Monday 28th January 2013

Bob Thompson

The Snow Goose promotes itself as a Café-Bar and I suppose it is really. However we were using it as a pub and it also fits that category also. Linda and I visited on a cold and dreary Monday lunch time and I have to say it really cheered us up. To say the decor is eccentric is an understatement. It is quite a mixture of old furniture, beers casks, brightly coloured cushions and a lot more. We warmed to the open fire and noticed musical instruments scattered all over the place and I understand the management are to open an instrument shop next door.

It opened in March 2011 and its theme is mountains, particularly the Alps. This isn't so obvious in the downstairs bar where the beer is dispensed but up on the first floor there are photographs of mountain scenes displayed on a flat screen TV. At this level (altitude?) the decor is even more colourful. This is also where the Gents' toilet is situated and I don't normally pass comment on these but I was amused to see that the water to the basins arrived through the fonts of well-known keg beers.

It is a very interesting destination for beer as it is the unofficial tap of Storm Brewing (founded 1998) which is located just around the corner by the riverside.

As we entered, we observed the bar to the left and at the far end were four hand pumps with the clips conveniently facing towards the prospective purchaser.

For our delectation we were offered Beaufort's Ale (3.8%), a hoppy bitter with American hops; Desert Storm (3.9%) a more conventional bitter; Bosley Cloud (4.1%), a complex beer that has some wheat malt in it, and finally Silk of Amnesia (4.7%), a strong dark beer with a bitter aftertaste.

We had a quick taster of the two stronger beers but settled for the two weaker bitters. I have to say we made the right choice as they were both superb. All of these, of course, were from Storm.

There are lots of things going on and a number of upcoming events are displayed on small colourful blackboards affixed to the wall, see photograph. There are many outdoor activities, even including mountain climbing, a first if I am not wrong.

Live music in the form of bands and individual acts are to be heard every Thursday and Friday evenings. Food is available daily from 11.30 to 17.00, Monday to Friday. It consists of mainly platters, ploughman's lunches, sandwiches and pies, along with home-made soup. There is an outside balcony and a very cosy area in the basement.

All in all, it's a really wonderful bar and a really great place to sample the products of Storm Brewing.

Important Information:

The Snow Goose, 52-54 Sunderland Street, Macclesfield, Cheshire SK11 6HN
Tel: 01625 619299

Open: Monday to Sunday 11.30-24.00

The pub is less than five minutes from the railway station, which has local trains to Manchester. It is also served by Virgin Trains with two trains per hour from Manchester and Stockport to Stoke-on-Trent and London. It is also about five minutes to the Bus Station.