Surveyed
Paul and Karen converted a former Paines Brewery tied house on Russell Street in St Neots into the Ale Taster, opening the free house as a micropub in 2017. The building had traded as the Lord John Russell and, before that, the Hog & Partridge, and the new owners stripped the pub back to a single small bar rather than restoring the old multi-room layout. Up to three changing cask beers are served from stillage behind the counter, alongside as many as nine real ciders and a perry, plus bottled beers from around the world kept in fridges. The owners buy from local producers wherever they can rather than relying on national suppliers. There is no music, no fruit machines and no food menu, only conversation and the beer list.