High House Farm Brewery, Visitor Centre, Matfen, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear. NE20 0RG. Tel:01661 886192.

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Cask Task has enjoyed quite a few pints of High House Farm Brewery's beers whilst on the travels, so it was a pleasure to call in to the premises for a sampler and a look around.

Out in the countryside, and still a working farm, the visitor centre and the brewery has a traditional, although new, look about it with much of the stonework and timbers showing. Reasonable disabled access, even for me, the place is upstairs and appears to be used as the local by some of the surrounding population.

Food can be bought there, but let's concentrate on the liquid that we're there for.

The mainstays are Auld Hemp, the darker Matfen Magic, and the popular Nels Best. Others including Sundancer, are also brewed on the premises.

If you're in the area, call in for a jar or two. I'm sure you'll find it worthwhile.

The Keepers Lodge, Matfen Hall Golf Club, Matfen, Newcostle Upon Tyne, NE20 0RH. Tel/;01661 886500.

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We spotted the golf course at Matfen, so we popped in to find the Keepers Lodge had a High House Farm's Nels Best on tap, so we had a swift pint and sat outside in the sunshine.
Watched a couple of holes then left.

The Black Bull, Rose Cottage, Matfen, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear. NE20 0RP. Tel:01665 886330.

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We found the Black Bull in the beautiful village of Matfen, on a glorious sunny day in March. We nearly didn't go into the pub, the village was so breathtakingly attractive.
First impressions of the Black Bull were good only spoilt by the miserable landlady's slating of real ale and the imposition she had to put up with to stock and serve it! A glorious welcome we got there!
The Hadrian and Borders Tyneside Brown Ale was depatched with great haste and we quickly returned to continue our admiring examination of Matfen village itself. What a picture it is.