I wanted to visit a pub that wasn’t JD Wetherspoon operated, although the Three Magnets was very lovely, and with the only Good Beer Guide pub in the town closed, I went for Crafty’s Bottle Shop which felt like a reasonable compromise.
The list looks quite broad, but there were six beers that weren’t available. However, there were some interesting ones that were and it’s not a bad list. There is always a little moment of emotional recalibration when a venue has crossed-out beers, unavailable beers or beers that exist only in theory, but I am used to disappointment in licensed premises
When I went to order it later transpired that a customer at the bar and the member of bar staff had guessed what I’d ordered. They went for the Beaver Town Neck Oil so we were all annoyed when they discovered that’s what they thought I’d order. I’m not sure what it says about me that strangers looked at me and thought “Neck Oil”, but I shall try not to dwell on it.
Before I realised they had incorrectly pre-judged my order, I had ordered two half pints and this was the Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier, an agreeable gentle wheat beer with banana notes.
And the Broken Dream from Siren Craft Brew, which was verging on decadent as it was smooth with tastes of coffee and chocolate. A entirely agreeable beer.
It wasn’t the busiest of venues, but I like calm.
There was a decent selection of bar snacks though.
I rather got the impressions that this venue had been a little more craft beer orientated in the past with a wider range of keg and can options, but a few reviews have suggested that the management has changed. Either way, the service was friendly, the surroundings were clean and there were some interesting beers available at reasonable prices. It’s certainly worth popping in, well, for beer drinkers anyway.