Hidden gem The Botley Brewery and Hidden Tap sits alongside the River Hamble at historic Botley Mills and attracts local and visiting real ale lovers, as well as river users. 

Customers appear on their paddleboard, kayak, canoe or occasional jet ski and ring a bell to have a special box passed down the river wall, allowing them to purchase drinks, ice creams and snacks.

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Meg and Rob Sanderson blew their wedding budget to purchase the microbrewery, which brews traditional ales using local produce, 12 years ago, postponing their big day for several years to learn to brew and get the business up and running. 

They have since moved locations within Botley Mills and opened their tap room next door six years ago.

The brewery, previously a tile showroom, and tap room, which has been used for everything from a gunsmiths to a car parts website in the past, has been going from strength to strength ever since.

Meg said: "There's a great feel to the place. If you come in on your own, you won't be for long. People make friends and before long they're buying rounds of drinks for each other. That's the way we are. You're always going to get a warm welcome, everyone feels comfortable.

"It doesn't matter the time of year, it's a beautiful spot. We see fish, squirrels, and there's Horace my friendly crow. We have kingfishers, robins, woodpeckers. I've even seen muntjac deer drinking from the river and badgers on the bank opposite."

The Botley Brewery and Hidden Tap have faced tough times, flooded three times in 2019 then facing pandemic restrictions, but received brilliant support from villagers.

The bar has room for 42 inside with more space outside. There's a great choice of ales, ciders and spirits, plus a small menu, including the popular 'pot luck' dish of a chilli, curry or stew. 

Enjoy live music and barbecues, with meat sourced from The Hidden Butcher, major sporting events are televised and customers are welcome to tuck into a pizza from new neighbours Flour and Fire.

There's brewery tours, supper nights, charity events, gift vouchers and take outs available just ten minutes from the train station. 

Next in the diary is a burger night for dogs!