Explore Bury St Edmunds Brewing History

No trip to Bury St Edmunds would be complete without a tour of the famous Greene King brewery! The leading UK brewer and pub company has called Bury St Edmunds home for over 200 years, and it carries on a long heritage of brewing in the town.

The brewery has a fascinating history going all the way back to 1086, when monks would brew ale on the site of the Great Abbey using water from Bury’s chalk wells which are still used today by Greene King.

The historic Westgate brewery since was established in 1799, using local malted barley, and water from the 1,000 year old chalk wells in all of their famous brews. You can find their beers in the traditional pubs that Greene King runs in and around East Anglia, as well as in many of their 3,100 pubs, restaurants and hotels in cities, towns and villages located across the UK.

Book a Greene King Brewery Tour now.

With a bar that measures just 15ft by 7ft, The Nutshell proudly holds the title of smallest pub in Britain as confirmed in the Guinness Book of Records.

Located in the heart of the historic Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk, The Nutshell has been proud to serve customers jostling for a place at the bar since it first started serving beer in 1867.

Now a major tourist attraction for local and worldwide visitors, The Nutshell continues the tradition of serving some of the region's finest ales, and providing a bar not just full of customers, but interesting historical items, photos and memorabilia. From a mummified cat and currency notes on the ceiling to historical photos, military items and a plane propeller on the walls there is much to view and talk about while you enjoy a drink.

Stay in a brewery here in Bury St Edmunds. The Old Cannon Brewery is a privately owned and independent freehouse where you can actually see the beer being made and also stay at!

The Brewery Rooms are situated in the converted old brewhouse. The Brewery Kitchen serves fresh and seasonal produce purchased from known local producers, alongside beers made on the premises using East Anglian grown and malted barley and choice hops.

Enjoy a Tour of the brewery. The tour takes about 1.5 hours and is ideal for a group of 4 to 8 people.

You will learn all about the Brewing process from our apprentice Brewer and have the opportunity to sample their beers.

Book and stay and a tour now at The Old Cannon Brewery.

Real ale and craft beer enthusiasts can explore the town’s licensed premises with the Bury St Edmunds Ale Trail, giving visitors the chance to try ales brewed in the town itself or from further afield.

The special ale trail map, produced by Our Bury St Edmunds BID, gives information on all the participating venues.

Copies of the Bury St Edmunds Ale Trail can be found at pubs and bars throughout the town centre, the tourist information points in town, and can be downloaded from Our Bury St Edmunds website.

Find out more about the Trail at the Bury St Edmunds Ale Trail website.