THIS week’s beery trek leads to Colne. It’s a town, in my opinion, that boasts a vibrant beer scene. From traditional drinking dens to craft ale destinations, the town offers discerning beer drinker a broad-ranging choice.

Tapster’s Promise is one that presents customers with a craft beer drinking experience, offering an excellent range of beers from small, independent brewers.

This one roomed micro-bar is ideally situated in the town centre, directly across from Pendle Hippodrome,on New Market Street. It’s a contemporary bar, boasting fixed benched, soft upholstered seating; wooden flooring; and a most attractive copper topped, L-shaped bar. Artwork by local artist, Paul Edmondson, adorns the walls which adds to a relaxing environment.

Owner Oliver Brooks opened the bar in March 2016. He offers three rotating cask beers (four from January) and six keg lines. Beers are sourced from local craft brewers - there are certainly no mainstream beers here!

Oliver said: “We have a good eclectic mix of customers, who like both the cask and keg beers, with younger ones tending to enjoy the bigger flavoured and higher strength beers - and are prepared to pay more. The canned beers also sell well; especially when we have Beavertown, Cloudwater and Tiny Rebel in stock - they fly out. People make a special visit to drink those canned beers.”

Well, there was a fine choice on the bar. They included local cask offerings from Ghost Brewing (Baildon); Wishbone (Keighley); Rammy Craft; and a keg beer from Northern Whisper (Rawtenstall).

I plumped initially for the Wishbone Pastiche., a hazy, unfined tipple. An American style pale ale, it was bursting with citrus flavours - quite lemony and so refreshing. Some cereal malt was lurking too. I was amazed how the brewer packed so much flavour in to a 3.7% beverage. Wishbone brew superb beers - and they are a regular fixture on the bar.

Oliver said: “People here don’t care what it looks like once they have tasted it - as it tastes so good.”

Well, I certainly concur with those sentiments.

Other beers sampled included: Rammy Craft, Rammy Ale, a delicious golden beer in which toasted malt, grassy and fruity notes are detected; and a keg beer from Northern Whisper, namely, Shoestring.

This latter offering was a Saison style beer - and it was a delight. I love the highly carbonated, fruity and spicy flavours. They have a crisp, dry and warming finish - and Shoestring certainly had those qualities - it hit the spot!

It was a really enjoyable social and drinking experience at Tapster’s Promise. Oliver has a real depth of knowledge regarding both cask and keg beers - all his beers were in exceptional condition. Staff member, Wendy, was also very keen to relay her understanding and passion for craft beer and she was very welcoming and friendly too.

Colne is fortunate to have this type of beery and social destination. The range of beer styles - along with a relaxed environment and affable clientele, are the ingredients that makes this bar an ideal location, for both the young and older generations.