Walking. Gossip. Travel.

Tag: Good Beer Guide

  • London – City of London – Old Bank of England Pub

    London – City of London – Old Bank of England Pub

    London is a strange place at the moment to establish when and where it will get busy. Usually when I’m walking down Fleet Street and this part of the city, pubs would be pretty packed out in the evening. I walked by this pub and thought it looked interesting, but also thought it might be one of those decadent food pubs who hardly wanted someone in there for a quick pint before their train home. But, whilst merrily walking by and already having pre-judged it, I checked CAMRA’s Whatpub and discovered that it was in the Good Beer Guide. So I walked back again, trying to not look like a confused tourist.

    I had guessed the bit about decadent correctly. However, it wasn’t a gastropub at all as I had thought it might be, although their pies are apparently pretty decent. The building was from 1888 until 1975 used by the Bank of England as their Law Courts and then it was for a while used by a building society, before it was used for a much better purpose, as a pub. The building once had gold bullion in its cellars and the Wikipedia page for the building notes that it might have held the Crown Jewels for a time.

    Going back to the pies that I just made reference to, the pub themselves mention that it’s located between where Sweeney Todd and Mrs Lovett operated (or allegedly operated since it’s likely entirely made up), noting:

    “It was in the tunnels and vaults below the present building that his victims were butchered before being cooked and sold in the pies to Mrs Lovett’s unsuspecting customers”.

    What a lovely selling point for the pies today…..

    The service was professional and efficient, although it seemed slightly over-staffed, so maybe they had been expecting more customers. It got a little bit busier during my visit, but nothing that was going to be a challenge for the staff to cope with in terms of the numbers.

    It’s a pub run by McMullen brewery, so it had their beers in, which is fair enough for their perspective, but gives less incentive for me to return to try something new.

    Slightly mispoured, but by no great margin as I think this was a lined glass, but the beer range was slightly less riveting. I had half a pint of the AK and half a pint of the Country, which were both well kept and tasted fine, but they were perhaps just a bit routine. The Country had some interesting flavours, not least being biscuity as promised, and I like that clean taste. The prices were actually quite moderate (and looking through the food menu, they were reasonable too given the location), fortunately not matching the decadent surroundings.

    One unfortunate omission is a photograph of the double decker bus that they’ve managed to move into their beer garden. I was going to take a photo from the beer garden after leaving the pub, but it transpired you now need to go through the pub, and I decided against meandering around the building again looking for it. But it’s worth Googling this double decker bus they’ve managed to position into their central London location.

    All in all, I’m pleased I popped into here before my train back to sunny Norwich, certainly a memorable interior and the staff were friendly. Maybe I’ll come back for one of their pies at some point…..

  • London – Wandsworth (Borough of) – By The Horns Brewery Tap

    London – Wandsworth (Borough of) – By The Horns Brewery Tap

    I’m slowly, but very surely, working my way around London’s breweries and this one in between Tooting and Wimbledon is also listed in the Good Beer Guide (which I’m also working my way around). So, yesterday I made a booking on-line for today, and then was on course to arrive half an hour early so went to sit in a nearby graveyard to wait. Incidentally, I liked that it let me make a booking for one person, I inwardly tut when I see somewhere only allows bookings for two or more people.

    There was a friendly welcome from the staff member, who explained the ordering process which was done on-line using a QR code. It clearly wasn’t entirely packed with customers as the staff member knew my name when I said I had a reservation, but I’m always happy that I’m in the right place. The ordering system was all efficient and easy to use, and the environment was comfortable. It’s not the largest indoors space, but there are several tables and the outdoor area gives them more flexibility on numbers.

    I was given the chance to move my reservation outside into the hot external seating area, like everyone else seemed to be doing during my visit, but I was quite content inside in the cold. I’ve had enough of London’s heatwave…. I’d actually had enough of the heatwave yesterday about ten minutes after it started, but I digress…. The cricket was also showing on the television and the staff member mentioned I could turn the volume up if I wanted. I didn’t, but I liked the engagement and I also liked the ready supply of power points dotted around.

    There’s an in-house pizza oven and the taproom surroundings are industrial and what I consider to be on-trend and exciting.

    The reasonably priced pizza menu is visible in the above photo (click the image to enlarge it).

    The brewery’s web-site seemed to focus on IPAs, but I noticed they had two darker options available and so I went for half a pint of each. The Lambeth Walk is a porter made by the brewery and it had a pleasant taste with an aftertaste of chocolate and coffee, although it wasn’t quite as rich a flavour as I had expected. A nice beer though and it tasted well-kept (it should since they made it here so it’s hardly gone far) and was at the appropriate temperature. I don’t like porters that are served at some point near freezing, although I might have forgiven that today given the heat. Anyway, it was all perfectly served.

    I wasn’t quite sure what to make of the Deep Funk which is also made here, it’s what they call a farmhouse stout (is that a thing?) and it’s a rye kettle soured stout mixed with a graf, which is effectively a beer cider (I had to Google that). I wasn’t sure whether I was ordering an artisan craft product or an expensive snakebite, but either way, I liked it. A complex taste, or as much as beer and cider mixed together can be, and there were some interesting flavours going on. The mixture of sourness and sharpness worked for me, although I’m struggling to put that effectively into words. It’s not hugely well rated in reviews, but it’s something different and I like trying new concepts.

    Anyway, I liked this brewery and the taproom set-up, it was a relaxed environment and the staff were friendly and everything was organised. There’s usually a wider beer range I understand, but I was entirely satisfied with what they had. I’ve mentioned already that the whole look is quite on-trend, but I don’t think they’ve tried to create that deliberately, it’s just a by-product of friends interested in making craft beer. All really rather lovely.

  • Southwold – Lord Nelson

    Southwold – Lord Nelson

    I wanted to visit the Lord Nelson in Southwold as it’s the only pub in the town which is listed in the Good Beer Guide. I had half suspected a queue, as it was around 12:15, but I loitered outside the pub and a staff member came to welcome me in. For the first time, my phone really didn’t like the QR code for the NHS login, and despite some considerable efforts on my behalf to get it to work, we resorted to pen and paper in the end. I then nearly broke the hand sanitiser as it was a bit complex, so I concluded the pub must be used to more decadent and intellectual guests.

    The drinks menu, inevitably biased towards Adnams as they own the pub and their brewery is around the corner. The service was all timely and friendly, with the order taken at the table and there was an option to set up a tab.

    There are only six tables outside in the pub’s beer garden and I managed to get the second, meaning that there were four free. I decided, to be fair to the pub, that I’d leave when the tables all got filled, as they all seated four people and the pub might lose four lunches if I blocked their table. I liked that they never rushed me, never made me feel unwelcome and it all worked out perfectly timewise. I left after around 45 minutes and a couple tried to get a table for food just as I left, so everyone was a winner there.

    The Blackshore Stout from Adnams, which I rate reasonably highly as it’s creamy and chocolatey. And, just so Nathan is pleased, it was served at the appropriate slightly chilled temperature.

    The pub is well reviewed and the pricing is a little towards the higher end for food, but nothing dramatic. As Basil Fawlty says, “you’re a bit stuck if you don’t like Adnams” (well, he said duck, but Adnams fits better here) on the beer front, but there was a range of different styles of beer and cider. It’s got a bit of atmosphere to it, even when empty, and the service was all sufficiently engaging. Quite a decent place, and certainly not a bad recommendation from the Good Beer Guide.

  • Good Beer Guide 2021

    Good Beer Guide 2021

    To my great delight, the Good Beer Guide 2021 edition is out and the app has updated, so I can see which of my favourite pubs have made a reappearance. My delight is mostly reserved to see that the brilliant Hop and Vine is back in, although I’d have refused to have acknowledged that the book even existed if it hadn’t…..

    Anyway, the new copy is available at https://amzn.to/3e6eoCB.

  • Good Beer Guide 2020 or the Good Pub Guide 2020?

    Since I’ve been asked about this….

    There are two books published every year which both recommend pubs which should be visited, the Good Beer Guide and the Good Pub Guide.

    I’ve had a browse through the Good Pub Guide and, although I appreciate everyone has different views, there are some really surprising and generic choices in there. Without denigrating any particular location, there are some listed pubs which are bland and lacking in any depth of beer options. And very many interesting pubs in areas that I know, which have a really good atmosphere, excellent craft beer choice, innovative real ale and engaging staff are all missed out.

    The Good Pub Guide also claims it’s independent, which I don’t deny, but then takes advertising from breweries and pubs. And then, the book admits, “the pubs featured as main entries do pay a fee”. So, for me, it’s meaningless, however well intentioned that is. They then claim that they’re “the only truly independent guide of its kind”, but I’m not sure how the Good Beer Guide is somehow in hock to anyone.

    The Good Pub Guide seems to really focus on mid to high end pubs which serve food, with few exceptions. If it was rebranded as the good pub food guide, then it might perhaps make more sense. But how they’ve managed to miss nearly every micro-pub, community pub, craft beer pub and quirky pub is surprising for a guide that has been published for so long. In some relatively large towns and even some cities, the Good Pub Guide has nothing to offer at all. The emphasis on country pubs is heavy, and there are a few areas which seem to have several pubs all clustered near together which doesn’t fit right with me.

    Whereas, the Good Beer Guide has rarely failed to let me down, indeed, not one choice has ever felt inappropriate. And some pubs in there have been real finds, with some fantastic craft beer and real ales, but also historic buildings and perhaps most importantly of all, a great atmosphere and service. The Good Beer Guide is up-to-date, they don’t sneer at pubs that might be cheaper and I like their often humorously pithy comments and summaries of the locations they’ve recommended. Indeed, the Good Pub Guide gives similar space to every entry, without really sometimes having much to say, whereas the Good Beer Guide does feel that it speaks its mind.

    By a country mile, I’d recommend the Good Beer Guide for anyone who wants pubs with character.

  • Hull – CAMRA Good Beer Guide Pubs

    Hull – CAMRA Good Beer Guide Pubs

    There are fourteen pubs in Hull which are listed in the 2020 Good Beer Guide, which is my go to guide for exploring pubs in a new town or city. I didn’t reach all of them unfortunately during my visit to Hull, but I did get to some of them and I’ve linked to those below. My favourite was the Hop and Vine…..

    Admiral of the Humber

    Chilli Devils

    Furley & Co

    George Hotel

    Head of Steam

    Hop and Vine

    Larkins (didn’t visit)

    Minerva

    Pave (didn’t visit)

    St. Johns (didn’t visit)

    Three John Scotts

    Whalebone (didn’t visit)

    White Hart (didn’t visit)

    Ye Olde White Harte