Reading – Brewdog

Continuing my vague plan to visit every Brewdog in the country (along with many other similar plans that I have), this is their outlet in Reading, an impressive building which was constructed in the 1830s as a Congregational Chapel. Over the last decade, it has housed a number of different pubs and bars, but it has been a Brewdog for the last few years.

I’m not sure what is happening to the frontage of this building, it’s in a really poor state and it has lost the blue coating that Brewdog painted it not that long ago. At a best guess, they painted it without permission and have been told to remove it (this sounds like something that Brewdog would do), but they really need to do something about the current situation.

The beer selection, with the Coffee Stout confusing me as it had no brewery name by it. The staff member didn’t know and couldn’t find out, but she asked a passing manager who told me that it was brewed by Firebrand Brewing Company, a Cornish brewery. The member of bar staff was personable and engaging, but she accidentally poured me a pint instead of a half. She realised when pouring, but she tipped the remainder into another glass, although it was probably just easier to give it to me (not that I really wanted any more than a half to be fair) rather than have a bit of beer randomly sitting there.

There’s quite a large interior which is bright and comfortable, with another floor above.

There was a booth available which I thought looked comfortable, and was a pleasant environment to read a book on my phone. The beer is the Lil’ Beans from Double-Barrelled Brewery, which was better than I anticipated, with rich vanilla and chocolate notes. The brewery are local to Reading, so credit to Brewdog for making the effort to have this available to support local businesses. I was pondering why I had heard of this brewery and it transpires I had their ‘Infinite Reflections’ beer a couple of weeks ago in the Artichoke in Norwich, where I’ve also had the ‘Everything But the Bulbs’ beer as well. I’m going to see if I can get chance to visit their taproom over the next couple of days, probably not, but I shall do my best…..

Anyway, I had expected the bar to be a little busier, not least because Google warned me that it was “as busy as it gets”, which usually means that people are flooding out of the door. In the end I read a chunk of my book, a sign of a warm and comfortable environment, so all really very amiable with the friendly staff and clean surroundings.