I’ve spent a great deal of time in Melbourne, not the sprawling Australian metropolis, but the Derbyshire village that lent its name to it. My wife grew up there, and we regularly enjoy walks through the woods and around Melbourne Pool, ending up in one of its many pubs for a pint.
Last year, District Councillor Matt Gotheridge had a spark of an idea: what if all the pubs joined forces for one weekend and turned the whole village into a giant beer festival? A beer trail, but with Melbourne’s charm baked in. Whatever inspired him, it worked and Melbourne Beer Trail returns this year running from Thursday 30th July to Sunday 2nd August. Back, bigger and better!
Ten venues. Micropubs, classic boozers, clubs, gastropubs. A proper cross‑section of what makes British pub culture great. Grab a leaflet at any stop, get it stamped, and off you go.
A beer brewed just for the trail
Morgan Brewmasters (based at The Spirit Vaults, more on them soon) and Tollgate Brewery have teamed up as sponsors, and have produced an exclusive beer for the weekend: Trail Pale Ale. It’s a 4% Citra, Comet and El Dorado hopped pale that practically screams “drink me in a heatwave.” Expect it to be everywhere, and expect it to go down very easily.
A wander through Melbourne’s watering holes
I’m not pretending to be an expert on every venue, but here are the highlights and the places I’ll be revisiting with enthusiasm.
- The Hardinge Arms Sitting in King’s Newton, just a short stroll from the village, it’s where I kicked off last year’s trail. Judging by the crowds, I wasn’t the only one with that idea.
- The Spirit Vaults Home of the best mixed grill I’ve ever eaten and I don’t say that lightly. Their Morgan Brewmasters Dark, a 5% porter, is so good I’ve never managed to get past it to try the rest of their range.
- The Bank of Beers Run by The Mad Brewer Pub Company (part of Leatherbritches), and fresh off winning Derby CAMRA’s Country Pub of the Year. That alone tells you everything you need to know.
- The White Swan A 17th‑century heart‑of‑the‑village boozer serving a beautiful pint of Bass. No frills, no nonsense, just proper beer.
- The Boot I’ve eaten there, but never had a pint, something I fully intend to fix this weekend. Named after The Boot Brewery, so expectations are high.
- The Alma Inn A slice of family history, my wife’s grandparents kept it in the late ’70s. A Marston’s pub through and through, still serving a solid pint of Pedigree.
- The Melbourne Inn Known locally as The Lamb. Four beers on, including Theakston’s and Bass. Worth a drop‑in.
- The Royal British Legion I’ve never been inside, but I love that clubs are opening their doors for the trail.
- The Brewhouse A micropub specialising in craft ales, tucked into the courtyard of Melbourne Hall. Perfect for sipping something interesting in the sunshine or settling into its quirky interior.
- The Amalfi White Not usually a real‑ale venue, but fingers crossed they make an exception for the weekend.
Make a day of it
Melbourne sits right on major bus routes from Derby, Swadlincote and Ashby. Hop on the 7A from New Street in Burton and you’re there in no time. Spend a few hours checking out a beautiful village, trail leaflet slowly filling with stamps. Grab some chips and eat them in the marketplace. It’s simple, it’s charming, and it’s exactly the kind of summer weekend we all need.
If you’re anywhere nearby, go. And if you’re not, it’s worth the trip and it has the Burton Ale Trail seal of approval.
