BITE user comments - Martin_R
Comments by Martin_R
Deservedly in the "Guide" 10 ales on and a nice warm fire on a cold March Saturday! Plenty of competition nearby but stands up well!.
14 May 2008 14:15
Top notch ale - although if you order one of the Gravity served ales your server may have to disappear for a while!! Can get busy - but hey that's a sign that they are doing it right! Food looked quality too although did not sample it myself. Usually local brewers are well represented (Milton, City of Cambridge..and some of the Miltons are strong stuff!) and it is in Cambridges "Purple Patch" for Real Ale pubs if you want to make a crawl of it.
14 May 2008 14:12
The Duke of Connaught, Norwich
Don't judge a book by it's cover. A tired exterior gives way to a fresh interior, artificial flowers on the tables and a surprisingly light, airy atmosphere. As it is effectively the Winter's Brewery Tap the beers are lovingly dispensed...and you can drink it in peace with unobtrusive 60's music in the background! Won't suit trendies, and status seekers will not want to be seen heading indoors but mere mortals will enjoy a traditional supping zone!
14 May 2008 14:05
Always more than 24 real ales on at a time when I've visited...and their beers of the world selection is great for non-beardies. Given they know how to serve ale you know that the pint in your hand has been given the best chance to shine that it is going to get outside its natural home!! Always been able to strike up an interesting converrsation in here too (so that is why the missus loves it!). So...Good Beer, Good service, Good Conversation - make this a must see on your next trip to "Norwich - A Fine City"
14 May 2008 13:59
Varied Ales, Lovely atmosphere, friendly staff, good food. Excellent place to have a few jars!
14 May 2008 13:46
Wasn't a guest beer on when I went so tried a local "trick" - A half and half mix of IPA and Abbot -was surprised that this was an improvement on both!..but I am guessing that is because they were well kept versions of these ales in any case. A GK house with no guests is never going to be top of my hit list but pleaseant enough for a few quiet ones.
12 May 2008 14:22
Good Food, Magic own brewed Ales - superb views.
Heaven.
12 May 2008 14:17
Should just add that some of the conversation with the Landlord was about the Pubs history - and therefore I understand both Mr Smith's reference to it as old world and trainmans view of it as New-buiild functional". There has been an extensive, but sensitively done refit as the place changed hands. The prior version was a largely unchanged-for-years, nicotine stained, nearly all-male drinking establishment whilst the new incarnation has opened up the likely clientele but still nods at the tradition of stillage-served 4-barrel choice of ales...of which Mighty Oak Maldon Gold and Courage Best are staples.
12 May 2008 14:13
A real drinkers pub, excellent conversation with the Landlord and a superb drop of Dark Star Hophead. The Missus was well disappointed about being the designated driver - but she was happy enough being engaged in conversation and admiring the two dogs to suffer her diet cokes!
12 May 2008 14:04
Lovely little pub with friendly staff. Having regularly had all the beers from the Fullers stable I stuck to the guests - Sharps Eden Pure Ale and Beartown Gold. Very well kept/served and both lovely drops to boot. Heartily recommended if you are round this way.
12 May 2008 14:01
The Old Cross Tavern, Hertford
Had a couple of very well kept pints in here. Was an airy, comfortable place to while away the time on a hot afternoon. Am considering working out a way to get there (without a car) for their Beer Festival at the end of May.
12 May 2008 13:58
Deuchars and Timothy Taylors in excellent condition when I was there last - always a good atmosphere and a lovely garden in summer. A must if you are Hanwell way.
26 Jul 2005 18:44
Third pub in a recent crawl - outstanding for the variety and condition of the real ales. Keen to promote BBQ and Music festivals too. Pleasant garden out back. Back street location - why is this pub not in North Wembley instead???!!
26 Jul 2005 18:40
First pub on a recent crawl The full range of Fullers brews was available - including Discovery and Summer Hog. Good food and a pleasant beer garden. Struggled with the early rush (not enough staff)....but settled down well.
26 Jul 2005 18:36
The Grand Junction Arms, Harlesden
Hmm, Halfway between Harlesden and Park Royal and it's on this site as a Willesden pub - a bit strange! Now to business...having seen this Young's pub on my route to and from the Central Middlesex hospital an unexpected call back to the hospital proved that you can't pass a Young's pub 4 times without going in! 4 o'clock on a Tuesday afternoon is a quiet time for most pubs and this was no exception. Got to have a long chat with the soon to be married landlady. Clearly knows her clientele but whilst pandering to the largely lager drinking brigade is keen to serve the Young's ale in the best possible light - 4 beautifully presented clear pints of Special with just the right bitter aftertaste were a testament to that. Didn't get to try the regular bitter - the Special was too good to switch! The pub makes an effort to use the spacious back bar and huge "towpath" garden by staging local tribute bands and holding bi-weekly barbeques/parties. The landlady/landlord partnership have clearly got their heads screwed on and are ambitious for a Young's flagship pub out west - I hope they get it as they certainly have paid attention to the variety of offerings that will satisfy their clientele. The fact that they intend to hold their own wedding reception at the venue is testament to the fact that the pub is well equipped in the right departments. Apparently a refurbishment is planned (certainly the toilets require a "refresh") but I hope the distinctive nature of each bar is maintained and the welcoming feel to the front bar continues.
26 Jul 2005 18:30
Having ignored this pub for several years purely irrationally - because the Landlord was a Bristol City Fan ! I was prepared to give it a go since this site announced a change of ownership. All I can say is that if you are a bitter drinker avoid the place like the plague. When it is fully stocked the Handpump beers are Websters and Tetleys - characterless offerings at best. However, when I frequented the bar only one handpump clip was facing the public and within one- and a half pulls it was clear this was a mistake. A pub that is not able to start the evening with even one of it's flagship ales on offer deserves no rating at all. If it was not for the personable barmaid they would have got 0/10 but they get 1 for the apology. This pub caters to those who like tasteless pap - just because it is near the station does not mean you should drink there!. It is one of the closest pubs to my home - and at the moment it is the furthest away from my thoughts in terms of a place I would frequent to drink in.
26 Jul 2005 18:11
Went here the day before a game - so it was not as busy as match days. Food was good and the Beers were excellent - Tap is a very drinkable session ale!
19 May 2005 17:06
Went here in Autumn 04 on a self-made crawl. Excellent Beer and very friendly staff. Hadn't got through their entire range by closing time but the barman wouldn't let me go without trying the best one I had not had - so got a free generous measure of the Adnams Hopleaf...a delight. Can't praise the place highly enough - wish I'd been around longer to try out the food!
19 May 2005 17:01
Have been to York several times (occasionally for the history, more often for the football - shame they are not in the League at the moment). Every time I've been up there I've paid this pub a visit - Black Sheep always a good shout other real ales pretty good too. Not the largest of pubs so can get crowded if there's a lot of beer-know-it-alls about!!!
16 May 2005 00:23
This pub is a regular once a month visit - as the London based Bristol Rovers fans use it to meet up. The Greene King IPA and Abbot are always in good nick.
Bar Staff are always friendly too. Had the food a couple of times at Christmas - they always do us proud.
14 May 2005 22:59
The Sherlock Holmes, Charing Cross
I have had a few very well kept pints of Speckled Hen in here whilst the Adnams and the Sherlock Holmes own (are you Adnams in disguise ?) were passable. Seems to be on the tourist route as occasionally a coachload will appear to fill it up for an hour or two - but it's better to catch this pub late at night - when there's lass of a crush at the bar and you can breathe in without catching a lungful of smoke.
14 May 2005 22:55
The Ship and Shovell, Charing Cross
If I'm in sore need of Tanglefoot or King & Barnes Sussex I usually end up here - where I know they serve good beer - have taken quite a few friends to it - who get a kick out of the pub being split across the passage. If I'm organising a crawl this pub normally gets on it!
14 May 2005 22:51
Had a few lovely pints of Harvey's in here. Always welcoming and usually pretty busy!
14 May 2005 22:48
This is one of the nearest pubs to me - I've known it successively as The Hop Bine, The Dog and Duck, The Chequered Flag and now Bootsy Brogan's. The Live Music area has been known as "The Flag" and "The Shoe Box" previously. My friends blues band (The Fabulous Rhythm & Blues Review) and my School's re-union for 40 year olds (Wembley High) have both had this place as a venue. Last time I went in to the Main bar we found that the Landlord/Barman was a Bristol City fan..not a big draw to three Bristol Rovers fans!! However, if it is under new management I might check it out again - after all it is one of the few pubs I can walk home from comfortably - that has not been turned into housing for the elderly!!!
14 May 2005 22:43
The Magpie and Crown, Brentford
This pub was scheduled as the first pub on a "bus-pass" pub crawl run by a few mates in 2004. I could not make it until pub 3 on the crawl but everyone said it was the best pub on the crawl..so when a Real Ale mate from Southampton came up for the May bank holiday weekend I thought I'd give it the once over.
Unobtrusive music in the background was Genesis: Selling England By The Pound (a good start in my book). Chalkboard listed the currently available Real Ales, Ciders, etc and their ABV and advised over 1,000 Real Ales had been served at the pub since they were keeping records (exceptional). The Pint of Shefford Old Dark was in excellent condition, my mate went for the summer ale (Barnsley Umpire's Finger) and he stayed on it all night. I switched to a Titanic Ale after the first S.O.D. but this suffered from having subtler flavours than the first beer and it was not until I'd nearly drained my glass that it impressed at all...so back on the S.O.D. until closing time when I had a finger too - judging that if it was a quick drinking up time I could polish it off quickly - however, no problems there - we were all allowed to finish our business in our own time.
The pub itself has a local feel (my mate reckoned it was the best pub I'd ever taken him to in the Smoke). The comfortable surroundings certainly will attract people not wishing to suffer the gaudy and loud that is so prevalent in other pubs...of course it attracts CAMRA members too - there were a couple on the next table to me with their good beer guides and marking down their opinions in their notebooks. Did not see any "Pikey" women, but to be honest this pub is not likely to attract that many women - unless they are seriously into either beer or pub games! There were only two women in the pub that Sunday - a striking looking woman with black hair and a young lass with her boyfriend who was on the shorts! (in a Real Ale Pub!!). The policy about returning glasses is quite clearly displayed (although as it was not a busy night I guess there was no danger of being served in the dreaded plastic receptacles!). Overall a very good "local" pub experience and although it is a bit too far from Wembley to make a regular haunt (considering I'd hardly be driving with what's on offer behind the bar!), I would certainly visit the place again.
11 May 2005 16:09
The Blue Bell, Maxey
Had a lovely couple of hours at this pub early evening April 21 2011. Sampled 4 of the 7 real ales on offer: Abbeydale Absolution, Bateman's Salem Porter, Oakham Bishop's Farewell and the current national champion Castle Rock Harvest Pale - all four were in superb form,,,the Abbeydale - a regularly kept northern ale in a southern pub is obviously a speciality and deserving of a special mention - it was just right to accompany the strong sun and hearty birdsong in a "chocolate box" setting of a village. Geniune locals pub as everyone greeted everyone else as old friends and drinking buddies - it is nevertheless a super place for "outsiders" such as ourselves to quench their thirst and watch the world go by! If I am in North Cambs again this is definitely on my hitlist.
23 Apr 2011 13:08