Garden Hermit Goes...To Flower Pots

 Anyone over certain age ( in the UK), when hearing the words ‘flower pot’ will inevitably be taken back to memories of their nursery years, sat in front of a black and white TV watching ‘The Flower Pot Men’.  Two puppet men made of flower pots, and a ‘Little Weed’. Anyone else will think I’m just jabbering, but I’m fairly sure I’m not the only one who bears those mental scars.

Tenuous link over, and these Flower Pot men run a fine independent brewery (with pub) in the North Hampshire village of Cheriton ( also famous for a battle during the civil war).

Flower Pots Brewery and the Flower Pots Inn occupy a spacious site, which was previously a farm.

The large pub sits at the front next to the country lane…

…and to one side is the barn housing the brewery.  There is also a bottled beer shop in the brick outbuilding.

The pub has a series of interconnecting small rooms, which retain the old farmhouse atmosphere, though there is also a new glass conservatory on the rear. 

There is still an ancient well in the floor of the pub…

From the display of awards, many from the famous beer and pub campaigners CAMRA, the pedigree of the brewery’s beers is not in doubt…

…the food is good too, difficult to choose, so I had to have two…

Of course they have a full library of the ‘Good Beer Guides’ they’ve been in…and it’s rumoured that Retired Martin is a regular.  Though searching for ‘flower pots’ on his blog will just tell you how many posts contain references to flowers and flower pots.

Better show you a beer.  The Perridge Pale 3.4% was delicate, floral and refreshing GHBS (Garden Hermit Beer Score) 3.5+

I’ve saved the best photo until last…a row of lovely Flower Pot beers, dispensed straight from the cask. Enjoy!