Hull – Atom Brewing at the Corn Exchange

This charming and on-trend pub has gone through a few incarnations recently, but it’s looking good now, even though it’s apparently an Enterprise Inns pub.

The staff member was engaging and more than happy to guide me through the dark beer options, of which there were several interesting ones. I did notice a customer a few minutes later went up to the bar and looked entirely confused, before admitting to the staff member he didn’t know what to get. The response was professional, the staff member suggested a couple of options, gave samples of the beer and then the customer picked his favourite. All very reassuringly competent. There are also cans and bottles available for those customers who want an even wider choice than those chalked up on the blackboards above the bar.

There are a few different rooms within the pub, so there’s a choice of different seating types including high tables and these low sofas. It was all comfortable, clean and well presented. They weren’t serving food when I visited as there was some issue that I didn’t particularly listen to as I hadn’t intended to eat there. However, looking at the reviews, the food looks good and, like the whole operation, on-trend. There were though quite a lot of dogs (of the animal kind) around the pub, which are encouraged and welcomed, but which did have quite an impact visually and in the olfactorily sense, so it might not suit everyone.

The Lucky 6 Honey Porter from Northern Monk, a nicely sweet, but rich, porter which had a real depth to it. The prices here weren’t the cheapest, but quality doesn’t necessarily come cheap and this was a decent enough beer to justify the cost.

I liked it here, it was a relaxing and laid-back environment and the bar staff seemed in control of the whole pub. I was also delighted that three other customers after me asked for dark beers (although I was there for about an hour, there’s no point rushing these things), which just goes to show that we won’t always be stuck drinking bloody IPAs. The pub also produces its own beers, which I didn’t try, but again there looked like some tempting options.

All told, another very lovely pub in Hull, with a welcoming feel to it.