Artefact Brewery

Artefact Brewery sits just outside Bury Saint Edmunds, and it's the kind of place that makes you wonder why more breweries aren't this welcoming. The setup is straightforward - you get to see how they actually make their beer, which involves considerably more chemistry than you'd expect from what looks like a fairly compact operation. The tasting room is where things get good. You can work through their range without any pressure, and the staff clearly know what they're talking about without being smug about it.

This works best if you're already interested in how beer gets made. If you're dragging along someone who'd rather be literally anywhere else, it might feel a bit long. But for proper beer enthusiasts or anyone keen to understand the difference between their various pales and stouts, a couple of hours here is well spent. The location means it pairs nicely with a stay at either Bright Meadow Caravan Park or Arthur's Retreat Suffolk Motorhome Campsite - both are close enough for an afternoon visit without faffing about with transport.

Check their website before heading over, as opening hours aren't fixed year-round and they occasionally host special events. It's the kind of place that rewards turning up with a bit of planning rather than on a whim. Not a massive draw on its own, but absolutely worth the detour if you're staying in the area and like talking about IBU levels over a proper drink.