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Category: Good Beer Guide

  • Leeds – Tapped

    Leeds – Tapped

    I’m still continuing with my little tour of Good Beer Guide pubs in Leeds, with this one being Tapped on Boar Lane. Opened in 2013, they try to keep 14 craft keg lines and 13 cask lines open, which should be sufficient for nearly any beer taste.

    The beers are listed above the bar, although it’s perhaps not really the easiest way for customers to try and work out what’s available. I asked at the bar for stouts and mentioned that I’d already had the Millionaire from the Wild Beer Co, so the friendly staff member suggested the Bad Kitty from Brass Castle Brewery. I recalled after ordering it that I’ve had this before, at Brigantes in York on 12 March 2020, on what sadly transpired to be one of the last days that this bar was open. Anyway, I’ve now realised that the beer choice is available on-line, so it is possible to see what they’ve got before arriving at the bar.

    Beers are made on site, which I thought added to the atmosphere in terms of the general feel of the bar.

    It wasn’t that busy during my visit and the atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming. I was starting to get hungry, but I didn’t realise that the bar was selling pizzas until just before I was about to leave. I’m unsure why they’ve put wine lists on every table, but not beer lists or food menus.

    The Bad Kitty was fine and served at the appropriate temperature, with a chocolate and vanilla taste to it. It was reasonably priced and I thought that the whole experience was positive.

    The reviews of the bar are generally all pretty good and most of the complaints are what I’d consider to be either ridiculous or over-stated. There was an angry person annoyed that they wouldn’t let her in wearing flip flops, and the bar is perhaps quite right to ban these not just for sartorial reasons, but because it’s quite likely some idiot would stand on them. Other complaints are from customers moaning that they were wearing tracksuit bottoms and were refused entry. I’m not one for dress codes (I’m hardly a fashion expert myself if I’m being brutally honest) but the bar doesn’t seem unreasonable in its requirements.

    Anyway, friendly staff, decent beer and a clean environment, all really rather lovely and this is justifiably in the Good Beer Guide as far as I’m concerned (although I can’t imagine that anyone is much bothered by that, at least it keeps me happy). Ideally though, perhaps they should be a little clearer about their food menu and not keep it as something of a secret.

  • Leeds – Whitelock’s Ale House

    Leeds – Whitelock’s Ale House

    And the third in my little pub crawl of Good Beer Guide pubs in Leeds….

    As the sign notes, this is the oldest pub in the city, originally known at the Turk’s Head. I like that they note the number of real ales available and also mention that craft beer is sold. I visited here because the pub was listed in the Good Beer Guide, but if I had seen this sign then I would have popped in anyway.

    It’s located down an alley, but the signage is clear so it’s not difficult to find. I was welcomed at the entrance by a friendly staff member and was told it was quite busy inside and was asked if I would be OK outside. I decided that this was fine, although decided I’d pop inside to have a look at the historic interior. I’m not a fan of outside (insects, rain, too much sun, etc), but the beer barrel that I was seated at was perfectly fine and the weather allowed such outside dining.

    And there it is, an interior not really much changed from the early twentieth century. I was going to take another photo but a staff member looked at me as if I was an idiot, so I thought that this one would suffice. I liked the atmosphere in the pub through, very traditional and the staff all seemed friendly and engaging.

    I’m a fan of John Betjeman, so I consider this great praise.

    Initially, I thought that this beer menu was just a little generic, but then I saw the Mile Zero from Turning Point, who are one of my favourite breweries (I haven’t forgotten their Yellow Matter custard beer which was pure gold, or pure yellow really). Given the quality of this beer, I thought that £2.35 for a third was a bit of a bargain.

    I accidentally ordered a packet of crisps with the beer as food pairing is absolutely important. And, as for the beer, it was beautiful. There was a richness of toffee and it was packed with liquorice flavour as well, with an aftertaste of Werther’s Originals. This was a decadent treat and I was delighted to be able to try it. Really nice.

    The reviews of this pub are very high and even the negative ones are a bit ridiculous, like the person a few weeks ago who was furious that “I waited ten minutes to be served at my table”. It’s not ideal, but perhaps not the end of the world, nor justification for a 1/5 review given the current situation (or indeed perhaps at any time). Another customer gave it 1/5 although he had been going since 1969. Yeah, great, have a bad experience after 50 years of going for a pub and rush to rate them 1/5. Nice.

    So, this is another pub from the Good Beer Guide that I really like. Friendly service, clearly popular with customers and some interesting beers. The prices were lower than I would expect and I felt comfortable throughout, so absolutely recommended.

  • Leeds – North Bar

    Leeds – North Bar

    I started my little tour of Good Beer Guide pubs in Leeds at the Templar Hotel and that was fine, but not quite to my tastes. My next choice was the North Bar and this is much more my sort of thing, one of the earliest craft beer bars (I think that this one opened in 1997) and part of a small local chain. For those people who don’t drink beer, there are also lots of whiskies and rums to choose from, which all adds to the excitement (although not to me, I’m not a whisky or rum drinker).

    The bar wasn’t very busy, but there were plenty of staff and they were helpful in showing me what dark beers they had available. They mentioned that they had Northern Bones from Bone Machine, a brewery from one of my favourite cities which is Hull. There was though plenty of other choice of beers and I liked the engagement from the staff members. I’m quite amused by the Tequila Tuesdays, but I wasn’t tempted to get three of them for £6…..

    The interior is quite long, with the bar itself to one side. I’m not sure why somewhere this exciting isn’t busier, but there we go…. Actually, one thing I’m missing already from some bars is the beer list that was put on tables during the time that Covid required table service. However, all credit to this bar as they’ve put their list of beers on Untappd, although I didn’t notice that until I had already ordered.

    My beer choice of half a pint of the Northern Bones, which I liked, but it didn’t quite have the rich flavours that I hoped for. A perfectly good beer though and I was pleased to have the chance to try it.

    I really liked this bar as it was laid-back and comfortable, being on-trend but without trying to be so. The reviews of the bar are positive and they apparently serve Bao Buns from a nearby takeaway as their food option, although there was no internal signage about this. The staff were friendly, I liked the high tables and decor, with this being a very well deserved entry into the Good Beer Guide as far as I’m concerned.

  • Leeds – Templar Hotel

    Leeds – Templar Hotel

    After a busy day of visiting museums and the like, I thought that I’d work through a few Good Beer Guide pubs in Leeds tonight. I can’t say that I was thrilled to see that my first choice was owned by Greene King, but I thought that I’d still give it a try. It’s a traditional pub and it’s well looked after, so it felt a clean and comfortable place to be. It was also full, so the first time in quite a while I had to prop myself up at the end of the bar (that’s quite easy to do in the first pub of the evening).

    There were six beers to choose from (although there might be eight judging by that back board, but I could only see six), which is usually an exciting number to see at any pub. None of them really excited me though, and I’m disappointed to see such a load of generic beers on there with a limited range of beer styles. However, I have to accept that the pub was full and so they clearly know what they’re doing, it’s just I’m hopeful of something a little more decadent. Whilst I was at the bar though, every single order was for lager, so perhaps I should be grateful that there were so many real ales to choose from.

    The Tetleys beer was well kept and tasted as it should, which isn’t really overly exciting. I rated it as 3.25 on Untappd, which was perhaps generous, especially given its average rating is 2.96 (from 15,000 reviews) which is a very low score. The price was though low for my half pint, so no complaints about the cost of the beer.

    I can’t say that there was anything wrong with the pub, but nearly everyone seemed to be watching the televisions and the beer selection wasn’t for me. I prefer pubs that are powered by conversation and atmosphere and this one didn’t do it for me with that reliance on the televisions. However, the staff were welcoming and I’m sure it’s a safe environment which serves its customers very well. I can see why this has gone into the Good Beer Guide, as the welcome is genuine, the interior is traditional and there’s a choice of reasonably priced real ales.

  • Birmingham – Head of Steam (II)

    Birmingham – Head of Steam (II)

    Head of Steam is one of my favourite chains and I’ve been to several across the country and I’ve been to this one before and enjoyed the quality of the food and drink that they had.

    I came in here again as they were advertising on Facebook the new bottles from Vault City Brewing. The staff member hadn’t heard of them and was initially confident that they didn’t have them. I did on four occasion say that I could see the beer in the fridge behind her, but she wasn’t having any of it. She was polite enough though and got another staff member, who told her they were in the fridge behind her. I decided not to say anything. They hadn’t yet been listed on the till and I did ask the price before ordering and was given an estimate, which transpired to be a fair chunk out, so this was a more expensive drink than I had anticipated.

    Being honest, I wasn’t entirely sold on the engagement here in terms of beer knowledge, but these are challenging times for pubs and perhaps they were short-staffed.

    And here is the drink that I wanted, the Raspberry White Chocolate Honeycomb Imperial Stout from Vault City Brewing, which was a rather beautiful beer. Although a stout, there was a sourness from it, with the various flavours each noticeable by taste in what was quite a complex beer. Rather lovely to have that white chocolate smoothness, the tartness of the raspberries and the touch of honeycomb. I lingered over this drink for over an hour, as it was one that could just be sipped for some time. I’ve also just realised I had listed it incorrectly on Untappd, as they have a similar sour version, which I’ve now corrected.

    The interior of the bar, which was all clean and organised, as well as being quite empty. It’s a large venue and there’s an interesting bit at the entrance which feels like a covered beer garden type area. So, everything was fine with the visit, but it was missing the level of engagement that I’d usually expect from Head of Steam. No negative issues though and marvellous that they’ve got such excellent beers in stock. A perfectly well deserved entry into the Good Beer Guide in my humble view. And a reminder that I need to try more beers from Vault City Brewing.

  • Birmingham – Cherry Red’s Cafe Bar

    Birmingham – Cherry Red’s Cafe Bar

    This is one of those locations that I probably wouldn’t have thought to visit for beer if it wasn’t listed in the Good Beer Guide, as it’s listed as a cafe bar. Looking through the reviews, they are nearly all positive, whether it’s customers wanting a breakfast, a coffee or a beer.

    The cask and keg options are listed on a board, which I didn’t initially notice (although it is quite obvious if I’m being honest). As at that point I hadn’t noticed the board, I asked a staff member what beers there were and they were keen to engage and offer samples. This is a place that’s put quite a bit of thought into their beer options and is proud to explain what they’ve got.

    The beer pumps, although unfortunately they’d just run out of the cherry sour from New Invention. They don’t have much space here, with a limited number of tables inside, but although perhaps a little cluttered in places, everything was clean and organised.

    I went for two half pints, one of the King Korvaks Lament from Fownes Brewing Company and one of the Steady Rolling Men from DEYA Brewing Company. Both were very nice beers and I can absolutely see why this cafe bar arrangement has ended up in the Good Beer Guide. I was initially sitting inside, but moved outside as it was just too hot. I usually try and avoid sitting outside, but there was a lovely breeze blowing up through Birmingham that I thought I’d take advantage of. The prices were also reasonable for the quality of the beers which were being offered.

    In addition to the beer, the cafe bar serves meals, cake and has a range of soft drinks, so there’s something of a continental feel to the whole arrangement. In addition to the visible cask and keg lines, they also have a relatively extensive list of bottles and cans which are in the fridges, so there’s plenty of choice. The staff were friendly, the location was clean and I was certainly not disappointed with this visit.

  • Wolverhampton – Hogshead

    Wolverhampton – Hogshead

    This is the Hogshead in Wolverhampton, a Good Beer Guide listed pub which is operated by Stonegate. I hadn’t realised incidentally just what a range of beers, craft and keg, that Hogshead offer, something I wouldn’t have known if it wasn’t for CAMRA.

    The building dates from the late nineteenth century and as can be seen in brickwork above the door, this used to be The Vine pub before it was rebranded.

    There was an interesting and bright pub interior which was across a few different levels and there was a pool table area as well. I wasn’t sure whether customers were meant to wait for table service or to order at the bar. I decided to order at the bar so I could see what was available and a staff member was there immediately to help, so all very efficient.

    The range of drinks, much better than I had anticipated and the prices were reasonable. I had expected a more generic range of lagers from this brand, so I was impressed at what they were offering, it’s not what I had associated with Hogshead.

    I went for half a pint of the Pump Up the Jam from Tiny Rebel and half a pint of Common Grounds from Magic Rock Brewing, both very good beers and well kept.

    The pub also offers a £10 ‘work from the pub’ offer which gives anyone a lunch, unlimited soft or hot drinks as well as access to wi-fi and power. It’s the first time though that I’ve seen an offer like this which is time constrained, in this case to 2.5 hours. That’s perhaps not ideal (although I accept isn’t ungenerous), as by the time someone has had lunch, there isn’t a huge amount of time left. Anyway, the concept is great and it’s something that’s becoming much more common and that can only be good for the pub industry at getting more people in. When I’ve experienced things such as Brewdog’s Desk Dog, there has been no time limit.

    There were plenty of staff visible and the environment was clean and comfortable. They had a lot of reserved seating, I think because of a quiz being held later on in the evening, which meant that there wasn’t much choice of seating available for walk-ins. There’s a comprehensive food menu and there are a few meal deals and the like on there, so it seemed reasonable value for money. I think they also show sports and the like as well when they’re on and the reviews the pub gets are mostly favourable. I can imagine that this pub gets busier with a younger crowd at weekends, probably quite a lively environment.

    I’m very pleased that this pub was listed in the Good Beer Guide given that it has changed my perception of the brand, although this one might not be typical. Friendly service, excellent range of drinks and a comfortable environment. All very lovely.

  • Wolverhampton – The Posada

    Wolverhampton – The Posada

    I had a little time in Wolverhampton before getting the tram back, so I decided to pop into the Good Beer Guide listed Posada. There was particular note about the heritage of the pub’s interior as well, which always adds to a visit.

    I struggled a little bit to see what beers were available as this is a pub that locals perch themselves at the bar and block the view. Given that the pub was otherwise nearly empty, this wasn’t ideal and I know that some people get intimidated by a set-up like this. Anyway, the service was polite at the bar and the environment was welcoming after getting over that first step. I have to say though that I didn’t get the community feel that I usually get in pubs, but I’m sure that everything was fine. I suspect that the pub also offered more drinks than I could see though, but it seems to have a choice of generic beers and two real ales.

    The quirky rear room and there’s more about the history of this pub at https://pubheritage.camra.org.uk/pubs/10111. It doesn’t take much imagination to picture this pub in the late nineteenth century and I’d say it’s worth coming in just to experience the interior. I think that there’s a beer garden out the back of the pub as well, but I didn’t venture that far.

    I liked this little alcove, so I went in here and it seems that this was once part of the corridor to the rear room. The pub certainly didn’t disappoint with its heritage and it was clean and tidy throughout. Every table had a number and a phone number on it, although I’m not sure what customers are supposed to do with that if they want table service. They can perhaps WhatsApp an order or maybe text an order, but I don’t know which.

    The prices were low, although I only ordered half a pint of HPA from Wye Valley Brewery and a packet of crisps, so I’m not sure that I contributed much to the pub’s profits. The beer was better than I had expected, well-kept and had a nice citrus edge to it. Definitely a decent entry to the Good Beer Guide and a pub interior of some considerable note.

  • Wednesbury – The Bellwether

    Wednesbury – The Bellwether

    Whilst meandering around the area, I noticed that this JD Wetherspoon outlet was listed in the Good Beer Guide, so I thought it sensible to pop in quickly. If I’m being honest the pub looked a complete dump when I entered it in terms of the cleanliness, although in all fairness, by the time I left the staff had cleaned it all so it looked much more presentable. The building has been used as a pub since the middle of the nineteenth century, when it was opened as the Bell Inn, but it closed in the late twentieth century before JD Wetherspoon renovated it.

    The real ale selection wasn’t hugely inspiring, there was only one to order really, the Backyard Blonde.

    And there it is, it’s from The Backyard Brewhouse in nearby Walsall, so credit to JD Wetherspoon for making an effort to purchase from local breweries. There was a slight citrus flavour, nothing exceptional, but still drinkable.

    I thought I’d get a quick snack whilst I was here, so here’s my standard southern fried chicken wrap option. The service was polite enough, nothing exactly to write home about, but nothing for me to comment negatively about either.

    And my go to drink when ordering the deli deal, this is the always reliable Brewdog Punk IPA.

    I didn’t experience any problems, although the reviews for the pub aren’t as high as they perhaps could be. Mostly about cleanliness, although I was impressed at how the staff had managed to let this be served…..

    As an aside, located opposite the pub is this former Gaumont cinema, built in 1938, which was meant to be being brought back into usage by the local independent chain Picturedrome Cinemas, but not much seems to have happened yet. Unfortunately, some irresponsible urban explorers have trashed the place over recent years and lots has been stolen, but apparently the renovation will still go ahead. An urban explorer report, which seems to have been from someone responsible, is at https://www.28dayslater.co.uk/threads/the-odeon-cinema-aka-gaumount-wednesbury-march-2014.88794/. I think it’s a different cinema, but there’s an interesting article on Wikipedia about the Wednesbury Unreasonableness.

    Anyway, all rather perfectly acceptable, although for a Good Beer Guide listed pub, the beer choice was a little weak.

  • Birmingham – Craven Arms

    Birmingham – Craven Arms

    I am very reliant on the Good Beer Guide to find me decent pubs in areas that I don’t know and this was another excellent suggestion from the book (or app in my case) in central Birmingham. As is evident from the above signage, this was once a Holders pub and the building dates from the mid-nineteenth century. It’s now operated by Black Country Ales who have a small chain of pubs, most of which are located in the Midlands.

    There’s a mixture of old and new in terms of the decoration, with a traditional feel to the pub’s interior, but with a wide range of different beers on. You could never really design a new pub to look like this with that wallpaper and carpet combination, but I like it in this building.

    Service was friendly, engaging and warm, with the beers clearly visible on the front bar. There were also monitors in the pub which showed what beers were available and I noticed a couple of other options that I would have liked. It’s always good in my view to leave a pub thinking that there was more to try, it encourages me to want to go back.

    I went for two of the pub’s staple beers from Black Country Ales, the Pig on the Wall on the left and the Fireside Bitter on the right. Both were well-kept, at the appropriate temperature and had some flavours of note to them. I accidentally ordered some Mini Cheddars to go with them, which I felt complemented the taste of the beers perfectly.

    The pub gets very good reviews on-line and most are along the theme of this being a hidden gem that it’s worth the walk from the city centre to get to. I thought that this was a well-run pub which I had expected to be a little busier, but these are challenging times. The service was friendly, the pub was spotlessly clean, the environment was relaxing and there were plenty of beers to choose from. All rather lovely and I’m very definitely pleased that this is in the Good Beer Guide.