While the British Museum prepares to host the legendary Bayeux Tapestry this fall, a historic pub just across the street decided beer deserved its own epic. The Museum Tavern on Great Russell Street in Bloomsbury — a Greene King pub that’s poured pints since the 18th century — has unveiled an eight-meter embroidered “Beer Tapestry” tracing the story of British brewing from the Norman Conquest to the modern craft era, and for the month of September the pub has even renamed itself “The Beer Tapestry” to mark the occasion.
The tapestry was created as a tongue-in-cheek response to the Bayeux Tapestry’s arrival, picking up the storytelling thread where the famous Norman embroidery leaves off — the tale begins in 1066 and unfolds across eight illustrated scenes running from the Norman conquest through the arrival of hopped beer, the dissolution of monastic brewhouses, the rise of Greene King, and the impact of war on the brewing industry. Greene King head brewer Jack Palmer called it a fun way to spotlight the heritage of the original Bayeux piece while sneaking in a beer history lesson, and the brewery even released a limited-edition dark copper cask ale, also called The Beer Tapestry, to go with it. Unlike its 1,000-year-old inspiration across the street, this one comes with a bar stool and a pint within arm’s reach.
Address: The Museum Tavern, 49 Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1B 3BA, UK
Website: greeneking.co.uk
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