From the https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Secret Drinker, 20 September 2024.

Secret Drinker reviews Ye Olde Thirsty Pig pub in Maidstone.

You can tell a lot about a man by the glass he chooses, that was the claim made by the barman in Ye Olde Thirsty Pig.

I must have driven past this oasis on an inner ring road a multitude of times and never knew it contained a friendly clairvoyant who knew I was a jug lover at heart.

Ye Olde Thirsty Pig is on Knightrider Street and you can hear the car radios from the traffic through the open door

I don’t often find myself on foot in the middle of Maidstone and only really made it into the pub because the van delivering a firkin of Mad Cat made it easier to fall through the door than walk around and risk the traffic on Knightrider Street.

But boy was this a lucky break, how’ve I managed to avoid this ‘not as small as you might think’ gem right in the centre of our county town?

The timbered ceiling is low and reassuringly higgledy-piggledy which made it feel darker and cooler inside, with stools spread around the outside of the room, not blocking the bar – bravo landlord, a great decision.

The main bar is small and, on a bright day, it’s considerably darker than outside with its low ceiling and black beams.

The sign boasts it specialises in Kentish ales and there was certainly plenty of choice. Gadds No 5 bitter, an oatmeal stout from the same Ramsgate brewery, a red ale from the aforementioned Mad Cat in Faversham and Five Arches pale ale from Bexley Brewery were my options.

I was in a No 5 sort of mood and wasn’t disappointed by the deep, dark tones of Gadds 4.4% proper ruby bitter, and it arrived in a dimpled glass.

The chat in the bar covered off how the Bexley chief brewer had discovered he’s gluten intolerant and now only produces gluten-free beers, the fact a firkin now costs £90 to buy in and why, if you hang up a plastic bag containing silver coins and water it keeps wasps away.

You’ll find a ‘Duck or Grouse’ sign in many other pubs, as well as old fashioned wooden furniture, but there’s plenty of features at The Thirsty Pig which are unique.

The front door remained open and a whole variety of music blared into the pub from the sound systems of cars as they passed by in the traffic. This could be a little off-putting but given Bob Dylan was on the jukebox it was a welcome relief.

And, on a musical theme, next through the door was a real-life Rockstar, well that’s what the friendly barman called him and as he propped himself against the bar I could see why as he definitely looked the part.

The history of the pub, or perhaps more accurately, the building it occupies is fascinating. It has, over the years, been a coal merchant, a flower shop and, during the Battle of Maidstone in 1648, even a hospital. But, when it was first built way back in 1440, it was the property of the church and was inextricably linked with the nearby Archbishop’s Palace.

This narrow passageway leads from the back of the pub to the outside area and is lined with many old metal signs.

However, despite such an illustrious history, it is believed the building only became a pub in the 1970s when it was called The Minstrel. It wasn’t until 1996 it became the Thirsty Pig, although you’ll still find a host of old musical instruments hanging from the rafters upstairs.

Coming further up-to-date I’m reliably informed it was Covid that inspired the latest changes when, needing more outside space, a deal was done with neighbours to secure a bigger backyard. Again, it’s a very higgledy-piggledy, cheek-by-jowl affair where taking a wrong turn might easily see you sitting in a neighbour’s yard instead.

Lockdown was also the time the pub suffered from a leak in the roof and, in searching for it, two, hitherto completely unknown rooms, were discovered and brought into use.

I’m not sure whether he can be described as life-size exactly but woe-betide anyone who leans on this particular porker.

I’m not sure whether he can be described as life-size exactly but woe-betide anyone who leans on this particular porker.

The instruments hanging from the beams upstairs date back to a previous incarnation, when this place used to be The Minstrel.

Certainly I can testify that after experiencing the small bar downstairs the rest of this place is an absolute maze and, particularly after a few beers, you might find yourself somewhere unexpected – if so, beware of the winding staircases (I’ll wager they’ve caught out a few over-indulgent souls over the years) and uneven floors.

Though do wander round the pub as it is totally fascinating.

The Mad Cat delivery van had disappeared but I was in no hurry so worked my way through several of the bar taps, including a couple of less Kentish offerings – Paulaner Munchen, Weissbier Dunkel and an American pale ale called Road Crew.

Within the miniature maze that is Ye Olde Thirsty Pig you’ll find two narrow winding staircases – my advice is hold on tight and take it steady.

When the barman explained hanging a plastic bag full of water and a few glittering coins keeps wasps at bay I wasn’t sure if he was pulling my leg!

Opened up and extended quite recently, by agreement with neighbours, there is now a decent-sized outdoor seating area.

This quite excellent town centre pub contains several things you might expect, a fruit machine, a dartboard, a host of signs banning vaping inside and lots of jug glasses. But there’s also a large wooden pig, in a Union Jack pinny, with a sign asking you not to lean on him, a blue bag of water to keep the wasps at bay and some interesting (though not cheap) Thirsty Pig merchandise.

The toilets are very bijou, but well-maintained, and placing the hand-drier over the small sink is a very sensible idea. I also witnessed, for the first time, a jukebox being controlled by a punter who wasn’t even in the pub!

Did you know you can get an app for a pub jukebox allowing you to control it from anywhere? One pub regular played the barman’s favourite track for him sat in his front room at home.

There is so much more I could tell you about my fascinating first visit to the Thirsty Pig but I just don’t have the space to include it all, besides, if you haven’t visited you owe it to yourself to get along and take a look.

The jukebox is positioned upstairs because there is no room on the ground floor walls. Mind you, if you’ve got the right App on your phone you can control it form anywhere.

There was a varied selection of merchandise items on offer in a glass cabinet in one corner. Though I might need a couple more pints before being persuaded to part with £20 for a pink Thirsty Pig baseball cap.

The gents can’t be described as roomy but they are well cared for and were clean and fresh smelling.