Shire horse, Ketteringback to pub details please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
The Shire Horse was my final stop in Northamptonshire and was a real wild card. It hasn't been in the Good Beer Guide since 2010 and I wasn't sure what to expect. But it's under new ownership and has an impressive row of 15 handpulls. Not all are occupied by ales. Some were unclipped and ciders were included along the length of the bar too. But the selection was Wychwood Hobgoblin & Hobgoblin Gold, Brakspear Oxford Gold, Thwaite's Wainwright, Marston's EPA, Thornbridge Wild Swan, St Austell Tribute, Old England King George III & J Church Gold Testament. Ciders were Lilley's Mango Cider & Lemon & Lime Cider & Lyme Bay Jack Ratt Scrumpy & Jack Ratt Vintage Dry. There was a lively atmosphere here and a band was setting up. Most people seemed to know one another and there were kids too. The interior is fairly spartan. But there is also a garden at the rear. Well deserved 8/10 from me and one to watch.
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To begin I was tentative about entering this pub as the exterior is not welcoming, I also felt rather intimidated upon entering as the locals were crowded around the bar and pool table. These fears soon subsided however, as I received a warm welcome from locals and friendly service from the young barman. I opted for the Burton Ale, and must say I was very impressed, excellent quality and presentation and at �2.60 not over priced. I had only planned to stay for one, but the atmosphere and beer quality led me to indulge in 2 further pints. I will say at this point that there were a lot of banter and crude jokes flying about, however they were done in very good spirits and I was not offended. The final pint I had did come cloudy, however the barman was very quick to noticed and changed it with a fresh pint without me even needing to ask! That�s a rarity these days!! Overall this is a quality, traditional boozer which pays more attention to good beer, service and atmosphere than it does to d�cor and in my eyes that�s what a PUB should be! The Shire Horse is not trying to be anything its not. I shall return when I am next in the area.
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Tired, rundown atmosphere, indifferent and not-exactly-welcoming service, cloudy pint of Burton (as a non-local visiting for the first time, I got the distinct feeling that querying its quality would not be a good idea)......this may have been a good no-nonsense boozer once upon a time, but it's gone badly to seed. What's it still doing in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide?
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Years since I last drank Burton, so worth a visit on that basis alone. Apart from that, didn't like it.
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Somewhat intimidating. Uninviting exterior, bare interior dominated by locals crowded round the bar, and the pool table (though the players seemed perfectly inoffensive on my visit.) Not exactly welcoming, but a good pint of Burton which seems a rarity nowadays.
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went in on a Saturday lunch pre-football on the basis of its Good Beer Guide listing and had a good cheap pint of Tetley (a rare find) for �2 so can't complain...but at the back around the pool table was dismayed to hear some fairly crude and racist banter which really spoilt the experience...if I was the landlord or manager I wouldn't put up with it!
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