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History: Home > Drayman's Son (formerly Liberty Belle)

Drayman's Son (formerly Liberty Belle) (Free House)

Beer (sort)Average Score (sort)No. Samples (sort)
Colchester - No. 1Excellent1
Three Blind Mice - Lonely Snake Mosaic & Simcoe EditionExcellent1
Tydd Steam - AmnesiacExcellent1
Panther - Winter PorterExcellent1
Wolf - Golden JackalExcellent1
Heritage (formerly William Worthington Brewery) - Charrington IPAExcellent1
Humpty Dumpty - Nord AtlanticExcellent1
Tydd Steam - Piston BobExcellent1
Three Blind Mice - Drayman's Best (house beer)Good2
Two Rivers - StoatGood1
Lord Conrad's - Lobster LickerGood1
Oakham - Hangar 17Good1
Two Rivers - Penguin AleGood1
Elmtree - Burston's CuckooGood1
Shenanigans - Oatmeal StoutGood1
Wolf - Tasmanian WolfGood1
Colchester - MetropolisGood1
Magpie - Hoppily Ever AfterGood1
Shortts Farm - SkiffleGood1
Two Rivers - Miners MildAcceptable1
Grain - RedwoodNot Tried0
Crafty Beers - IncognitoNot Tried0
Wolf - Wolf at the DoorNot Tried0
Grainstore - Baby BeastNot Tried0
Fat Cat - Fat Cat BitterNot Tried0
All Day - Salle PorterNot Tried0
Elgood's - Wenceslas Winter WarmerNot Tried0
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Chocolate StoutNot Tried0
Tydd Steam - Barn AleNot Tried0
Canopy - Oyster StoutNot Tried0
Flipside - Dark DenominationNot Tried0
Signature Brew - Elderflower BlondeNot Tried0
Grain - 3.1.6.Not Tried0
Humpty Dumpty - Little SharpieNot Tried0
BlackBar - Black EconomyNot Tried0
Black Iris - Endless SummerNot Tried0
TicketyBrew - StoutNot Tried0
Three Blind Mice - Winter RubyNot Tried0
Crafty Beers - Sauvignon BlondNot Tried0
Three Blind Mice - Old Brown MouseNot Tried0
Milton - TikiNot Tried0
Mauldons - Blackberry PorterNot Tried0
Oakham - JHBNot Tried0
Shortts Farm - IndieNot Tried0
Bartrams - Comrade Bill Bartram's Egalitarian Anti Imperialist Soviet StoutNot Tried0
Crouch Vale - BoadiceaNot Tried0
Brandon - Rusty BucketNot Tried0
Brandon - Napper TandyNot Tried0
Elgood's - Cambridge BitterNot Tried0
Coastal - Golden HindeNot Tried0
Wolf - Straw DogsNot Tried0
St Peter's - Bloomin' MarvellousNot Tried0
Jo C's - Norfolk KiwiNot Tried0
Picture 1. Drayman's Son (formerly Liberty Belle), Ely, Cambridgeshire
Picture 2. Drayman's Son (formerly Liberty Belle), Ely, Cambridgeshire

Visits Details

12 Jan 2020 (Stephen Harris)
Late Sunday afternoon. A very nice pub. I'm the only person here who does not know everyone else by name.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Three Blind Mice - Lonely Snake Mosaic & Simcoe Edition3.50ExcellentGolden, hoppy murk.
Panther - Winter Porter5.00ExcellentRoasted malt and vanilla flavours.
Humpty Dumpty - Little Sharpie3.80Not Tried
Black Iris - Endless Summer4.50Not Tried
Three Blind Mice - Winter Ruby4.10Not Tried
Three Blind Mice - Old Brown Mouse4.20Not Tried
25 Sep 2018 (Mitch)
Excellent micro pub/brewery. 3 Blind Mice brewery and their own bitter called Drayman's Best 4.2% is very good. Gravity fed into their own branded glasses. 11 other beers all from small and mainly local breweries. A wide selection of ciders too and continental bottled beers. Several local CAMRA awards on the wall from the last couple of years. The Greene King pub opposite does not stand a chance but at least it may take away the less discerning drinkers!
BeerABVScoreNotes
Tydd Steam - Piston Bob4.60Excellent
Three Blind Mice - Drayman's Best (house beer)4.20Excellent
24 Aug 2017 (ChrisE)
This has been on my to do list ever since it first opened as the Liberty Bell, when we arrived our group of thirteen were the only customers but others arrived during our visit. Excellent filled rolls at £1.50 proved very popular with our group. I have not listed all the beers available.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Heritage (formerly William Worthington Brewery) - Charrington IPA4.50ExcellentIt is so long since I drank Charrington IPA it is impossible to say whether they have replicated its true taste, but then it changed from Mile End to Wolverhampton and finally Faversham breweries before production ceased and I am sure it changed slightly each time. This was a fine ale and I had two of them.
Three Blind Mice - Drayman's Best (house beer)4.20Not Tried
Howling Hops (Brewed at Hackney Wick) - Chocolate Stout5.00Not Tried
Canopy - Oyster Stout5.00Not Tried
Signature Brew - Elderflower Blonde4.00Not Tried
09 Aug 2017 (Jack William)
Early evening - very busy with quite a few younger customers, good to see for a micro. Tried a few beers (they do a flight of thirds) and supped some of my son's beers. Terrific selection - 11 ales plus craft kegs, bottles and unusual cans. We liked it.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Wolf - Tasmanian Wolf5.00Good
Magpie - Hoppily Ever After3.80GoodLight and refreshing.
Lord Conrad's - Lobster Licker4.20GoodA well balanced red.
Oakham - Hangar 174.10GoodNice fruity hoppines.
Shenanigans - Oatmeal Stout5.00GoodA really smoky stout.
Three Blind Mice - Drayman's Best (house beer)4.20AcceptableBit cloudy.
Coastal - Golden Hinde4.30Not Tried
St Peter's - Bloomin' Marvellous4.10Not Tried
Crafty Beers - Incognito4.00Not Tried
Grainstore - Baby Beast4.70Not Tried
All Day - Salle Porter3.90Not Tried
13 Jul 2014 (HSB)
21:00 Missed my connection at Peterborough so had over an hour at Ely. As good a waiting room as any. Six others in, had a chat with a nice couple from Lynn.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Tydd Steam - Amnesiac4.90Excellent
Two Rivers - Penguin Ale4.40GoodBrewed for the Liberty Belle
Mauldons - Blackberry Porter4.80Not Tried
Jo C's - Norfolk Kiwi3.80Not Tried
Shortts Farm - Skiffle4.00Not Tried
Shortts Farm - Indie4.80Not Tried
Crouch Vale - Boadicea4.10Not Tried
Brandon - Napper Tandy5.00Not Tried
07 Feb 2014 (HSB)
15:00 Had enough of the beer festival so we came here. Opened especially to coincide with the festival as now only open Saturday and Sunday lunchtimes.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Shortts Farm - Skiffle4.00Good
Two Rivers - Stoat5.80GoodStout
Wolf - Straw Dogs4.50Not Tried
Flipside - Dark Denomination4.00Not Tried
Jo C's - Norfolk Kiwi3.80Not Tried
Grain - 3.1.6.3.90Not Tried
Colchester - No. 14.10Not Tried
BlackBar - Black Economy4.60Not Tried
TicketyBrew - Stout5.20Not Tried
Crafty Beers - Sauvignon Blond4.40Not Tried
19 Dec 2013 (HSB)
12:35 Just opened. Very friendly barmaid. Andy, the former Spectrum brewer, delivered beer from JoC's brewery
BeerABVScoreNotes
Elmtree - Burston's Cuckoo3.80Good
Colchester - Metropolis3.90Good
Fat Cat - Fat Cat Bitter3.80Not Tried
Elgood's - Wenceslas Winter Warmer7.50Not Tried
Tydd Steam - Barn Ale3.90Not Tried
Jo C's - Norfolk Kiwi3.80Not Tried
12 Sep 2013 (HSB)
20:10 Five others in, two others came in whilst we were there. Doesn't really suit the micro-pub epithet for me. Too big, and the seating layout does not encourage conversation in the way the smaller examples do.
BeerABVScoreNotes
Two Rivers - Miners Mild3.10AcceptableTasty but no condition whatsoever.
Elgood's - Cambridge Bitter3.80Not Tried
Wolf - Straw Dogs4.50Not Tried
Jo C's - Norfolk Kiwi3.80Not Tried
Grain - Redwood4.80Not Tried
Wolf - Wolf at the Door4.40Not Tried
20 Aug 2013 (Tobes)
BeerABVScoreNotes
Colchester - No. 14.10Excellent
Oakham - JHB3.80Not Tried
Bartrams - Comrade Bill Bartram's Egalitarian Anti Imperialist Soviet Stout6.90Not Tried
Brandon - Rusty Bucket4.40Not Tried
13 Aug 2013 (Philip Pirrip)
Early evening. A couple of hours passed quickly with good conversation. One customer's wife arrived belatedly with a John Lewis hat box purchase for a forthcoming wedding - don't know what a fascinator is? neither did I. Only downsides for me were the London plus prices for the real ale, and pork pies at £5.50. Micropubs elsewhere are usually very competitively priced
BeerABVScoreNotes
Wolf - Golden Jackal3.70Excellent
Humpty Dumpty - Nord Atlantic3.70Excellent
Milton - Tiki3.80Not Tried
Two Rivers - Miners Mild3.10Not Tried

About the Drayman's Son (formerly Liberty Belle)

The pub sign. Drayman's Son (formerly Liberty Belle), Ely, Cambridgeshire

Summary of Beer Scores

 Total
Exceptional-
Excellent9
Good10
Acceptable2
Poor-

The pub is found in Ely, Cambridgeshire, CB7 4AA.

The first Cambridgeshire Micropub opened in July 2013 as a shop conversion from premises previously trading ladies fashion accessories (Mayer). Exists on 2 levels separated by a short flight of attractive stairs with seating on both levels. The upper level has an "ordering point" counter but then drinks are served at seat. Gents and Ladies toilets on upper level and disabled toilet on lower level. Sells real ales, ciders, wines and soft drinks only with some cold snacks of pork pies and cheese and biscuits. Lots of street furniture, railway, advertising and autonumerology paraphernalia on the walls. There is also a London Buses request stop and a Shell petrol pump to catch the eye. Several signs warn that it is a mobile phone free zone so they must be switched off. A large framed bell holds court at the top of the stairs to the upper level. Real ales and ciders are dispensed on gravity dispense from within a cooled room at the back. Initially was closed on Mondays but now opens Monday evening then at lunchtime and evening on every other day of the week, with several of these other days being without an afternoon closure break. Changed hands in summer 2015 with an associated change of name too.

We have visited this pub 10 times, seen 53 different beers and tried 20 of them.

Map location

Postcode: CB7 4AA