of Bass, get yourself to The Globe,” confirms landlord, Paul.

Caldmore Taverns is also proud to feature on the Real Ale Finder app, a valuable tool for ale enthusiasts.

The app connects beer lovers with pubs and micro-pubs showcasing their current real ale and cider offerings.

So you can always track down your favourite pint when you’re on your travels.

Winner.

With a dedication to serving a top-notch pint, Caldmore Taverns has become synonymous with quality real ale.

So next time you’re in Stoke-on-Trent, Leek or Congleton, be sure to pay us a visit.

Relax by an open fire in Winter. Enjoying a pint in a sunlit beer garden in Summer.

Whatever the weather, you’ll find a warm welcome and a pint worth savouring.