It has been a long time since the pub trade felt this exciting.
After nearly thirty years behind and around the bar, years shaped by 'old school' landlords, the kind who wore their experience like spilt beer on their shirts, the rhythm of the industry can start to feel predictable. Familiar faces, familiar pints, familiar decline.
And then, suddenly, something shifts.
That shift came in February, when The Derby Tup welcomed a new landlord, and with him, a completely different kind of energy.
A New Landlord, A New Vision
Ade Cole is not your typical pub tenant. Younger than most, a local lad rather than an imported lifer, and, crucially, a brewer.
Where many brewers remain behind the scenes, content to produce and distribute, Ade made the far riskier move: taking on a pub that had begun to slip into decline and reshaping it from the inside out.
The vision was simple, but ambitious. Not just to run a pub, but to transform it into a brewery tap—a living, breathing space where beer is not just served, but created, tested, and refined in real time.
After delays and anticipation, that vision finally materialised on Thursday, 6th August 2015, with the launch of his first brew at the Tup:
Test Brew A.
Launch Night: Regulars Become Critics
The reception was immediate and vocal.
A small but animated crowd of regulars gathered, quickly appointing themselves as unofficial 'chief tasters' and critics. Preconceptions hovered in the air, but they didn’t last long. One mouthful was enough to dismantle them.
What followed was something rare in pub culture: active engagement. Not passive drinking, but discussion. Debate. Dissection of flavour. Suggestions offered across the bar like notes in a workshop.
And beyond the regulars, something else happened. Word spread. Drinkers arrived from further afield—real ale explorers drawn by the promise of something new, something raw, something still in formation.
This was not just a pint. It was participation.
First Tasting: Sharp, Dry, and Uncompromising
The initial encounter with Test Brew A came straight from the top of the cask, a pre-release tasting that revealed the beer in its most unfiltered form.
The impact was immediate, a powerful hit of pink grapefruit, sharp and insistent. The dryness followed, stripping the palate almost completely, leaving a clean, austere finish.
It was, at that stage, almost too much, so dry that the only natural follow-up felt like water.
But that was the point. This was not a finished product. This was a beer in motion.
The Pint: Balance Emerges
By the following day, the beer had settled.
What had been sharp began to round out. The citrus softened, the dryness eased, and something more complex started to emerge.
Now, in full pint form, Test Brew A revealed itself properly.
Hibiscus flower notes intertwined with tangerine and red apple, creating a layered fruit character that moved beyond simple citrus. Light grassy tones added freshness, while the back palate introduced something softer, creamy butterscotch and a gentle oat-like smoothness.
The dryness, once dominant, had transformed. In its place came a more balanced interplay: hints of sherbet brightness and a subtle thread of liquorice grounding the finish.
This was no longer just sharp; it was structured.
Aroma: A Floral and Unexpected Complexity
On the nose, the beer expanded even further.
Cola notes rose first, unexpected but distinct, followed by raspberry tea and a delicate floral bouquet. Violets and rose petals drifted through, softened by the freshness of grass touched with morning dew.
It was aromatic in a way that felt almost excessive, but never chaotic. Each note had its place, contributing to a wider sensory field.
Appearance and Texture: Lightness with Precision
Visually, Test Brew A presented as a pale golden ale, bright and inviting.
The head formed a light, openly aerated foam, white and clean, clinging gently to the glass in a soft meniscus. It was not dense or heavy, but precise, mirroring the beer’s overall balance.
At 4.2% ABV, it sits comfortably in mid-strength territory. Strong enough to carry flavour, light enough to invite another pint, and perhaps another after that.
The Hops: Structure Behind the Expression
Brewed with Amarillo, Columbus, and Willamette hops, Test Brew A draws on a combination that explains its layered profile.
- Amarillo brings the citrus, grapefruit, orange, and brightness
- Columbus contributes bitterness and structure
- Willamette softens the edges with floral and slightly earthy tones
Together, they create a beer that is both assertive and evolving, initially aggressive, but ultimately balanced.
A Living Beer: Process, Not Product
What makes Test Brew A particularly compelling is that it does not pretend to be finished.
It is a working beer, a conversation between brewer and drinker. Each pint is part of a process, each reaction part of its development.
In a world where many beers arrive fully polished and fixed, this feels refreshingly open. Imperfection is not hidden; it is embraced as part of the craft.
Final Thoughts
Test Brew A is an assertive pale ale, pungent, aromatic, and defined by a bold bitter edge. But more than that, it is a statement of intent.
From The Derby Tup and Ade Cole, it represents a shift away from passive consumption toward active engagement. A pub is becoming a brewery. A pint is becoming a process.
It is not just about what is in the glass, but what is happening around it.
And after thirty years in the trade, that kind of energy is not just refreshing, it is rare.
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