please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously.
Still carrying a lot of Thornbridge brews - getting a little weary of them to be honest. The Marples bitter wasn't that great.
|
in many ways this pub is the pick of the Craft bars.The beer is always in good nick,the bar staff are very pleasant and it is by far the most pubby of its group.It is still wildly expensive but offset by the use of lined glasses.Remember to look up at the glass ceiling covering the entire pub for the cost of a pint the bar staff will tell you its history. It is a little bit quieter than the nearby Craft at Covent Garden which is usually rammed.
|
Went in just after midday yesterday so quite empty. Range of real ales was good, and not too expensive, considering the area. Bar food seemed way overpriced, but then I'm not a trendy hipster so what do I know about these things? Worth visiting for the beers but best grab a pasty in the nearby Greggs beforehand!
|
You need to be a fan of Thornbridge brews if going this week - all bar one of the cask brews and nearly all the keg are Thornbridge beers.
|
Still continuing to do decent ales (usually priced by alcohol content) and pork pies (the trendy, and therefore expensive, kinds). Was seats here on early Saturday evening.
anonymous - 20 Mar 2016 10:23 |
Conveniently located craft beers house a short walk from Farringdon and Chancery Lane depending on how you travel there. It is based in the gold/jewellery quarter close to Hatton Garden in an area where I feel retains its character. When work takes me to this parts I do sometimes make a habit of dropping in.
Great beer range as you would expect however, it is not the most comfortable of surroundings and like a previous reviewer mentions, geared up to drinking standing up.
Always had a good pint here but prices are very high even for Central London. I have been tempted to try one of the craft kegs but I object to paying through the nose for something just because it is trendy so I go for one of the more fairly (albeit still high) priced real ales.
I would recommend going to this pub however, if you want something with a bit more character and not so expensive then I would recommend going to the Harp or even getting the train over to Kentish Town to go to the IMHO far superior Southampton Arms. The real ale range there is just as good and you do not need to take out a second mortgage to have a decent session there!
Still rating this one as 8/10 though!
|
Pumps: 11/08/15 - http://i.imgur.com/Y1raxvw.jpg
|
A typical Craft &Co. pub, loads of beer dispensers,handpumps and the other tap kind. The service was quick and friendly, i seem to remember lined glasses and fairly expensive prices.This pub has an upstairs, it is rather small.My beer was the Vic's Secret Hophead from Dark Star featuring Australian hops, a nice twist on Hophead. Roughly ten real ales available and the pub was reasonably full.8/10
|
First visit here for more than a year. It was much quieter than on previous visits. Whilst all the seats were taken, there was plenty of room at the bar. Not all handpulls were in use. But they do now stock 2 real ciders. Many of the beers were from Tyne Bank and they also had 3 green hop beers. The selection was Kent Craft Pale Ale & Elderflower Saison, Gadds Green Hop Ale, Northern Monk Kiwi Saison, Triple fff Smells Like Team Spirit, Dark Star Green Hopped IPA & American Pale Ale, Tyne Bank Single Blonde, Dark Brown Ale, Frank & Bird Motueka Blonde & Dark Exposure & Moncada Notting Hill Ruby Rye. The two Millwhites ciders were Original Scrumpy and Apples & Pears. I prefer this one to the Islington branch. Although the Covent Garden one is probably now my favourite and far more convenient.
|
Like many of the alehouses in The CIty of London it is geared a bit more for 'vertical drinking' to allow more bodies in. If you catch it at quieter times though this place is excellent with regards to beer. Always a large array of handpumps along with unusual 'craft' kegs and bottled beers. Have made a bit of a regular detour to drop by here and never had a duff pint yet.
anonymous - 29 Jun 2014 21:37 |
Much better than I thought it would be. Quality beer at reasonable prices for the surroundings. Busy but efficient service. Why do they need door staff at 6 o'clock on a Tuesday night?
|
If you have only just put the request in, it will appear in 2016 at the earliest. To review Craft Beer Islington use pubs galore or ratebeer.com.
|
Ok, tried to get in here on an early Saturday evening in March but it was heaving (and probably rightly so), but rather than fight to get to the bar we did a volte-face to go to their sister outfit in Islington - can't seem to find the latter on here so have posted a 'new pub' entry (possibly joining the queue with many others but it took 6 months for my Blairgowrie additions to be added, so I won't hold my breath). I'll post a fuller review when the Islington branch shows on this site but it was excellent (not quite as full as here though so we could get a seat) and if in the same vein as here then Craft Beer Co. are definitely worth a look wherever you are. BTW, the Islington branch gets a solid 9/10 from me!
|
An absolute gem. About 14 real beers on a long bar in a large saloon with an original mirrored clockface ceiling. There is another room upstairs. We were invited to try the beers before purchase. All that we had were in excellent order. One warning is we first went on a Friday night and it was crazy busy so we returned on Sunday where there was far more time and space to take in the great beers. Food is just pork pies and the like.
|
This pub was not what I expected at all, the place is much smaller than I had imagined. Having said that it is still a nice pub in a off the beaten track location.
Great range of beers, ordered the Rum Cask Cider however it was off but was changed straight away by the barman and had the Pheasant Plucker instead which was good.
|
friendly and efficient staff and a great range of beers; before you've had too many, have a look at the mirror clock in the ceiling!
|
Sad to say that this is rapidly becoming a type of 'theme bar' for beer poseurs. The quality of the ale has dropped dramatically since the slightly balding Scottish lad has not been seen around. Maybe someone should clean the pipes.
|
Still a first class joint. Was among last to leave on recent trip. Luckily I had friends who could afford some of the prices. Another reviewer has suggested thirds of a pint measures, I would like to second the idea. Brew Dog camden (not listed on BITE because free listings ended two years ago - use ratebeer instead) serves third pints which is a great idea for the stronger beers and certainly the dearer ones.
|
Have been coming here for quite some time and have never had a mediocre pint until very recently. Has there been a change of staff? Beer seems to have lost its edge...
|
Range of beer: fantastic, cask and keg, full flavoured. You'd be mad not to be excited given lots to choose from. Still, first day I went quite a few were all one kind which wasn't my thing...
Food: nice but limited, some 'quality' scotch eggs/pies
Prices: Call the police... Esther Rantzen.... the UN... consumer groups... exploitation of beer drinkers... masquerading as 'better' or a new standard.
I have no problem affording the prices, just you have to be stupid not to wince at the cost of a pint and pub snacks. No matter how cuddled and crafted, it's just beer and (processed) food. "What do you mean a ten pound note isn't enough for the two beers?" Q: "How much are the pies?" A: "£2.50....(comedy pause, during which I exclaim aloud that's quite reasonable)... a quarter"
I think it's safe to say that the craft element and interest in beer is coupled with a business model - it is a business site that people flock to, and not a neighbourhood pub. Speculating, the model likely depends on people who share an interest in good beer(!), but also relies heavily on a sub-conscious element about getting something better and/or being better than others, and being willing to pay for it (there is a general model for this but name escapes me). Some of these punters are so deluded and stupid they also sneer at people who might have a lower income or who might simply prefer not to spend double the market place. Such sneerers might also be light-weight, self-labelled connoisseurs, perhaps those who just nurse a third-of-a-pint for an hour... and so don't appreciate the idea of having 2-3 pints (=15-20 quid).
Thornbridge Jaipur is a lovely, punchy beer and appeals to all my craft-fan buddies, but if you are willing to lower yourself to rubbing shoulders with old men and chavs in the environment of another business model, it will cost 2.90 a pint and be perfectly served and with same conversation. It's also interesting as the recipe of a widespread craft beer is supposedly similar to Jaipur... "But I thought all craft beers are unique and hand-made by a caring old man?"
Great beer, but overpriced - I suspect basically because they can.... Fortunately for Craft and others, London has no shortage of beer fans and people with disposable income wanting that trendy new thing and being happy to pay over the odds. But not sure about the future of certain players in the craft beer industry.
|
I side with the recent high scores rather than the bad experience of elegiac_stanzas. One may not be able to get the precise beer you're after but allow the selection to guide your visit and you'll have plenty of high quality variety. Tends to open rather later on a weekend (noon) but worth waiting for. There is some food - high quality pork pies and similar bar-top snacks. Prices ARE indeed steep, in some cases exceptionally so, but after a deep breath, one does not mind QUITE so much.
|
Can't believe this pub opened over a year ago and I only found it last week. Lovely staff behind a long bar with large number of nice beers. Nothing to bitch about other than doors opened full at closing bringing biting winds into pub before we got our coats on! Will go again when my bf is rich enough to take me
|
35 pumps and at least 28 beers on the night I went in, what more do you want as an ale drinker!!
Very knowledgeable staff if not a bit slow on the service side...had a 10 minute wait while 2 staff chatted to punters and the other barman run around after a group of girls who wanted to "taste" all the beers!
Still worth the wait as the pint I had was excellent and I like the pricing structure.
Amazing chandelier and glass ceiling above bar area downstairs.
Real top quality ale establishment
|
By the looks of it Craft has the right pricing policy if the last reviewer can't afford the beer there's wetherspoons all over London that'll keep him happy. My only moan is there's no food but there are fair amount of places for a bite close by. Avoid on Fridays, but it's much quieter rest of the week.
|
Poor pub, over-rated range of drinks, utterly disgraceful prices.
Having arranged to meet friends here after work on a mid-week evening, we ventured upstairs looking for respite from the crush. The pub was so crowded because every single table/seat had a notice on saying that it was reserved, and all were empty whilst the pub's clientèle all had to stand. Three hours later when we left, almost every one of these tables was still empty. And the few which were now taken I suspect were occupied by other drinkers who had run out of patience, not the people who had booked them. Staff came upstairs to collect glasses every ten minutes and knew exactly what was going on, but clearly did not care and took no action.
This pub trumpets widely about their beer selection. So I'll have a porter then? No, they don't have one on tap. How about a wheat beer? Well, you can have one, but it's £7.50 a pint. Er... Don't bother asking the staff for guidance though, because apart from one man with a beard the others seemingly know nothing at all about the drinks which they serve.
I was initially prepared to applaud this pub for actually displaying their prices at the taps (which so few pubs do), and prices between £2.75-4.50 looked like they could be stomached. Until I discovered that these are the prices for HALF pints.
I gave this pub as much of a chance as I possibly could, and really wanted to like what they're doing here. But to be charged £7.50 a pint in order to stand drinking it in a corridor is just too much of an awful way to treat people.
|
Another good trip down here, and impressed once again by the range of ales (not to mention other beers) and knowledgeable staff. The choice of pumps seemed a bit more varied in style this time rather than just having say lots of types of IPA as I remember in the past.
Enormous pork pies are maybe a bit steep at a fiver for a half, but damn tasty and I'd buy one again.
|
Really well run pub; Tom the manager and his staff know what the beers are and can guide the unwary! Today loads of Ilkley beers, no bad thing and overall a good range from low gravity to 7%+.
|
Sorry to have to stick a spanner in the works but I'm getting a little tired of all the sycophantic nonsense about this place. Sometimes the beer is good but sometimes it's very poor indeed. And the policy of 'showcasing' a particular brewery is a nonsense - on my last visit they had six or seven beers from one brewery and three or four from another. Where was my choice?
As for the alleged knowledgable staff - don't make me laugh. There are two bimbos behind the bar who know sweet FA about beer.
Now officially the most overrated pub on this site.
|
Can't believe this venue's rating is as low as 7/10 on BITE. All the beer types a discerning drinker could dream of, staff who live-and-breathe their beer and an international crowd. The foreign visitors are no ordinary tourists though, you'll often bump into brewers from overseas breweries, and beer enthusiasts from Scandinavia looking for a relatively cheap pint of craft beer. They have also opened a 'branch' in Brixton which is worth a visit. You will find it elsewhere on the web via google, because sadly BITE no longer adds new pubs by user request.
|
Well over a year on and the novelty still hasn't worn off for me. Still a first class beer range; recent tendency has been to showcase a few microbreweries in the cask ales, with the keg selection remaining dynamic and often changing. Regarding previous posts citing overcrowding, I have noted the pub can be quieter on many Saturday nights than you would expect, and this makes for a pleasant relaxing atmosphere. Busiest times seem to be Thurs 6-9 and all of Friday evening. Unfortunately that's when most of us want a beer:)
|
A beer heaven set in the middle of Leather Lane market (near Hatton Garden).
Supped a couple (well three actually) of excellent ales (Crouch Vale, Blue Monkey and Kent) of the dozen or so available last Thursday. The place is fairly small but seems to soak up folk pretty well. Staff were welcoming and knew enough about the beer to help the less knowledgable customer. Food is Pork Pie or Scotch Egg only.
My one complaint (and its minor) is that a number of tables were reserved although an hour after the alloted time these had not been occupied. If you book space, turn up please.
|
Very good beer range and well-kept; but not a place I really enjoy, as it's just a rectangle crammed with people and I don't find it has any of the pubby atmosphere which I look for. The same problem as the Bree Louise in Euston. Like one or two others I haven't found the staff very accommodating, and on one occasion rather brusque.
|
One of my fave pubs for its range of ales and knowledgeable and helpful staff. Best to get there 'off peak' to appreciate it best.
|
Enjoyed it, because what I had was very good, but I still only stayed for 10 minutes, which is typical for my trips to these new beer bars, which just don't seem very comfy.
|
Visited on a Thursday night which was a very different proposition from our previous visit. This time the place was rammed and we were outside on the pavement, had it been cold or raining I can�t begin to think how everyone would have squeezed in. First a niggle, it was packed and serving behind the bar isn�t fun � I know I�ve done it, however, at one point there were 6 people behind the bar with only two serving and they stuck to one of the bar until the chap in front of us loudly asked for service at our end of the bar. Also one of the barmaids, who served my mate, seemed to randomly serve people ahead of others who�d been waiting a while, she also needed a communication skills refresher!
Now the good bits, the other bar staff who served me were excellent. As to the beer � superb with a good choice, I had the Stout Mary, Cob Nut from Kent, Maverick from Argyll and the house Pale; all were top notch and of course served in lined glasses ensuring a full or even over full pint. This is a great pub and the numbers there are ample evidence of how good it is, though why people went there just to drink wine is beyond a simple beer drinker like me. 8/10.
|
Good. Enjoyed it. I'm no beer/ale expert (as my posts probably show). But the stuff here was enjoyable and different. What I had was good - I didn't 'sample' it I drank it - what a pretentious load of gobshite so many people use on this site - "I sampled this and that". Good god man, drink it! Titter at the beardy CAMRAS. Just kidding - good beer, well served, nice spot and very good service and mix of customers. Good work.
Poppity pipp
|
It was previously named the Clock House and those mirrors showing a clock face date from then.
|
Not sure about mirrors on the cieling; what's all that about?
|
Never been here since it was transformed into this new beer house: The Craft Beer Co. With a name like that, I expected groups of beardies about the place, BO and bad breath. However, I was pleasantly surprised. A good, clean, interesting and friendly pub. Much improved on what it used to be when it was called "The Clock House." Very pricey on a number of it's large lines of beers. Worth a visit in any case if your in the area.
|
Fantastic place, this. Brilliant selection of beer, friendly and attentive bar staff, good atmosphere and - by the standards of the area - not too bad price-wise.
Dark Star Hophead was in excellent condition.
|
Downstairs is an impersonal bar, didn't go upstairs.
Fantastic range of ales, bottles and foreign kegs.
Friendly staff, ale of great quality.
|
My first visit to this pub Wednesday 6 June and I was impressed. There was a good range of ales, around 10-12 including a porter, a stout, a couple of milds and the golden ales. I had the oyster stout from the Redwillow brewery in Macclesfield (as good as the Mersea Island brewery oyster), the Wreckless, the Feckless (a proper bitter ale) and one other light one of theirs; and the house ale. Also on offer was the Dark Star American Pale and Hophead. Lined glasses, knowledgeable and helpful staff, an exceptionally beautiful young lady serving, and (unusually apparently) not jam packed, made it a very good night out. My friends enjoyed the excellent but rather pricy pork pies. Suspect it will be crowded on a Thursday night and as it was just after the long bank holiday weekend that kept the numbers down. But I�ll be coming back. 8/10
|
Been to this pub several times now and am always amazed - not just by th erange and quality of the beer, but by the knowledgeable and friendly staff. Can get very busy, but this is only to be expected when the beer is this good
|
It's been a torrid three months or so since I promised myself a visit to this hip 'n' happening (or maybe 'hyped 'n' happening'?!) pub du jour but fell by the waysie owing to indulgence elsewhere in the capital the night before. I kept hearing how worthwhile it would be, so when finally the opportunity came my way on Satuday afternoon I was pretty keen.
I realise how close I must've been to desolating disappintment - I mean somewhere so 'now' amongst the increasigly youthful beer cognoscenti can so easily fall short upon actual attendance (am I the only one who found Cask Pub & Kitchen to be very good but not the mecca it was made out?). Fortunately, I was did not leave wanting. For the range and quality fo cask beer (20 pumps in all) and similarly the keg (maybe 20 taps?) was mightily impressive. Whether it is unrivalled in London at present is a debatable point, but it must be up there with the best of them for lovers of all beer, draught and of course bottled (check the contents of the fridges and if what you like isn't there always ask).
I'm not a lover of keg in the main, even so-called 'craft' keg products often don't cut it unless they're very strong in flavour and strength terms. But most of Craft's are genuine imports and well-chosen at that - some of them really are worth trying provided you're of a stronger constitution yourself.
The cask selection needed no introduction and numerous halves of often unfamiliar UK brews (and brewers) were swiftly swilled. Each was served with efficiency and, that rarest of capital commodities, a smile by the obliging staff. A splendid balance of styles was on offer and I have no criticisms of it.
Food-wise, all I needed was one of their Scotch Eggs - possibly the best one I've ever eaten though, like the beer, prepare for a greater financial outlay than you might initially consider to be proportionate! Served - trendily - on a wooden platter with a rammikin of English mustard. Divine and great with strong ale!
The exterior appearance is welcoming to traditional pub-goers as it betrays its history as a corner local in old London. However, as one might expect, the interior is rather more modern and pared-down; no cosy alcoves, oldie-worldie nick-nacks and faux Victoriana here. Saying that though, I didn't find it offensively contemporary and the styling does suit the brief. If it helps bring younger folk back to the beer and the pub concept, then maybe its purpose is well-served.
My chums and I happened to get chatting to a young Spanish couple - no, not your average camera-toting tourists - these were dedicated and devoted beer enthusiasts, who were most intrigued to learn more about the UK ale scene and emulate some of its best points at their own brewing operation at home. It was a pleasure to exchange views with them, and it seems Craft really does bring in the true craftsmen and women of the modern beer industry. Such enthusiasm, dynamism and worldliness suggests that the drink we love is in increasingly safe hands - at least at the point of brewing and hopefully pouring.
Maybe not my ideal concept of pub perfection, but it's hard to fault this place as it is mainfestly achieving what it sets out to do. As a pub overall, maybe it's an 8 from me. But as a pure beerhouse, how can it not be a 10? Come here before you try the Euston Tap. For a start you'll get a seat and more than 1 toilet!
And let's see what the Brighton version has to offer....
|
Expensive beers, but what a range in this good-looking little pub. Went here on a crawl around the Farringdon/Clerkenwell area with friends recently. Massive selection of handpulled real ales plus equally-massive range of keg beers too, priced (I think) by ABV which you need to watch for if ordering any higher gravity product. One of my choices - a delicious American stout at about 7% - came to about �6.40 a pint, but it was well worth it when it came to the drinking! And they did say how much that would come to and "was I sure" before they served it, so that was quite a nice touch of customer service. I'd hate to not know and have to fork out for a round that might just break the wallet.
Recommended, but make a considered choice when ordering and keep an eye on the ABV.
|
This is everything the Euston Tap should be and isn't. My first visit yesterday teatime and I couldn't find a fault. Maybe after a few more visits the cracks might appear but I don't see how. The choice of ales was wondrous and the balance between light and dark was spot on. We went upstairs and what could have been a drab alternative to the characterful bar downstairs was actually a nicely-managed, understated but comfortable pair of rooms with the most excellent light fittings. Sadly we could fit in only a couple before heading down to meet another chum; I could quite cheerfully have stayed there for the rest of the evening.
|
Saturday morning and after a trek round the streets of London looking for a pub which was open! we headed here to meet up with the rest of our party (after a quick pint in the nearby Wetherspoons which you can rely on to be open) Four pubs which advertised opening at 11am were shut - even though I had checked their websites!!! Anyway, Craft Beer house (ex.Clockhouse) was open and ready to quench our thirsts! Only one slight problem - too many dark beers on tap (about 5 stouts/porters) so we settled for a beer from Fyne Ales of Scotland. Not to panic though,for the barman soon had Dark Star Hophead and Marble Brewery Draft ready for our pleasure! Beer prices go by strength and start at �3.40. They do proper pork pies and Scotch eggs although we thought they were a bit pricey. Never mind it was the beer which as usual won the day and we enjoyed a few pints before heading off to the football. Always worth a visit and what a transformation from the previous GK incarnation.
|
Another Craft Beer Co is opening in Brighton this year, along with another version of their sister pub (CASK Pub & Kitchen).
|
Visited this place 3 times over recent weeks. All beers were good, service good. A bigger version of the Euston Tap. Like it.
|
One of the new breed of' Craft Beer' pubs. Better atmosphere than most and a superb range of real ales with an emphasis on Thornbridge and Dark Star and, of course, lots of ludicrously over-priced, over-hopped and over-alcoholed keg beers. Well worth a look but check the prices before ordering.
|
Just a comment on the prices - it's pricier than most but the beer is nectar. Aside from their inability to clear the upstairs tables during a Tuesday afternoon, The Craft is a bar of clean lines and fresh beer. And you have to try the scotch eggs when they have them.
|
On the subject of pricing, the pub is still Greene King owned. No doubt breaking the tie cost a bucket.
|
Very lively saturday , good range of beers, I had a pint of Dark Star Golden Gate which was very good,will be back.
|
I finally got around to visiting last night, Jury service at the Bailey put me in an area i don't normally frequent. I must say my overall experience was mixed.
The beer as you would expect was good, Clerkenwell Pale ale brewed by Kent Brewery was very good, Dark Star American Pale Ale was also in fair condition.
However i found the bar staff monosyllabic, the decor cold verging on clinical, the atmosphere lacking and the heating non existent. As has been mentioned the pricing is Jumbo, �5 for HALF a Pork Pie....... Really ?
I am going to give it another go, Monday night at the end of January is never going to be packed and i think its only fair to see if it performs better when busy.
There is no doubting that the concept is good, it just needs tweaking. Get the bar staff talking to customers, rather than reading newspapers and ignoring people, maybe put up some brewery memorabilia to make it feel cosier, the huge mirror looks great, add to it, and turn up the heating, when you've only half a dozen people in the pub, and they are all wearing coats its a fair indication its cold.
|
That elephant has very much been seen by me, and commented upon in earlier reviews. Beer selection=utterly superb; but prices are ridiculous.
|
Seems to me that other reviewers are blind to the rather large elephant stalking this pub's interior. The pachyderm's name is: EXORBITANT PRICES. My mate and I went in the other night. I had a pint of Dark Star Bitter (I'm not sure what his pint was), and my mate was charged �8.70 for the privilege. Yes, �8.70. Outrageous, even for London prices. And these weren't even foreign bottled beers, they were English ales. We didn't hang around long: we popped over to the far more atmospheric and reasonably priced Jerusalem Tavern in nearby Britton Street. I would suggest other punters do the same.
|
Popped in yesterday (Sunday) and I'm glad I did. Excellent range of beers and I tried four halves all in tip top condition and served in over-sized glasses which is nice to see. Was a little chilly in there, could have done with some more heating but apart from that the beer was great.
|
Based on the business model of 'if you build it, he will come', and people do. 13 real ales on when I was there, the 2 I had were is very good nick, if you are worried about through put of the beers, don't, the place gets packed in the evening (I went at lunchtime) and they sometimes turnover every barrel in an evening alone! They also have a wonderful range of interesting beers on keg. Central London is expensive for beer and we actually had more expensive beer in nearby pubs. The pub is fitted out very well and is a delightful place to 'must visit'.
|
Heard about from Morning Advertiser, and was in the area...
As the other reviews say, vast selection of beer, all of those we drank in good condition. Both hand pulled and keg. As this selection (and don't get started on the bottles) enough to cover all palettes.
Pricing very simple - based on the ABV. This does mean some of the specials (like the creme brule) at 11% are �5 for a half, but then, it does all make sense.
Spot the own branded glasses - all oversize to allow for an appropriate head as desired. Plus they do samples. All makes this a MUST for a real beer drinker. Add to the crawl with the Euston Tap. We'll be back.
|
Return visit to the Craft Beer Co. on Saturday. Good selection available, including four Dark Star beers. I started with a pint of Arbor Single Hop Dana which I wasn't too keen on. I then tried Redemption Big Chief, a very flavoursome pale ale that tasted a lot stronger than it's alleged 5.5%.
An essential destination for beer lovers.
|
Dropped by last week having heard a lot about this place. A plethora of mainly boutique beers were available and the atmosphere was buzzy with an eclectic crowd of wannabe beer connoiseurs in attendance. The Dark Star Hophead I opted for tasted more bitter than I remember but I was after more of a session beer at the time rather than a tasting session. Nothing wrong with the place but perhaps just not my bag.
|
Loved the Avalanche....thanks Pat for taking me to this gem of a pub.
MSE12 - 26 Nov 2011 10:57 |
Very very impressive beer range - about 14 handpumps of which 5 were Stouts & Porters. I tried an Arbor ales bitter then a couple of the Stouts - all were well kept. Eventually found our way upstairs where there was plenty of space ( until about 8pm). Well worth a visit; a superb beer emporium. Yes it is expensive & my Arbor ales beer at 3.9% was �3.70 - the stronger beers (around 5%) were �3.90. Nonetheless the wide range of ales at a variety of styles & strengths (quite a few were about 5% and the strongest was 7.5%) make it a must visit. Just bite your lip & enjoy the beer!!
|
Great great selection of beer. I didn't try any of the keg but the real ales I had were very nice. Quite small but with a bit of an upstairs that is worth a look if it crowded, plus there's always the option to stand outside. You could say it is "characterless" but I think it's simple layout works well, I certainly didn't find it pretentious in any way. Great to see a beer being sold at 3% alcohol too, it was a lovely Pale Ale - if they have it on give it a try, you'll be surprised how good it is!
|
I certainly agree that the range of beer is amazing but I wouldn't agree that the prices are reasonable! Prices are set by gravity starting at �3.40 for up to 3.9% - fair enough. Yesterday only 2 beers out of 15 fell into that category and 1 of those was a ridiculous 3.0%! So, effectively, prices start at �3.70 and go up to �4.60. Beer from the fonts was even worse - not all were showing prices but I spotted several at �3.95 a half and one at �4.95 a half for 5.8%!
I too think that the place is pretty characterless - I like the ceiling with it's mirrors but the rest is pretty dull and the seating fairly uncomfortable, I can't comment on the lounge upstairs as we didn't visit it.
If you want a large selection of beers, this place is fine, but personally I prefere other pubs nearby.
|
The quality and range of beers in this bar are amazing. For central London, the prices were reasonable and the bar staff were both efficient and friendly. We were puzzled by the comments in other reviews about lack of charm. Who needs charm if you have some 17 different real ales all in first class condition? In any case, this is a perfectly respectable boozer that retains a number of attractive features from a much earlier period. One minor gripe - the Pork Pies. Very disappointing, they taste as if they are filled with luncheon meat. Not even as good as a Tesco value pork pie.
|
A superb pub. Yes, it isn't a comfortable, warm lounge of a boozer. But the immense and changing selection of quality and rare ales is astounding. The bar staff are pleasant and knowledgeable, and encourage you to try a few before settling on your (admittedly pricey) poison.
Its not a regular to waste away the hours with all and sundry, but with a couple of drinking mates who like their beer you'll undoubtedly waste many an hour
|
Good beers and don't forget to pop into The Griffin just around the corner for a bit of flange-dancing!
|
A great addition to the area, popped in yesterday for the first time. Staff very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the beer, must've been 15+ ales on (many I hadn't even heard of) plus a long line of interesting looking lager pumps. And then there are the bottles to choose from! Oh and they sell massive pork pies.
Farringdon/Clerkenwell has so many good pubs already but this is another essential on any pub crawl round there.
|
I certainly concur with a lot of the comments below. It is excellent but charmless. The beer range is exhaustive but pricey. If it didn't have such an interesting and vast collection of beer on pump and in bottle, I would turn away from this pub which looks like the inside of a wooden sauna. It feels odd giving a good rating to a pub whilst being so critical of it... Still, an essential location.
|
Erm...anyone else getting a bit of deja vu here?
This place is the sister pub of the CASK in Pimlico. When the CASK opened we had the same one hit wonders praising it to the skys and long waffling arguements about price vs quality. All we need now is MR MULTIPLE ALIASES (copyright Quinno 01/07/09 @The Jerusalem Tavern) to crawl out of Ye Olde Mitre and get the pub deleted. Not again please...
The pub itself is an essential visit for beer tourists. The style and range is comparable to some of the great bars in Belgium and Holland, but without the charm and atmosphere. It is overpriced, but judging by the money being spent by the city boys whilst we were in there the owners needn't worry. It's rather sterile (no sitting at the bar, reserved tables upstairs etc.) but the gents behind the bar were friendly and very enthusiastic.
|
What the fella below, and others say about the beer range is utterly true; I wouldn't contest that whatsoever. It by a million miles times a million light years has the best beer range in the whole of Greater London; it by a million miles times a million light years has the best beer range in the whole of the United Kingdom~nothing even comes close. However~heresy, oh, heresy; will my fellow specialist-beer enthuasiasts prey for me to be struck by lightening................there's more to a pub than beer.
A pub's having a great beer selection, and a pub's being a good pub are not arbitrarily mutually inclusive. Having a great beer selection does not automatically make a place a good pub; not having a good beer selection doesn't automatically make ab pub a bad pub. The two things can stand alone.
A pub has two aspects to its offer: 1) its product range; 2) its intangiable aspects: ambience, aesthetics, comfort level, atmosphere, etc. A pub can excel in both aspects; a pub can excel in aspect 1) only; a pub can excel in aspect 2) only. Sometimes beer enthuasiasts (I'm one, too) can be blinded by choice, and can't see the overall pub.
This has a great beer selection, but is not a great pub; I specifically say 'is not a great pub', not: 'is not a great establishment'.
The beer selection is superb~utterly so~but take away the beer, and it isn't a great place to spend time in. Excellent beer, but the overall pub experience isn't great.
|
It has the largest range of craft beers that I've ever seen.
Barstaff were very friendly.
I'd rate this as the best pub in London without a doubt.
|
I'm a little bit torn about this place. On the one hand, the selection of beers is faultless. You're like a kid in a sweetshop and if there is nothing from the 37 taps, bottled beers or whiskies that takes your fancy, it'd be a great surprise. On the other hand, take away the brilliant selection of beers and it's not an outstanding pub. Sure, the staff are pleasant but there are only a few high seats around the side so you'll likely spend most of the evening standing. And it's tucked away in the back of Hatton Gardens so not the most convenient location. That fact that it was packed, therefore, will be down to the wide selection of ales. I'd go back for that alone but if I wanted a pint in nice comfy surroundings, I'd drop into my local instead.
|
My last visit to the Craft was another triumph. Dark Star brews are always reliable but I have to say the Craft lager was and is nectar perfection. My only gripe? Food choice really wouldn't be a bad idea - sausage rolls, samosas as well as the scotch egg (they ran out of the pork pies) might keep people in the pub a bit longer.
Here's a reminder of BITE's worthy strapline, by the way.
"please note - reviews on this site are purely the opinion of site visitors, so don't take them too seriously."
|
I was holidaying in London and tried to visit as many good real ale pubs as I could in the few days I was there. I liked the Royal Oak at Borough and the Harp at Covent Garden. But for me this was the best of the bunch. It was a good informal atmosphere with loads of real ales to sample. I wish there were pubs like this up north.
|
I've visited 3 times now and I like this pub. It's not perfect - I'm not sure about the high tables - but I've found the staff friendly and helpful and the beers have been top class - quality as well as quantity. You can't go far wrong with dark Star and Thornbridge as staples. Oh, and it's not cheap either but you pay for what you want. That's the real ales, the 'craft beers' are mind-bogglingly expensive! But try it and see for yourself.
|
Chumley,
At no point in my posting did I say that I would prefer to drink in Wetherspoon's; please, qoute the part of my posting which said that I would prefer to drink in Wetherspoons; at no pont in my popsting did I even imply that I would prefer to drink in Wetherspoon's. Re-read my posting, and you'll see that I was merely commentating on the lazy practice employed by a lot of users on BITE of avoiding addressing concerns in a person's post regarding their feelings that a pub is over-priced and/or pretentious or such like, by giving a go-to-Wetherspoon's-type retort rather than actually actually giving a reasoned response.
Again, please, tell me where in my posting that I said or implied that I would prefer to go to Wetherspoon's than to go to The Craft Beer Co.
|
I remember this pub as the clock house and I thought it was a decent boozer. Now it has transformed beyond my imagination. I sampled the Dark Star which was perfect. I will deffo be making regular trips here in future.
As for the critiscims it still draws the same crowd as it did in the past a mixture of real ale drinkers and market traders. If the last contributor would rather drink in the likes of a wetherspoons then that is their choice.
|
In a review for another pub pkrp arrogantly says: 'I just don't understand why people post aimless and gormless comments like "this pub has gone downhill". In what way? If you inform the owners, they might do something about it (presuming there IS an issue). '; but in an earlier review for a pub put:
'Typical insular 'end of the road' pub that fails on so many levels. Go to the Ferry Inn instead - this place is a joke and needs to up its game. The crisps were nice though (I'm being sarcastic).'; you'll notice that he doesn't make any mention of what these things are which it fails on; he doesn't give any explanation of why it's a joke; he doesn't suggest what it needs to do to up it's game. This chap says one thing; does another.
Read through this person's reviews, and you'll see that he is very snobbish: it's no surprise that such a seemingly-snobbish person adores such a snobbish pub. (I'm not oppossed to this pub; I very much support its existence~it's giving real beer a much-needed high profile; but's let's not pretend that it isn't a snobbish place).
That cliche of attacking anyone who makes (often very valid) remarks about excessive prices of a pub, and/or its pretentiousness or such like with the go-to-Wetherspoon's/join-the-pikeys-at-Wetherspoons/enjoy-your-�1.20-Ruddles-at-Wetherspoon's/perhaps-you'll-prefer-your-local-Wetherspoon's, etc.-type retort is a tired, lazy, cliched retort.
|
Guys - sell some cold pies with piccalilli on a small plate (I don't mean the yummy pork pies - keep those - I mean a steak and kidney pie/ chicken pie. �4.95 - done. But it's all about the beer and my advice is to eat before you get there and not to get so wasted that you need chicken from that shabby joint on the corner!
The Craft home brews are stunning, their choice is excellent and if you think it's elitist, try the Wetherspoons chain instead. Like the Cask, it's in an area of Peabody/association housing - just keep an eye on your rucksack/bags or they'll get run over by the mobs on scooters.....
|
Not a lot to say that hasn't been said already, a top central London venue with a lot more ambience than the Cask in Pimlico.
However, at the risk of being moderated or suspended by BITE, I must criticise this page.
Firstly, it's in Clerkenwell, not in the City of London. Because of this mis-location it doesn't appear in a search for Clerkenwell pubs.
Secondly, surely Image 1 for any pub should show what it LOOKS like, preferably with a view of the exterior. To show as the first image a picture of pint glasses is ludicrous, anyone using this site for drinking knows what a pint glass looks like.
|
It's just bloody expensive~arbitrarily expensive; the management has clearly set prices high as a policy decision rather than each beer's price is decided upon as a wholly-self-contained decision based solely upon the costs involved in the beer's aquisition; evidence can be seen in the pricing of keg locally-produced beers as opposed to cask non-locally-produced beers, a specific case of this is the price per pint of keg Kernal. Kernal is made five or six miles down the road in South London: none of the it's-had-to-be-special-arrangement-imported-in-small-quantities-from-a-tiny-brewhouse-nestled amongst-the-fjords-of-Norway-and-here-it-is-now-for-you-in-the-heart-of-London marketing rhetoric applies. It's standard practice at the modern breed of specialst beer pub to arbitrarily charge really-high prices for keg speciality beers.
There's a touch of 'The Emporer's New Clothes' about the prices. Obviously, alot of the beers here need to cost more, and not just a touch more~I get what's involved; it's a matter of how much more. There's a point after which paying a premium for quality becomes being over-charged.
I'd expect to pay more for half-a-dozen free-range eggs from a farmers' market than Tesco Value battery-farmed eggs, and have no issue with that~but I wouldn't pay �9.00 for those eggs.
|
Spent a lovely day here, drank much more than I intended to. This place is far too dangerous for anyone who likes beer as there is so much to try it encourages you to keep dabbling. It is expensive if you veer off the average strength cask ales and onto bottles, but the beers are so interesting you can't help indulging a little. The decor is great and unfussy with raised banquette seating and tall stools - very comfy-cosy. Upstairs is similar seating but lower level, so no climbing onto tall stools if feeling unsteady. The staff are pleasant and knowledgeable. Liked it very much.
chick - 18 Jul 2011 23:40 |
This has the makings of a great pub, but has a little way to go.
As a cider, rather than beer, drinker, I had a rather bleak day. I was astonished that there was just one draft cider (and that was very much not to my taste, nor to that of a companion who also sometimes likes to drink cider) � and no bottled ciders at all. Given the fantastic range of bottled ciders now available, this seems like a wasted opportunity.
Also, they do not do food (unless you count pork pies and scotch eggs, which I definitely don�t), so I went to a nearby shop for sandwiches. We asked if it would be OK to eat these upstairs, with our drinks (promising not to leave a mess), and were told that would be unacceptable, so we had to stand outside in the rain, with the smokers.
Loved the decor, and the range of beers, but won�t be going again until they broaden their offering a bit.
|
Nice range of ales and about the usual price for the area, but can't see what all the fuss is about!
|
There are two floors with lots of seating and well decorated and the biggest selection of beer I have ever seen.It has already established itself as the top cask ale pub in the city.
|
Stunning new venue with a world-class beer selection and bright interior. Not a lot to add to other reviews which I have read to avoid duplicating their comments. You get what you pay for; and for the beers I enjoyed their quality makes the expense of some of them (Mikkeller kegs, for instance) seem less extreme. However another reviewer seems to suggest enjoying these when someone else's getting the round in - wish I'd thought of that.
Jokes aside this is a welcome new addition to London's beer map and it deserves to make a success of this venture.
Be aware that food is limited to pork pies and scotch eggs, but there is a fast food shop over the road that's open until around 10.
|
On the plaque outside it says there are 37 craft beers and 300 bottled beers. It was really busy on my visit and I cant wait until the newly opened buzz dies down so I can be served quickly and enjoy my beer. I think I will make this a regular haunt.
|
Simply stunning. Visited on opening night and we drank like kings from the opening Ilkley Mary Jane, through the lipsmacking new Magic Rock beers, ending on the awe-inspiring Southern Tier IIPA and Chokolat.
My only concern is that I will surely neglect a number of other fine London pubs for not being able to tear myself away from this beer cornucopia.
|
I called in for the first time on saturday night after hearing this was the best new cask ale place in town.
I was not disappointed the range and quality was just superb.
Perhaps the price was a bit on the expensive side but it is well worth it for a good pub. It compares well with pubs of the class of the Rake and the Southampton Arms and is a must visit for any refined beer drinkers in London.
|
A truly amazing and overwhelming feeling when first entering this pub and seeing the bar, there cannot be a more impressive bar in the country. As already mentioned it is without doubt the finest range of beer available in the UK.
Fifteen real ales, one real cider and twenty one keg beers and a thick 'bible' for a beer menu of the bottled beers. I thought �3.40 for a pint of ale was very reasonable for this area and especially for beers of this quality. When it comes to the keg and bottled beers its certainly a different matter, however the beers available in most cases have never been in this county before. I think when it comes to specialist beers its tricky subject, its one thing to be over charged for a belgian beer like Chimay or American beer like Sierra Nevada which are common these days, but when we are talking about beers from De Struise, Stillwater or Mikkeller its bit different. When one considers what beers these guys have managed to source, it is reasonable the prices they are charging. It is quite simply a stunning line up of beers, one of the finest you could find in all of Europe.
The pub is beautiful with a very traditional ground floor and wonderful modern first floor lounge perfect to chill out in and i congratulate the guys from CASK in Pimlico on this new venture.
|
This establishment has by far and away the best selection of beers~cask, bottle and keg in the whole of the United Kingdom: end of story; on that account~exceptional...wow; but the prices are uber-expensive. The prices are way, way overly-priced: I say that unequivocally.
Don't respond with the unnecessary and uncalled-for typical go-drink-your99p-Ruddles-with-the-pikeys-at-Wetherpoon's-type insults: I totally and utterly grasp the concept of you-get-what-you-pay-for/quaity costs. I'm not ill-informed/naive/cheap/not interested in quality (I certainly am, and not a lowest-common-denominater drinker), and I get it: something which is all of these things: strong ABV, from a small company, not a mass-producer; made in small or smallish batches, had to be imported into the country... will obviously cost more money; the issue isn't that they cost more money, the issue is how much more.
Some of the cask beers cost more than you'd be charged for the selfsame beer elsewhere~even in the posher City pubs, or in the heart of the West End, but it's within tolerance levels: you'd think a quick 'oww-ahh' to yourself, but then be: 'oh, well, not to worry', and carry on; whereas, all of the other beers are out-and-out overly-charged for. I get economies of scale, and am an experienced speciality-beer drinker, so recognise the difference of what's on offer, and what's involved, but this is just expensive~in some cases, prohibitively expensive.
I'd expect beers of this sort to cost more; and I'd expect prices in general to be higher at a trendy/fairly-up-market pub/middle-class-character pub, as oppossed to a boozer, but it's the extent.
You expect to be charged a premium for quality, and rightly so; but there's a certain point at which paying more for quality becomes over-charging.
I'll happily pay more for quality, but not over the odds for quality.
|
Here for the 1st time last week.
Totally awesome venue. Huge line up of cask ales with all of them "on". Their "house" pale ale from Kent Brewery was top class and so was Fyne Ales Jarl. Was there 9pm-10pm very full despite most local businesses having closed hours earlier. Friendly staff and some customers looked quite "recognisable" from London's other top pubs. Well done to the Cask team for giving London another prime pub, and it's worth a special journey to visit. Not the cheapest pub in the whole world, but you'll not do too badly if you stick to the cask ales at the lower strength end. I'll definately be back, and hope to try out a keg or two when it's a mate's round :)
|
Clearly a good pub, pint of Jarl I'm currently drinking is wonderful. While cask beers are on the edge of acceptable prices the bottles are prohibitive. Forget the foreign beers unless you've remortgaged and even Kernel starting at �4.80 is the best part of a quid more than the Old Fountain.
|
A very welcome addition to London beer scene, located to restore the Holborn/Fleet St area to its former glories as a top crawl.
15 ales, all interesting, 21 draught beers, ditto, over 100 bottled beers, ditto. Prices are based on strength, and rake up steeply for stronger ales.The bar staff are knowledgable and easily able to make a recommendation.
The Interior is modern, but not brashly so, with dark colours and mirrors.As others have noted, there is a lack of seating that is not fairly high or low down,which could be offputting to some.
Thanks to the C&K people for the pub, and to BITE to alerting me about its existence days after it opened.
|
Another plus on the London beer scene. Nice place with a terrific selection of beers.
Be warned, its not cheap. I hope the location will provide plenty of business at weekends and evenings
|
When I first started seeing the term 'craft beer' it was always in articles about the new flavoursome beers being produced by US microbreweries. In more recent times the term has been linked to the more exciting new UK breweries like Thornbridge and BrewDog. With this in mind (and having read the preceding reviews) I had high hopes for my first visit to the Craft Beer Co. While not quite living up to expectations the experience was generally a good one. There are sixteen handpumps - the majority of the beers being dispensed were from breweries I had never heard of. I started with a pint of Fyne Ales Avalanche, normally a good pint, but this one had diacetyl. My second pint, Crouch Vale Yakima Gold was much better. I also tried the Otley Thai-Bo, an unusual beer with hints of lemongrass, but very drinkable. Prices for the cask beers are reasonable for this part of London.
There are at least ten keg taps dispensing slightly more expensive brews. My companion and I tried the Southern Tier Double IPA (�3.95 for a half pint). It was delicious and a good session closer.
As noted this is a proper pub with a huge Charringtons mirror, a chandelier and a unique mirrored ceiling. There is fixed raised seating and high tables - never my favourite as I've mentioned before. Previous reviews suggest that the team behind CASK pub & kitchen are involved in this place. I wholly endorse their latest venture and shall return very soon.
|
Surprised to see this place listed on here, so soon after opening. With 15 cask ales, a real cider and a multitude of foreign beers in bottles and on keg, this is a beer lovers paradise. On our visit last Friday afternoon, we managed to grab the last table before the place started to fill up rapidly. Word will soon get around that this pub is a good option. It feels more like a pub than the Cask and for me is better in that it offers a real cider on one of its 16 handpulls. Apparently a second cider will be added soon. Beers on were Kent Clerkenwell Pale, Crouch Vale Yakima Gold, Fyne Avalanche, Fiddler's Gold & Maverick, Green Demon Helles, Daleside Bitter & Blonde, Bristol Beer Factory Independence, Oakham Citra, Ilkley Mary Jane, Dark Star Original, Ridgeside Rushmore, Five Towns Solstice & Otley Thai-Bo. The cider was Burrow Hill. I particularly liked the porter and the 11.1% chocolate stout from the keg. The mirrored ceiling is impressive. The only drawback I can see for this place is its size. Similar to the Southampton Arms in Gospel Oak and the Harp in Covent Garden, I can see this pub becoming a victim of its own success and too busy to fully enjoy. But it's well worth a try.
|
Visited last night (Saturday). Was busy, but not uncomfortably so. Very polite staff and a superb array of beers, cask and keg.
All power to them, more of this please, London.
|
Very impressed but not surprised after the success of their sister pub The Cask Pub and Kitchen in Pimlico.
This one has more of a traditional pub feel with a beer selection and quality of presentation second to none.
It is only day three and if it gets any better prepare to die and go to heaven.
Well done Martin, Peter and the team
|
I hope they consider opening on a Sunday. I will be giving it a visit in about three weeks time, so I will leave comment after that.
|
@ ReinnCarnation - of course 2011 - must've still been hungover!
|
I had the pleasure and privilege of visiting here on a pre-opening press night, and quickly set about working my way through the cavalcade of top-quality draught beers in a thorough and professional manner.
My God they were good. And the rather spiffy branded glasses have room for a full measure plus a head � a sure signal for the beer drinker that he's come to a place where he's understood.
I would concur with Lad Newton about the refurb, though the seats are a bit Travelodge. The antique mirrored ceiling is a cracker, and I liked the Craft Beer Co wallpaper.
The real revelation for me, though, was the keg beers. It was late by the time I got on to those, and I may have had one over the eight, as they used to say round my way, but I was blown away.
CAMRA has recently been gnashing its teeth over the craft keg beer issue. And it seems they have decided to leave the keg people out in the cold. Could this be a Lutheran moment in the church of beer? Is a schism imminent?
Inevitably, some enterprising man or woman will come along and start a new organisation for lovers of craft beers of all stripes. If so, they could do worse than to nail their mission statement onto the front door of the Craft Beer Co, for this wonderful pub is surely destined to become the capital's new cathedral of beer.
Praise the Lor- I mean cheers!
|
" Visited on the opening night 29th June 2010"
Should that read "2011", or did it take twelve months to write your report?
|
Visited on the opening night 29th June 2010. Elegantly restored traditional corner pub, with some notable interior features including a mirrored ceiling and stained glass windows.
A vast selection of no fewer than SIXTEEN cask and 21 keg beers available, all kept excellently. House ale by Kent Brewery; house lager by Mikkeller front a range second to none in London.
The team have gone to extraordinary lengths to put their stamp on the place: staff wore company clothing, corporate beer mats are available and all glassware carries the CRAFT badge. This pub adds a new geographical focus to craft beer drinking in London, and thoroughly deserves to succeed, which it will. Well done, Martin and the team!
|
