IT has been a long time between drinks, so to speak, but here is the fourth pub in our Beer Hunter Series.
THE Skew Bridge Alehouse set itself an ambitious target when it first opened its doors on 26 September, 2016 – an aim to make it into the prestigious beer drinker’s bible, the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.
The micropub, occupying the former community police office in Rainhill’s Dane Court shopping parade, achieved that objective at the first time of asking in 2018 and has had an annual entry every subsequent issue.
There are framed certificates on the wall to illustrate the impact the pub has made in a relatively a short time – with the six consecutive distinctive GBG ‘We are in it’ stickers adorning the front window.
And simply walking in and surveying the bar you can see why this one-room boozer, with a simple lay-out, has achieved that recognition.
It is a reward for providing a variety of top quality and well-looked cask ales and real ciders, creating a bright pleasant environment and atmosphere to match, and having a bar run by folk who are always interesting to chat with (when not serving customers) – and not just about beer.
In a nod to the history and heritage of the village, the pub derives its name from the nearby historic Grade II listed Skew Bridge which carries Warrington Road at an angle over the Liverpool to Manchester line.
It is a structure worth celebrating as much as The Rocket and the Rainhill Trials; built by George Stephenson in 1829, the bridge was the first of its kind in the world to carry a road over a railway.
Architecturally, The Skew Bridge may not be the most picturesque pub in the village.
That crown indisputably sits atop of the majestic three-storey Commercial Hotel opposite Rainhill Station, but Skew Bridge makes the most of its space and surroundings.
Its outdoor seating area, which came into its own as the world emerged in stages from lockdown, blends with likeminded eating and drinking establishments on the busy parade.
Not on this visit, though, it was too cold and damp for that so indoors beckoned – and a room clear for conversation without having a noisy soundtrack that comes from TV sport or other folk’s taste in tunes from a jukebox.
Inside the décor is clean and bright, helped by the large glass windows which form the front, with the now obligatory chalk board listing real ale offerings of the day dominating the wall to the left of the bar.
There is a pile of this week’s Morning Star on one end of the shelf, if you want reading that gives an alternative view to the mainstream newspapers, with a glass bowl of dog biscuits at the other end.
The walls are not festooned with material, but the framed pictures and sketches add a bit of character.
Whether that is the diagram of Stephenson’s Rocket, the sketch of the actual bridge or the quirky old photograph of the women from a century ago advocating the abstinence from alcohol. Each to their own.
As always, we are here for the beer; and on this visit there are five real ales on hand pull.
Given I had just clocked three miles in the walk over, I opted for a light refreshing one to start with a Citra Pale from Scarborough’s North Riding Brewery.
It weighs in at a meaty 4.5% but goes down smoothly with a citrusy tang.
After that, going slowly darker in colour, it was quite a bit more local for the next brew with a 4% Crafty Fox, premium bitter, from Wigan’s Wily Fox brewery.
At the dark end of the scale I finished off with a rich and dark Burton Porter from the Burton Bridge brewers.
It weighed in at 4.5% but was not too heavy - like some dark beers - and again slipped down smoothly enough.
It seemed the perfect drink to sit back and sip on a nippy early January Sunday.
Alas, it was time to move on. Gazza’s Tears – a dry hopped IPA from the Portobello Brewery – would just have to wait for another day.
The ales and ciders change regularly; with all shades catered for. There’s plenty for the lager and wine lovers, too.
You can find the Skew Bridge Alehouse at Dane Court (that bit that drops down off Warrington Road) near to the bridge.
It is a pub you can have a pleasant walk out to (or get the train or 10a) and brush up on your local history en route.
They are open: Monday-Wednesday 4pm-10pm, Thursday-Friday 4pm-11pm, Saturday 2pm-11pm, Sunday 2pm-10pm.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here