please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
A good pub with lots of areas for privacy. Welcome rather disappointingly gruff. I agree with previous posters about the lack of choice re the range/styles that Hop Back produce and sad to see their Entire stout or mid-brown Fuggle Stone not on the pumps. Still, as a pale beer lover, it was good try the range back-to-back all the same. Favourites of the night were Citra and Taiphoon.
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Having for many years hoped to make a trip to this place having espied it from the car, it proved o be no disappointment. It’s where Hopback began and the full range is present and correct including the Winter Lightning which, contrary to expectation, is actually light of hue. A dog, Bundle, sat contendedly drying off in the fire on a very wet day.
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"Step into my house", you might think as you go in the door, it's just like a house that's been turned into a pub. A complete selection of Hop Back beers served in a friendly atmosphere. Could have stayed all night, but had to go and eat. We did come back again later for more. Lightning and GBF, both very good and £2.55 each.
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Yes we too were disappointed the Entire Stout wasn't on but the new(?) was a delight. We've been coming here since they first bought the pub and the brewing equipment was being installed in the cellar. No visit of ours to Salisbury would be complete without a beer at the Wyndham. Another pub that could do with a cheese roll or similar to keep us longer.
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Great atmosphere (we called in on what was obviously a locals quiz night) and quality beer. It's possibly a little churlish to say that it was a choice of golden ales or golden ales as the Entire Stout wasn't on.
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Wide selection of ales (but all Hopback ofcourse) great price, friendly and comfortable - only down side served at CAMRA temperature i.e. too warm on hot sunny days. Great pub though.
odbod - 21 Aug 2013 15:50 |
Visited with three friends on a Saturday night. I partook of two pints of the Entire Stout and very nice it was too. Quite busy, mainly a young crowd, but no problem for us four older ones to sit at a table.
A couple of us had the Summer Lightning, which was also rated highly.
Definitely worth the few minutes walk from the main part of the city centre.
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The Wyndham marked something of a pilgrimage for me, it being the home of Hop Back, the same brewery that runs my local in Reading, The Hop Leaf.
I, as well as my girlfriend and parents, who joined me on the short walk out of Salisbury city centre, were not disappointed in the slightest.
All the usual suspects were on, as well as a couple of less readily available draught beers, such as Taiphoon. I went for the Summer Lightning, based on Simon_Whey's comments below, and I have to agree; this came gushing out of the pump at a notch above the usual, dancing on my tongue and going down easier than an orange squash on a midsummer's day, etc, etc..
If it wasn't for the table that we'd booked in town, I'd have happily settled in for more than the two we had. A gem.
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Cheap!
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Still the mecca of Summer Lightning for me. Consistently high quality (and I've been visiting the Wyndham for over 10 years).
Isn't it curious that Summer Lightning never tastes as good elsewhere, even in other Salisbury pubs.
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The home of Hopback. Surprisingly low key, very much a locals pub but friendly enough and blissfully unmessed around with by designers. I visited with local friends over the Jubilee weekend. The Hopback Taiphoon is a fantastic beer and kept em going on the 40 minute walk back across Salisbury. Lovely to see families playing board game sin the other room (we sat in the snug).
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Pub prices have gone up a little since my last visit (Summer Lightning �2.90 pint I think) but still very reasonable for Salisbury. Huge selection of Hopback beers, always in good condition. Reccomended.
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I renewed my aquaintance with this pub last weeked and I'm pleased to say the intervening 11 years since I last went have seen no changes at all! Full marks all round, cant think of any way in which this pub could be better. Go there, its a gem!
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Pretty quiet yesterday afternoon. Usual selection of Hop Back beers with prices from �2.45. As you'd expect, the quality was excellent.
Doesn't open until 1630 Monday - Wednesday, other days all hours from noon.
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Absolutely heaving when I went there one Friday night a few weeks ago, but you have to say that it was friendly and clearly deserved its popularity.
One slight gripe - the pub stocks a large range of Hop Back beers but every one was the colour of Budweiser. Now, I have a great deal of respect for Hop Back as a company, but personally I have a preference for something a bit darker. I assume Hop Back brew darker ales, so wouldn't it be nice if this pub stocked one.
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This pub was the original home of the Hopback Brewery, a fact noted by the carved head of Bacchus hanging over the entrance. It's a long narrow pub, with a sort of room at the front, separated from the main body of the pub by a chimney, and another little drinking area off to the right.
Six pumps dispense a range of Hopback beers including Taiphoon, Rye Tangle and Ginger Stout. My pints of GFB and Summer Lightning were excellent.
Sitting by a warming fire I could have spent a little longer in here. For me this was the best pub I visited on this trip. I will return.
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A proper boozer! A wonderful find, pity I bought a house over a mile away.
Superb beers from Hopback (one of the countries most successful brewers - take note wolvesfan) , friendly welcoming staff and incredibly good prices for Salisbury .(GFB bitter �2.30 as opposed to �3.20 around the corner at The Royal George!)
Small, multiroomed old fashioned pub with friendly locals and superb beer.
Wish it was close enough to be our local.
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TonyAle......Ouch!!!! Hit a raw nerve there then!!!!! lol. But yes, my opinion is Wyndham Arms + Hop Back beers = Crap!!! Your quite right,....not my cup of tea. Over hyped dross... Except Spring Zing!! A mildly exceptable ale my man!!!
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Well Wolvesfan I am a CAMRA member but I have neither a beard or a pair of sandals. I love Hopback ales and the Wyndham Arms.Each to his own eh?
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I've tried Hop Back beers and I've tried the Wyndham arms, neither one does it for me I'm afraid. Long, narrow and totally uninspiring pub. Actually it still resembles the house it probably originally was. The Wyndham Arms is over rated, just like Hop Back. That little remark is sure to get the bearded, sandal brigade going (that's the CAMRA members, if you don't get who I mean!!)
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Bah Humbug! Mumble . . . mumble
classic
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Bloody place is never open when I'm in Salisbury!
Bah Humbug! Mumble . . . mumble.
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Absolutely impeccable establishment. Had been her years ago and remembered it to be good but not as good as this. Full range of Hopback brews available. And at around �2.25 a pint its no wonder the place was healthily patronised,however I'd gladly pay a lot more!!! Loads of both native and continental bottles in the fridge,and the Entire Stout was on keg to nourish the drinkers of the inferior mass produced black liquids.
Very pleasant and welcoming barmen. Spotlessly clean and polished. The pub not the barmen....
Reminded me SO much of the Glue Pot in Swindon a few years back,but that's a different well discussed matter......
Well well done.
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Just what a pub should be - great beer and friendly staff. There's something like four separate areas, so you can feel part of the pub or keep yourself-to-yourself.
It was all Hopback beers during my visit - GFB, Summer Lightning, Spring Zing, Typhoon and Crop Circle. The Typhoon was the best, and all were reasonably priced. Interestingly enough, the Entire Stout, which is popular in their South London pub, the Sultan, was on a keg - not popular enough in Salisbury for a cask.
For those who've also been to the Sultan, it's hard to know which is best. Both have the same atmosphere and great beer. The Wyndham Arms is perhaps a tad smarter. But they are both homely and highly recommended.
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Thanks for the clarification andrewh! Nothing like bending a few rules to keep everyone happy.
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RogerB was confused about the cricket score?
The match was the annual "Pork Pie Cup" that was traditionally played between the Wyndham Arms and the local CAMRA branch but which went into abeyance when the latters active cricket playing membership declined below eleven. In 2008 the match was revived with the pub playing a mixture of old and new CAMRA members and their friends. As so many turned up we were able to have teams of thirteen instead of the usual eleven. The Wyndham scored 113 for 11 wickets but lost the match. This seasons match resulted in a tie of 106 runs each!.
I'm glad Roger enjoyed his tour of Salisbury (13 pubs?) and will visit us again soon.
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From 1986-92, the Wyndham Arms was the site of the Hop Back Brewery which moved to nearby Downton when demand became too much for the pub. A large sign is built into the side of the exterior wall commemorating its origins. As previous reviewers have mentioned, the place does have a homely feel to it both inside and out. Situated on the corner of a series of terraced houses, it blends in with its neighbours and inside it still feels like someone should be sitting down with their dinner and watching Coronation Street. The small front room has a few settles and a brick fireplace whilst the main bar is a bit more spacious with a dart board and TV. Opposite the main bar is another small and fairly plain room tucked away. The general d�cor is pretty ordinary but the mix of old pictures, brewery mirrors, posters, maps and art for sale does draw the attention. The centrepiece of the pub is of course the superb selection of Hop Back beers. There were 5 on my visit (GFB, Summer Lightning, Spring Zing, Bramling Cross and Crop Circle) with 1 pump being unused. Prices were amongst the best we came across in town (a pint of Bramling Cross & half a Stowfiord Press was �3.75) and there is a special offer on Mondays when all ales are �2.10. It was pretty quiet on my Saturday afternoon visit but it was easily a place I could spend an evening. If you are planning a trip, check the opening times as they do not appear to open weekday lunchtimes. Certainly a must visit pub for Ale lovers and also worth sneaking a pint in at the nearby Winchester Gate. One last thing that left us a bit baffled (although we were well into our crawl by the time we hit the Wyndham)�the cricket score of 113 for 11, what is that all about?
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This is my pub of choice in Salisbury.
First class beer, welcoming and quaint.
The perfect town pub.
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Unusual pub set on the old London Road - feels just like you're walking into the hallway of a house, with stairs up to toilets where the bedrooms would normally be, and bar in the 'dining room' cum 'sitting room'. Very much a beer drinkers' paradise, the only food apparently being filled rolls.
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Always a great pub to spend a bit of time in. Basic decor but superb beers and a great place for conversation. Usefully, they sell take out containers so you can enjoy more Hop Back beer in the warmth and comfort of a South West Train.
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It feels like you're sitting in someone's living room, but that only adds to the enjoyment when the beer's this good. Great crisps too!
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Hop Back owned pub offering 5 on Sat, Summer Lightning, GFB, Crop Circle, Spring Zing, and Downton Forest King. Small front room beyond which is a narrow area with bar on left opening back out to seating area at far end with tv, prepping up for the afternoon rugby, below which is sited the somewhat inaccessible dartboard, my scribblings say there was another room to the right opposite the bar. Friendly enough welcome, the locals here were clustered at the bar itself and, with that choice, why not? Not a hugely characterful building, but good beer & folk.
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A typical Hop Back pub, so it instantly acquires a high rating. A near full range, a seasonal plus a couple of guests, all in excellent condition. Local clientelle who just sit there and let you get on with the business of drinking. Highly recommended!
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Perfect pub and superb beer. Would be even better if they had Entire Stout on draught(they have all the other Hopback beers, so why not this one?)
anonymous - 28 Oct 2007 16:33 |
Good ale house serving the full range of Hop Back beers, in clean comfortable surroundings. It feels like you are drinking in somebody's living room and in fact the journey upstairs to the gents had me wondering if I had inadvertently somehow wandered into an adjoining house. Football on the tv yesterday but it was not overpowering. Definitely worthy of a return visit.
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Hard to fault this pub since I am a fan of Hop Back beers - especially Summer Lightning. But my wife didn't find it hugely welcoming. And it was smokey, even in the non-smoking room at the front. After an (unusually) average Summer Lightning I tried the Dragon's Breath (contains chilli) which was superb.
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I've lived all round the country and I can honestly say this is the best pub I've been in. There is always a good selection of beer on tap which is perfectly kept by the landlord.
There ai an eclectic mix of customers including the brewery's MD, head brewer and sales manager. Great place to wind down and wind people up (nicely though!)
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The Holy Grail for Hop Back lovers. The entire range is served in tip top condition in this lively bustling Pub
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I really liked this pub, and I like Hop Back beers anyway so I was spoilt for choice with a range of five or six to choose from - needless to say it was served in peak condition. The building is probably just over 100 years old, it was clearly built as a house and has been converted with many of the interior walls remaining. This creates lots of cosy corners, although I would imagine it feels a bit cramped and difficult to move around when busy - not many spaces for people to stand without getting in everyone else's way when all the seats are taken.
I'm reliably informed that Phil Harding was present during my visit, as suggested below!
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I was put off this place - My wife & I were standing at the bar being served and 3 women just walked in and stood in front of us - no 'excuse me' or anything - and started chatting to the man next to us. Despite what other people have said, I didn't think the place was particularly friendly - and I don't much care for Hop Back beers either. These pale straw coloured beers which they seem to specialise in always seem to to me to be a bit lacking in character.
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Spent a weekend in Salisbury this summer and most of that weekend was spent in this pub.Friendly staff and customers with the added bonus of having the full Hopback range on tap.Summer Lightning must be one of the finest beers ever brewed.
Will return to Salisbury again as apparently there is a cathedral there as well!!
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A first-rate Victorian traditional street-corner local. Larger inside than it looks from the outside. The interior is clean and comfortable. It is the main outlet for the Hop Back brewery. The beer is always in good condition and the pub is a regular in the Good Beer Guide. There are a handful of very good pubs in Salisbury but this is perhaps the best.
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Superb pub. Very friendly atmosphere, you can tell it's a good pub by how popular it is on Friday night! Plus the beer is stunning, I'm a big fan of the Hopback brewery, and it's all here. I believe that it is Phil Harding's (of Time Team fame) local!
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Nice staff very friendly and fab ale (according to my dad and husband!). Lovely old fashioned "proper pub".
Alexandra - 22 Jul 2004 13:20 |
Fine ales, good service working in a crowded environment. It was totally worth the walk across town & the stumble back. (I was never impressed by Hopback's products, but at the Wyndham, since they have move more product, the brewery's ales shone. Of course, now I'm spoilt, and won't want to drink them anywhere else.)
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They do a fantastic beer festival twice a year. They have sell barrells, quad and other measures of top tipplies like Summer Lightning. A great quiz on Tuesdays. Top pub
George - 18 Mar 2004 19:32 |
Excellent beer, a great crowd
Eric - 14 Jul 2003 14:55 |
Hop Back beers rule. Try the GFB first then the Summer Lightning. 2 of Britains best.
Simonf - 11 Jun 2003 17:25 |
THE BEST beer in the South - Summer Lightning, brewed at it's own brewery (now in Downton but years ago onsite in the pub!) The Hopback Brewery. All this from a non-ale drinker, it's got to be good!! If you give 24hrs notice you can buy barrels to take away.
Caroline - 15 Apr 2003 13:59 |
