The full bar and a polished steel mash tun (a vat in which malt is mashed) and kettle at The Old Cannon Brewery. Core beers Best Bitter and Gunner's Daughter are always available, while seasonal beers, such as Hornblower or Brass Monkey are available in the spring and Gunport Stout or Black Pig in the fall and winter. (William Howard/Stars and Stripes)
The full bar and a polished steel mash tun (a vat in which malt is mashed) and kettle at The Old Cannon Brewery. Core beers Best Bitter and Gunner's Daughter are always available, while seasonal beers, such as Hornblower or Brass Monkey are available in the spring and Gunport Stout or Black Pig in the fall and winter. (William Howard/Stars and Stripes)
A pint of Blonde Bombshell at The Old Cannon Brewery in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England. (William Howard/Stars and Stripes)
An English cheeseboard appetizer at The Old Cannon Brewery. One of two breweries in Bury St. Edmunds, The Old Cannon is a genuinely independent free house and one of the only pubs in Suffolk where you can watch beer being brewed on site. (William Howard/Stars and Stripes)
A pork and chorizo stew made with Old Cannon ale and a side of braised red cabbage at The Old Cannon Brewery. (William Howard/Stars and Stripes)
A locally sourced hand-crafted meat pie with roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables at The Old Cannon Brewery in Bury St. Edmunds. (William Howard/Stars and Stripes)
A dessert platter with taster-sized portions of toffee apple and hazelnut crumble, cheesecake, coffee and chocolate meringues and scoops of honeycomb dairy ice cream at The Old Cannon Brewery in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England. (William Howard/Stars and Stripes)
Entrance to The Old Cannon Brewery. The Victorian property was originally home to the Cannon Brewery, which closed during World War I. It reopened in 1999 as The Old Cannon Brewery. (William Howard/Stars and Stripes)
It’s easy to miss The Old Cannon Brewery, a brasserie, bar, brewery and bed and breakfast nestled among a row of terraced houses on Cannon Street in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk, England.
One of two breweries in Bury St. Edmunds, The Old Cannon is one of the only pubs in Suffolk where you can watch beer being brewed on site
The Victorian property was originally home to the Cannon Brewery, which closed during World War I. It reopened in 1999 as The Old Cannon Brewery.
A polished steel mash tun (a vat in which malt is mashed) and kettle dominate the bar area, where beer is brewed once or twice a week.
Core beers Best Bitter and Gunner’s Daughter are always available while seasonal beers, such as Hornblower or Brass Monkey, are available in the spring and Gunport Stout or Black Pig in the colder months.
I found the pub completely by accident when walking home from a farmers market. Two massive red doors revealed an outdoor beer garden.
Months later my wife and I found it by accident again walking through the neighborhood of terraced housing, so like many others.
We decided to stop in for lunch. We started with an English cheeseboard. The three cheeses were served with wafers and Suffolk sticky pickle. The cheeses were smooth, mild and in less than five minutes even the celery on the board was gone.
It had been rainy, so for my main dish I ordered a stew pork and chorizo stew made with Old Cannon ale, with a side of braised red cabbage, while my wife selected a locally sourced hand-crafted meat pie with roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables.
I would have been content with a slop of stew served in a large bowl but was elated to find a neat presentation full of color and easily identifiable ingredients served in a shallow bowl.
My wife was equally pleased with her pie.
Sometimes I devour my meal in under two minutes like I’m still in military basic training, but the atmosphere of the restaurant and homey meal encouraged me to take my time.
For dessert we shared a platter with taster-sized portions of toffee apple and hazelnut crumble, cheesecake, coffee and chocolate meringues and scoops of honeycomb dairy ice cream.
Somehow I made it home and awoke hours later from a food coma.
THE OLD CANNON BREWERY
Address: 86 Cannon Street, Bury St Edmunds IP33 1JR. The restaurant is located just outside of the city center and can be reached from RAF Mildenhall in about 30 minutes via the A14.
Hours: Breakfast served 7:30 a.m. to noon wekdays; 8:30 a.m. to noon weekends and holidays. All day food served noon to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Fixed-price lunch menu available noon to 6 p.m. only. Sunday lunch available noon to 3 p.m.
Menu: Brasserie menu offers seasonal starters and main dishes
Prices: The Autumn menu offers seasonal dishes from 6.25 to 13.95 pounds (about $7.70 to $17.20), yearly available main course from 7.50 to 13.95 pounds, single desserts 5.75 pounds and a shared dessert platter for 11.50 pounds.
Attire: Casual.
Information: Phone: (+44) (0) 1284-768769; website: www.oldcannonbrewery.co.uk.
