buxton pubs: the best bars in buxton
Welcome to the Drink in the Sights guide to the best pubs in Buxton Derbyshire.
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The small spa town of Buxton probably isn't on too many peoples list of dream places to go drinking but I'm here to tell you it should be. Buxton has the perfect mix of craft beer bars, real ale drinkers pubs, lively bars with live music, a micro pub and lets not forget the magnificent Buxton Brewery so it ticks just about every possible box, and there will be something for everyone. Plus if you wake up with a hang over the next day you can head down to the spa or walk it off in the beautiful Peak District. Anyway this is the Drink in the Sights guide to the best bars in Buxton.
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Buxton Pubs
Cheshire Cheese
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The Cheshire Cheese is a magnificent Buxton pub mainly because it's owned by Titanic Brewery who are one of my all time favourite brewers. You'll probably instantly recognise the name from their exceptional and multi award winning Plum Porter, but that's just the tip of the iceberg, and yes the Titanic iceberg pun was intended, and yes Iceberg is the name of another Titanic beer. You'll find 10 ales on tap behind the wooden bar and at least 6 of them will be from Titanic Brewery with a few guest beers thrown in for good measure, so the selection is seriously impressive.
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It's not just the beers that make this place a great Buxton pub though. It's a gorgeous old pub with wood beam ceilings, wooden floors and a whole host of lovely little rooms which make it feel warm and cosy despite it's impressive size. Meanwhile the comfy leather seats, open fireplace and friendly bar staff only add to the cosy, proper pub feel of the Cheshire Cheese. Everything about this pub makes it the perfect place to start a pub crawl or to settle in for the night. The only difficulty is choosing which beer to drink. That's a lie. It's the Plum Porter, it's always the Plum Porter. This has to be one of the best pubs in Buxton.
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Buxton Brewery Tap
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When in Buxton you can't not visit the Buxton Brewery Tap. Sure it's a bit of a trek from the town centre but it's absolutely worth it, and if you're not up for the two mile walk you can always jump in a taxi. The simple truth is there's nothing better than drinking a proper local beer looking out over the brewing equipment. You'll find 6 or 7 beers on tap plus a wide selection of Buxton Brewery beers in cans. My personal favourite is the Gatekeeper Porter but for a light beer drinker you wont go far wrong with the Buxton Blonde.
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If you're feeling a little more adventurous they also do a fantastic 7.4% Costa Rican Coffee Porter where they make the head with a slushie machine. It's surprisingly pleasant, although the head does look a bit like a poo. The bar area itself is great with wooden floorboards and comfy enough seats but on a summers day why not sit outside and look out across the Peak District while sipping your pint. I just want to add that the staff here are excellent and when I went for one of my friends stag dos they really did help to make it a lot of fun for us all, well everyone except the stag obviously!! I'll say it again there's nothing better than drinking a beer where it's brewed so this really is one of the best bars in Buxton.
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Red Willow
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When it comes to beer selections there's no better Buxton pub than the Red Willow. You'll find a Cheshire Cheese equaling 10 beers on tap many of which will be from the Red Willow Brewery in Macclesfield which is only about 20 minutes from Buxton. As a smoky beer lover I'd recommend their Smoke Less Porter, but I know it's not for everyone so don't worry they brew everything from stouts through to wheat and even sour beers, so you wont struggle to find something to suit your palate. On top of the ample cask and keg selection they also stock enough cans to keep everyone happy.
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As if the beer selection alone wasn't enough of a reason to visit RedWillow you'll also find a truly great looking bar with cool lighting, wooden floorboards, unbelievably comfy sofas, plus bar staff who know their beers really well. This really is one of the best bars in Buxton to just settle down for a nice comfy session trying as many beers as you think you can handle.
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New Inn
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So far all the Buxton bars on this list have been proper beer drinkers pubs. The kind of nice sedate places you go for a pint with you mates or to start a night out. The New Inn is a little more lively, but still has some great beers and some of the good old proper British pub trappings. For instance there's still the nice wooden bar, floorboards, open fireplaces and the staff know what they're doing. In terms of beers this is a Robinson's pub so you can expect the likes of Trooper, Unicorn and Wizard plus a couple more, so it's a decent selection of 8 ales in total. To be honest I'd go for Trooper though, why mess with a classic?
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The whole place has a bit of a rock bar vibe to it, as most Robinson's pubs do and you'll often find live music at the weekend. The New Inn is one of those pubs that gets pretty busy, but not so busy you won't be able to find a comfy chair if you fancy a sit down. This was also one of the friendliest Buxton pubs and the punters and bar staff alike were more than happy to have a chat which is always nice. You can't really go wrong here, good beer, good people, good times. Certainly one of the best pubs in Buxton.
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Ale Stop
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Everyone loves a micro pub don't they? And one of the best things about micro pubs is that the staff will pretty much always know their stuff, and this is no exception. At the Ale Stop you'll find 4 ever changing beers on tap plus a couple of ciders if you want to mix things up a little, I don't want to, but maybe you do. I guess for me micro pubs like this are where you go to drink a really good ale knowing that it's been properly cared for and will taste exactly as the brewer intended. The Ale Stop may be small but it's still one of the top Buxton pubs.
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Buxton Bars
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The Queens Head Hotel
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When it comes to lively Buxton bars to end your night in look no further than the excellent Queens Head Hotel. From the outside it looks like a really nice old country pub with the stained glass window above the doorway, but once you get inside you'll know it's more than that. If you fancy a midweek pint you'll find a few beers on tap, although they do include Jaipur, Abbeydale, Doom Bar and Old Speckled Hen so don't get your hopes up too much for something new although there's often a Buxton Brewery beer there. However this place really comes alive in the evening when it gets seriously busy and the live bands come on. It's best not to leave your arrival too late though as the place really does fill up.
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I really like pubs like this, the ones that are just more than meets the eye. If The Queens Head Hotel was just an ordinary quiet locals boozer with a pool table and background music it'd still make this list due to the beauty of the pub and the work of the staff. However the fact that it becomes a proper busy venue later in the night really does make it one of the outstanding Buxton bars.
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The Old Sun Inn
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Coming from Lincoln I can spot a Marston's pub a mile off, but The Sun Inn is one of their best. You'll find a selection of 6 beers on tap inevitably including Pedigree and Banks's and a few more cans and bottles in the fridge. Beyond any doubt The Sun Inn is a proper drinkers pub with bare brick walls, (I really love a pub with bare brick walls) wood beam ceilings and a grandfather clock that still works. Plus the only thing that makes you feel more comfy and welcome than the comfy chairs and open fireplace are the excellent bar staff. This really is one of the best pubs in Buxton.
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Kings Head
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We're back to Marston's again with the King's Head Hotel. Like the Old Sun Inn this is a proper drinkers pub, with some proper drinkers beers. This one feels a little more modern and cool though, I'll leave you to decide if that's a good thing or not. The best example of this is the very stylish clock on the bar, it looks new and fun, but I'm old and set in my ways so I like the grandfather clock better!! Don't worry though despite the odd bit of modern fun this remains a real pub that's good for locals and visitors alike, and it's still one of the best pubs in Buxton.
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Thanks for reading my guide to the best bars in Buxton I hope you enjoy your Buxton pub crawl.