The Andover Tap at The Lamb has been awarded the North Hampshire CAMRA (Campaign for real ale) Cider Pub of the Year, a surprising but delightful achievement for landlord Tim Abrams and his team. “We really weren’t expecting it,” Tim said, “but we’re thrilled and honoured to receive this recognition.”
The Lamb Inn has a rich history dating back over 300 years as a public house, and it was taken over by Be Wiser, who ran the venue as a café for seven years. However, 2 local businesses came together, Tim Abram of The Andover Tap & Kate Griffin of Wessex Spirits wanted to bring back the focus on real and craft ales and ciders from small local producers, so they took over the premises 15 months ago. Kate who owns the building produces her very own gin products as well as the exciting Gin Palace giving the building a perfect blend for locals.
“We wanted to offer a broad range of mainly still traditional ciders, ranging from very dry farmhouse scrumpy to modern style sweet ciders and some in between,” Tim explained. “We select ciders based on their flavor and quality, and we try to avoid beers and ciders from large breweries and multinationals.”
Their unique selection of ciders sets them apart from the usual volume producers’ fair, and they have developed a loyal following of locals who appreciate the diverse range of drinks on offer. “There’s always a warm welcome at The Lamb, and we have a real friendly crowd of locals,” Tim added.
In addition to their excellent selection of ciders, The Andover Tap at The Lamb also offers a range of real and craft ales, as well many themed food nights.
“We only buy from traditional cider producers with an established reputation, and we make sure to sample the ciders both before we buy and intermittently while they are available in the bar to ensure they are in prime condition for our customers,” Tim said. “If you’re new to the world of real cider, it’s probably best to think of what sort of flavors you like, sweet, dry, sour, tart, fruity, and let us know. We’ll help you choose from our constantly changing repertoire of apple and pear-based delights.”
With their commitment to supporting local producers and offering a diverse range of drinks and activities for the community, The Andover Tap at The Lamb has become a beloved institution in the local area. “We’re always looking for new producers that we can share with our customers, and we’re constantly changing our range of up to 8 different still and 2 sparkling ciders,” Tim said. “It’s been a fantastic journey so far, and we’re excited to see what the future holds for The Lamb Inn.”
