London Pub Tour 24 - Strand: Champagne Charlie's (Revisit), Coal Hole and Savoy Tup

A Wednesday after work I decided to make a quick pop over to central (Strand) and tick off a couple more pubs on my London Pub Tour. My first stop though was a revisit to Champagne Charlie's (WC2R 0BA) which I had visited previously, and for my very first time, in London Pub Tour 6. For those of you who haven't (or don't wish to) read my previous visit, I shall give a brief description of Champagne Charlie's. The pub is just off the pedestrian walkway between Charing Cross station and Embankment. The entrance is just a door way downstairs into a cellar bar. The pub is actually quite spacious and serves two ales alongside a few lagers.

Last time I visited around the same time, and again the pub wasn't busy with only 3 other customers in there drinking. The same beers were available as the previous visit (Meantime, London Pale Ale, Old Wallop and Whitstable Bay). As the Old Wallop went down so well last time, particularly with the tankard, I opted for it again, and it didn't disappoint. Served once again in a tankard with a nice head and good flavour, it went down well. I sat in the seating area just to the left upon entering, which gave a view down the corner and a better view of all the seating on offer. Whilst drinking nobody else popped down, and this pub has certainly gone on my list for a nice place to enjoy a quiet read and pint on a early evening.

After finishing up I went back to the surface and down the Strand to the Coal Hole (WC2R 0DW). The Coal Hole is a Nicholson's pub facing onto the main road amongst theatres and restaurants. The pub itself is built into the Savoy hotel complex, but isn't part of nor does it have a direct link to the hotel. The exterior has been kept in good condition and certainly fits with the lights of the surrounding theatres. Inside the pub was heaving. Fighting my way through to the bar I seen the usual lager offers from Nicholson's of Peroni, Meantime Pale Ale, Camden Hells, Carling and others. On the ale front they had Pride, Nicholson's Pale Ale, White Ale and Musselburgh Broke. As I'd never seen the Musselburgh Broke by Knops Beer Company, it was clearly the beer I went for. This was a nice dark Scottish ale that wasn't complex in flavours, and was just simple and easy to glup.

The inside of the Coal Hole is actually very nice, and is certainly more enjoyably when less busy, though this is a very popular pub. This is a small upper level in the pub with some nice paintings but also a view across the pub and of the hanging lights. Sadly this is the most popular area so is difficult to get seating there even on non-busy days. The bar is large but even on busy days like this it's not enough to cope with the competing demands of thirsty customers. As it was so busy and noisy I wolfed down my pint and made my escape onto the Savoy Tup (WC2R 0BA).

I've not actually been to the Savoy Tup previously and never actually seen the frontage to it. The pub is just off the Strand and only a short walk from the Coal Hole. The pub was also busy but not heaving and I was able to find a resting point to put down my drink. The drink selection was varied though only two out of the four hand pumps on, but offering up Hophead and Talisman by Pilgrim. On keg they offered Angelo Poretti, Becks Vier, Riegele, Erdinger and San Miguel. Though I instead was drawn to the the can beers I could see from Backyard Brewing. I ended up selecting The Lawn Mower which came in at 4.8%. It was a pilsner beer with hints of grass clippings taste, which I guess is the reasoning for calling it Lawn Mower, though it was so subtle it didn't impact upon what was a good tasting pilsner.

The Savoy Tup was decorated quite traditional, and had a dinning room and the toilets upstairs. The clientele were mainly suits but the atmosphere didn't come across like many others that way (The Guineas for example). Sadly my quick whistle stop tour of two new pubs and a revisit was over as my phone rang and I had to be on my merry way. The Coal Hole is certainly recommended during less busy times, and the Tup will be one I would revisit for some of the beers I seen there.

London Pub Tour 23 - Enfield: Cricketers and The Plough

This is a tale of two McMullens, which I visited on different days for food and an accompanying drink. The first of the McMullens would classify as a theme pub and you can guess the theme from the name, The Cricketers (EN2 6QA). The pub is set just off from the main road with you having to walk down a small road/drive to get to it. You're straight away greeted with the sign saying LBW, (Lager, Beers and Wines) which gives away that a cricket theme awaits you. The pub is in a large detached house with a white picket fence around it. The doors are in the centre and as you walk in the large bar stretches out to either side of you. The keg beers are dispensed from metal taps, but bizzarely there is no branding or pump clips visible, and you have to look closely at the tapsto see the names engraved on.

To both sides of the bar there are tables and seating, and you can see this pub is majority food led. To the left the pub goes backwards and has small tables and the toilets. To the right are some large tables, and a raised area with some smaller tables. The pub operates on the principle of order at the bar and they deliver to your table. I went for the dirty chilli burger and as it was slightly difficult to read the keg beers I choose from the ale selection a pint of AK. I've drunk all the year round McMullens before, but am always unsure which I prefer, and now I've made a mental note it's not AK. It tasted very watery, as it perhaps should at only 3.7%.

Adorning the walls all over the pub were cricket related photos, drawings, caricatures and items. I did look at a few of them and some were mildly interesting. The majority of people at the people were dinning and I was lucky to get a table. The food didn't take too long to arrive but sadly it didn't impress. I had ordered the beef burger with chilli beef, but rather than put the chilli beef on top of the burger, it was underneath, which results in a soggy bun, and being unable to pick up the burger. So I had to resort to flipping it quickly and eating upside down, and clearing the mess on the plate with my cutlery. The food otherwise was ok, but overall the watery beer and soggy burger didn't hit the right spot.

My next McMullens pub meal was a few weeks later at The Plough (EN2 9DJ) on a Sunday. The name The Plough seems quite common amongst McMullen's pubs but I guess that comes from being in a rural area. I arrived at the pub around 1:30pm and it was buzzing with customers. Upon walking through the two glass doors you arrive at the small reservation desk who took my name and pointed me to the bar for waiting. This was appreciated as it permitted me to peruse the beers on offer. On keg there was Fosters, Strongbow, Guinness, Amstel, Peroni, Camden Hells and Aspalls. Whilst on Hand Pump they offered AK, Country, IPA and a guest beer from Rivertown - Imperial IPA. I obviously went for a pint of the Imperial IPA. Sadly the pint didn't live up to expectations. It was smooth and had a lovely head but it lacked any hop flavour at all.

The pub itself is a large country pub with a large car park outside and a big garden which includes a children's play area. It's situated right next to a number of Garden Centres so is popular all week long for lunches. The majority of the table seating is to the left of the bar where there is some seating inside the original bar. Towards the front the decor seems to be brick support walls with  some decorative wood beams attached. Whilst towards the rear it comes across as a slightly rustic theme, with the odd trinket on the walls, including a birdcage, and part sanded painted walls. It wasn't too long before I was taken to my table which was in the conservatory. The conservatory looks out onto their garden, but is slightly different than expected as it has wood planks on the ceiling.

As it was Sunday, it's customary to order a Sunday Roast, and this I did, though the table service. I went for the roast pork, and it certainly was a big dish with a perfect yorkshire, lots of veg, cauliflower cheese (which I'm not a huge fan of) and the lovely roasties. Now my normal pub photography isn't great, so I'm not going to include any food photography as it certainly won't do the food any justice. During the course of my meal I ordered a half pint of the McMullen's Original IPA and this was served in a tulip glass. This beer wasn't hoppy either, but as it didn't advertise itself as 'imperial' I wasn't concerned. I assumed McMullen's pubs use sparklers as their beers always have beautiful heads and fantastic lacing. Though I do feel at both venues that their ales were slightly lacking in flavour/taste.

Sadly the half pint turned out to be my desert as I was too full to even have a go at anything on their menu. The full service, the quality of the food and the light and not noisy surroundings of The Plough certainly trumped the Cricketers, but as a rural pub their mainly geared up to do food, so it's no surprise they excel in this. The Plough is defintely an establishment I would like to go back to again on a week day evening to see how busy they are, and whether their normal food menu hits the same level as their Sunday.

London Pub Tour 22 - Belgravia: Grenadier, Greenwoods, Fox & Hounds, Rose & Crown

This pub tour started off with a visit to the Grenadier (SW1X 7NR) during a quiet lunchtime. In a residential cul-de-sac (Mews) in one of the embassy quarters in London the Grenadier can be a hard pub to find, as the small street down towards it doesn't let on what awaits at the end. The blue fronting with the red door up the steps, and the red sentry post stand out from a distance. Up the stairs and through the door, and the small bar is directly in front of you. On this trip they were offering up Abbot, Wherry, Pride and Ghost ship on hand pump and London Pilsner, Hop House, Stella, Guinness, Fosters, Peroni and 1664 on Keg. The bottle selecton offered was limited, so I settled for a pint of the Woodforde's Wherry at £4.80. The Wherry was up to its usual par, and I drink I do enjoy, and sadly feel has been discredited due the prevalence of Wherry home brew kits.

The pub itself is quite small. The front bar area is wood floor has some seating on either side, but also down on either side of the bar are further seating areas. The area to the left is the dinning area, which is carpeted and all the tables were marked as reserved though wasn't busy on this visit. After grabbing a table in the corner, I sipped and enjoy the Wherry whilst looking around at the pub interior. One thing that obviously stands out with this pub is all the bank notes from the varying countries stuck to the ceiling with messages written on them from visiting customers. This carries through into the dinning area as well. There were a few shelves with books in the corner I was sat in, so I browsed through a few of them. As I still had time to spare I stayed at the Grenadier for a second lunchtime beer, and selected a pint of Abbott ale at £4.90. As a Greene King beer this obviously isn't to my taste, but tasted much better than I remembered, with some nice toffee flavour. After this pint it was back to the grind of work.

After work it was time to head to Greenwoods (SW1E 5LB) a bar that had opened in the new Victoria Nova development. The pub had only opened a few days prior and I could see had a few things on tap that I fancied trying. When walking into the pub I was surprised to see that it also contained a Barbers and Brow Bar. Both of these opened up, without doors, into the pub and food area, which I couldn't understand as being hygienic. The only saving grace I guess would be, being able to take your beer in whilst getting your hair cut, but don't ask me how you ensure no hair gets into your drink. After this unusual sight it was time to finally see what beers they offered. The downstairs bar was a large oval shape and the beers are repeated on all sides. No ale is served but on tap they did offer a varied selection of beers from Amstel and Heineken, through to Pogo by Wild Beer and Harbour Larger. I decided to keep it sensible following on from the two at lunch and stick to a lower percentage, so selected Lucky Penny at 4% which was £5 for the pint (Quite reasonable for central London craft beer). There was nothing standout with the Lucky Penny, you could perhaps say it was a little bland.

After wondering around the downstairs, which was large, but aside from the bar area felt more geared up for food, I decided to check out the Sports Bar upstairs. Now the sports bar was advertised as having five large screens and two jumbo screens, so you can see all the action. It turns out the Jumbo screens are not in addition to, but are actually part of the five. Even with this, it seems like the placement of the screens, particularly for a sports bar, was an after thought. The three large screens were behind the bar, but the height wasn't that great, so anyone sitting at a table would have their view perhaps blocked by those ordering at the bar. One of the jumbo screens was placed down low and seemed setup more for those that booked the sofas infront of it, whilst the final screen was placed down in the games area, and seemed the only sensible one. The sports bar area was also much smaller than I thought and had less seating than required as became evident later.

As I was one of the first upstairs I grabbed a seat on one of the large high tables. These tables seat about 8 people and was the smallest of the tables offered. After finishing up my pint I went to the bar and ordered a pint of the Pogo by Wild Beer. This was a marked step up in price at £6.20, for what was still a 4% beer. Whilst ordering my pint I again noticed what I felt was poor planning and after thoughts. The bar is set out like an american bar where there are sinks and other elements in the way of the taps for the bar tenders. The taps were actually so far away the barmaid struggled to pour correctly. She would push the pint glass out then turn the tap on. Once pouring finishing she would push it slightly closer to the customer, but at this stage she was at full reach. This doesn't seem a comfortable way to serve, and alongside this as she wasn't holding the beer glass, she had no control over tilting it, and controlling the head.

I took my pint back to the table and had a glance through their menu. At this stage I noticed they actually listed all their beers (Keg & Bottle) and seen I'd selected the highest priced keg beer, haha. The beer actually started out tasting good but then seemed to lose its flavour as it went along. Greenwoods sports bar is competing with the Sports Bar & Grill just across the road in Victoria station. The beer offering and pricing is much better, but the layout for watching sports is nowhere near the level available in the Sports Bar & Grill.

Photo by Ewan Munro

Greenwoods was starting to get too busy and taking up a table that could seat 8 seemed a bit ridiculous so it was time to head onto another venue. Skipping most of the pubs in Victoria as there would be too much of an after work crowd I made my way to the Fox and Hounds (SW1W 8HR) just off Sloane Square. This is a small old Charrington's pub on a street corner in a residential road, that is now a Young's. This pub's claim to fame is that it was the last in London to apply for a spirit licence. The whole pub is cosy and small, but the bar itself is also small. The number of taps at this pub has increased in the last year to include beers such as Coast to Coast and Three Hop alongside the standard offering of Estrella, Amstel, Guinness and Thatchers. There are four hand pumps but on this visit only three were in action offering up Tickenham's Grandstand, Special and Bitter. I was still being good and keeping the abv steady and low, so selected an Amstel.

The bar in the pub is side on to the front door. The front section of the pub has a two tables, with one of the tables actually covering over the entrance to the cellar for the beer delivery. Interestingly on a delivery day they pull forward the table and the bench under the front window. This then reveals that under the window are doors that open up to the outside, allowing the draymen to pass through the beer to the cellar entrance. Further back into the pub are a few more small tables, before the sofa area and a book cabinet. There are paintings on the walls throughout the pub, and above the sofa area there is a sky light, as this is the extension onto the original bar. The bar felt quite busy with about 15 people and I was lucky to get a seat. I would certainly recommend visiting this small little pub, but just avoid coming during the Chelsea Flower Show.

Photo by Ewan Munro

After finishing up my pint I decided to move on and get to one last pub, which was just a few minutes walk away. The Rose & Crown (SW1W 8BU) is situated on the busy through road from Chelsea bridge to Sloane Square. There is outside picnic bench seating though even on a nice day, the noise of the road wouldn't tempt me to sit out here. This pub was packed with workers many from the nearby building site, however I was still served almost immediately. The pub offer Pride and Doombar on hand pump, whilst on keg there was Guinness, Strongbow, 1664, Fosters, Carling, Peroni, Stella and Birra. I stepped it up a notch on the ABV for this pint and went for a Stella along with a pack of prawn cocktail Tayto's. The pub feels like an old school Irish boozer with the carpet and seats. There was a pool table and jukebox on one side of the pub. The bar is not facing out towards the street, but is facing inwards, so to see whats on tap you need to come in.

I managed to find a small table and sat down there to enjoy my snack and lager. The pub had a menu, and it appears to be offering Thai food, except for the traditional roast on Sunday's. Being the nearest pub to the Chelsea Pensioner's they offer a discount and also have some collect boxes for the poppy appeal. During my stay the pub got even busier, to the point of being rammed. I decided to call it time, and I certainly knew I had a good run of beer and pubs that day. Sadly I forgot to take any photos when in either the Fox and Hounds or the Rose, probably due to the volume of alcohol I had consumed. Also, just to note that this was the first Friday in February, so I expected the pubs to be busy and they lived up to my expectations.

London Pub Tour 21 - Mayfair: Guinea, Coach & Horses and Burlington Arms

Photo by Ewan Munro

I actually assist CAMRA by delivering London Drinker magazine every two months to a selection of pubs in central London around the Piccadilly area. Delivering the magazine gives me the perfect opportunity to visit a varying selection of pubs (both on the route and off the route) along with discovering some pubs I wouldn't have previously. I'll cover some of the other pubs in the route throughout the next few months, as sometimes I don't always get to stop and drink due to time pressures.

After trudging across London with a box of Magazines and coming out of Green Park station with the rain beginning to drop, I was glad to finally arrive at the Guinea (W1J 6NL). Now the Guinea is probably the least favourite pub on my route mainly due to the typical customer. As expected the pub was rammed inside with lots of suits. This is a very small pub and mainly does good trade during good weather as everyone can stand on the quiet cobbled road outside drinking. It's based in an old mews, and has what I can only assume is a posh grill restaurant upstairs based on the doorman in his outfit.When walking in the pub door, you see how small the pub is, with the bar just to your left. There is seating against the front window and a sofa area just behind the bar. Then there is a little standing area along the walk next to the entrance, and that's about all the space inside.

Photo by Alan Stanton

The Guinea is a Young's pub and as such they have Young's ale on (Special and Bitter) and also Sambrooks Pale Ale. They also have 6 kegs serving up Guinness, Amstel, 1664, Estrella, Camden Pale and Heineken. I went for a pint of Estrella which was okay, and standard lager. Looking behind the bar it was strange to see they had jars of Pickled Eggs and Onions, which I assume they were selling. The rain started to let off and the suits made their way outside with their drinks for a smoke. After drinking my pint quickly, I made my way onto the next venue I was dropping the booklets at, The Coach & Horses (W1J 6PT).

The Coach & Horses is a Taylor Walker turned Green King pub. It stands out amongst the other buildings around it due to its design and height. It's a stand alone, slim, tudor beamed pub. This is one of my favourite looking pubs from the outside, due to the contrast with its surroundings. The front entrance is not in use, and you have to use the side door. The building is slim on front and actually gets wider as it goes back. The bar area is small and there is some tight seating surrounding it. There are some small tables against the partition wall separating the larger and more spacious dinning area from the bar area.

Photo by Ewan Munro

The bar was offering up Exmoor Dark, 1730 and Ruddles. They had in Keg Camden Pale & hells, Hogstar, Peroni, 1664 and Fosters. I picked up a half of Exmoor Dark which was dark-ish in colour and smelt very good. Not sure if lager previously impacted upon my tasting of the beer, as it felt quite plan. The pub wasn't too busy and so I found a small table and a seat in the bar area. Looking at the bar, the top had loads of pump clips showing off beers they'd sold previously. Sadly now as a Greene King it stocks more Greene King ales and only has one guest.

After finishing up the half I moved on to my final stop for this delivery batch, the Burlington Arms (W1S 2JL). The pub is down a cul de sac just off Bond Street and out the back of Burlington Arcade. The pub isn't large on the inside but does have an upstairs dinning area. This place is frequented by suits just like the Guinea and it was busy on this day with customers.

The pub does have an automated brewing machine, and I remember talking about this with a representative from the company at this pub over a year ago. I don't believe I've had any of their own brewed beers during my previous visits. On this visit there were 6 ales on including Good Old Boy, Market Porter and Edinburgh Castle. On the keg front they had Rothaus, Harpoon IPA, Goose IPA, Pilsner Urquell, West Coast IPA, Mosaic Pale, Amstel, Heineken, Cote Breton Brut Cidre and Guinness. I opted for a pint of the Rothaus which was a beautiful pint. After my Rothaus I stayed for one more drink as something in the fridge had caught my attention. I didn't know the name of the beer but liked the can design, so ordered based on that. What I ordered was Ægir India Pale Ale by Ægir Bryggeri. The can was a ring pull which completly comes off, and as I was unaware of strength required I did spill a little. I poured the beer into a glass and enjoyed the hoppy pale ale-ness of it. I've since seen further beers by the same brewery and have been tempted to pick them up, but have thus far resisted.

London Pub Tour 20 - Enfield Town: The Old Wheatsheaf, The Stag, King's Head and The George

Photo by Bone007

This pub tour was again on the outskirts of London, in Enfield. I started just outside the town, at The Old Wheatsheaf (EN2 6SE) which is a short walk down the hill from Enfield Chase Station. The pub is split into two sides, with no access between the two. The newer side is the door you'll arrive at first from the station, and also provides access to the rear garden. I however prefer the older side, which you enter through a latched front door, which is unusual to find at a London pub. The pub feels like its had a lick of paint recently, but still feels aged. The small bar is facing you straight on as you enter, only a few paces away. To the right and stretching down the back is seating. There is wood flooring around the bar area, and the seating area is carpeted.

On tap there was Guinness, Amstel, Becks, 1664, Fosters, Heineken and Carlsberg. There were three hand pumps offering up 6X, Tribute and Courage. I selected to start the night with the 6X as it was only 4.1%. I hadn't had 6X in years, and its a decent sessionable pint. After the 6X I moved across to have a pint of Heineken. The pub wasn't too busy, but I seen the poster on the wall advertising quiz night at 7pm, so decided to move on before any participants started to appear. I moved down the hill, to the top end of Enfield Town and stopped off at The Stag (EN2 6PH).

Photo by Bob Osborn

The first time I actually went into The Stag was last year and it was just a quick stop off after coming off the bus at the bus station opposite. On that day the pub was empty apart from a small after wedding ceremony going on. Tonight there were no other customers in the pub, though some customers did arrive to check in to their rooms above the pub. The Stag has been through quite a few different managers over the years, and has been refurbished a few years back after a fire. The refurbishment involved giving the interior a more modern, minimalist look. There are no ales served and on tap they offered up Becks, Shipyard, San Miguel, Fosters, Carlsberg, Peroni, Guinness and Thatchers. I went for the pint of Shipyard and took a seat over in the sofa area.

As the pub was quite empty the bar man came over and joined in for a chat. We began discussing the history of the pub and in particular the historic unsolved murder in 1816 of John Draper. Draper was a beadle who had been out collecting money earlier in the day and had already been kicked out of a pub in Barnet. He made his way with a new accomplice to the Bald Faced Stag where he proceeded to drink and in the process pick fights with most of the other customers. When he didn't return home that night his wife called the police and they discovered his body in the well at the rear of the pub, minus his pocketbook and money. The police were unable to pin the murder on anybody as they all had a reason for murdering him, but all backed up each other's story. The bar man explained where the well can be found. It was a very interesting discussion and certainly added to the allure of the pub. After another pint of Shipyard it was time to move on to catch the second half of the football.

I made my way down into the Town Centre, and in particular to the market square where the King's Head (EN2 6LL) can be found. This pub was closed for numerous years and I believe re-opened in 2015. This is quite a large pub with some outside covered tables. Walking in the door and the large bar which I can't describe as Horseshoe, but which wraps around the bar and all the way towards the back, is the first thing you see. The pub has an Irish feel to it, meaning a pub where your certain to find Irish sports on. The pub is split into sections with privacy screens between the areas, some with stained glass. Walking towards the rear and you arrive at the dinning area, which used to have a canoe hanging from the ceiling, for what reasons I'm unsure, but since has been removed.

The pub has 4 hand pumps which on this visit were offering up Bombardier, London Glory, Greene King IPA and London Tap. I selected a pint of London Tap from New River Brewery, as never heard of the brewery before and they're local. The pint was drinkable but nothing really stood out. It had a hoppy taste and aroma but not much else to distinguish it from other similar beers. I certainly wouldn't say no to drinking it if given the choice, but it wouldn't be a first choice. So much so that my next beer was from their keg selection. They offered up a variety of the mainstream beers you see in London including Guinness, Stella, Amstel, Peroni, Heineken, Hop House 13 and Hells. I went for a pint of Camden Hells, only reason being that Camden Brewery will be moving to their Enfield Brewery soon (So you can see my thought process at this stage).

The pub was busy with lots watching the football on the many TVs dotted around the pub. There must have been 40+ people, so it was at that level you have space still. The pub is owned by the Enfield Market Trust who lease it out. This pub always seems to have a good number of people and has managed to become a very popular pub in the town centre. The other competing pub is just across the road and is where I went next, The George (EN2 6LE). The George is definitely a busy pub during the day and after work, but was particularly empty this night. They sometimes have DJs and clear to make a dance floor, and as such, the pub seems neglected in caring for its furniture or even the smell.

The beer range is standard with a few ales on offer, which included Sly Fox, Rudolph's Reward, Doombar and Greene King IPA. The kegs included beers such as Punk IPA, Stella, John Smiths, Carlsberg and Carling. The pub reminds me slightly of a spoons with the large single level open plan pub, though it has been this way long before spoons made that style famous. I sat down and had a pint of Stella, though slightly reached the decision that maybe I should have called it a night at the King's Head and not moved on. As it was quite late and many pubs in, I didn't have many notes for this pub. After finishing most of my pint I called it a night and got a cab home. All in all a nice variety of pubs were covered, with three that were different but enjoyable and the last a place that isn't on my re-visit list.

Beers to note - January 2017

So there were less pub visits in January than a typical month, mainly due to friends being on Dry January or just not going out due to over expenditure in December. Alongside this I didn't drink too many beers outside of the pub. Just to put this into perspective I had a look through my Untappd stats and for last year my average number of drinks a month was 58 (which obviously doesn't take into account measure e.g. halves, 330ml or pints). For January 2017 my drink total was a lowly 39 which did include a few bottles. So below are my beers to note from January 2017.


Santa Paws (BrewDog) - 4.5% | Keg Pint
This was the beer I used to break my New Year duck and ensure I don't follow Dry January. A Christmas beer in January is normally to be avoided after a certain stage by 2nd January is acceptable. I had this beer previously in bottle format but the keg version was far superior as the flavours were more powerful and better aroma. I hope BrewDog have this one out again next year as its definitely one of the seasonable beers I will look for next year.






Organic Cherry Ale (Samuel Smith's) - 5.1% | Bottle 355ml
I didn't even realise this beer was 5% until checking it out for this list. I do like Sam Smith drinks and these fruit beers are no exception. The only problem with them is the high price they always charge, but the beers are always amazing. Cherry has to be one of my favourite as the smell and taste are so perfect, and what I expect from a fruit beer. It's actually quite refreshing to drink, though certainly not sessionable.






Cake Boy Hazelnut Ale (Meantime) - 5.0% | Keg Pint
This beer is from the Pilot Series that Meantime brew and was a special one for the winter period. They have done a fantastic job in capturing that amazing hazelnut taste when sipping the beer, along with some nice malt and chocolaty-ness. This is a beer I would recommend to try but again not something I would consider sessionable.







Hibernate (To øl) - 6.0% | Bottle 330ml
This was one of those beers that you pick up to try and once you open, you wish it was in a bigger bottle or you picked up more. This was a beautiful hoppy wheat beer and I'm not sure what else to say. If you can get your hands on this, do!






Sussex Best Bitter (Harveys) - 4.0% | Cask Pint
This beer is always a beautiful drink, and never disappoints. Harveys brew some wonderful beers but this as a flagship is flawless, and when served in perfect condition in cask cannot be beaten. Easily sessionable.





Old Ale (Harveys) - 4.3% | Cask Pint
Another Harveys beer, and again a great pint served in perfect condition. The beer is dark but light and easy to drink. I haven't tried the bottle version which is a lower ABV of 3.6%, which I'm concerned could impact the flavour, so would suggest sticking with the cask if found. Easily sessionable.







Coconut Porter (Old Hands) - 6.0% | Cask Half
The beer pours dark. There is no real aroma coming off the beer but the taste of the beer is distinctly coconut. The coconut came through and fitted perfectly with the beer. I wouldn't say this was a refreshing pint but I did enjoy the coconut taste which they perfected.

Ægir India Pale Ale (Ægir Bryggeri)  - 6.5%| Can 330ml

I firstly liked the design of the can, which was eye catching. Also the ring pull takes off the whole top half of the can like on a soup can. I admit I did pull a bit too hard and split a little of this precious liquid. It was a nice hoppy pale ale, and one I wouldn't mind trying again, maybe in keg format....a trip to Norway beckons I reckon.

London Pub Tour 19 - Wandsworth: Cat's Back and The Ship

Heading south of the river again and this time to Young's Territory, I arrived at Wandsworth Town station. My first stop though was not a Young's pub, and wasn't near the station either, but was one I wished to visit again as part of my London Pub Tour. I made my way about 15 minutes following part of the Thames path to the Cat's Back (SW18 1NN) which is halfway between Wandsworth and Putney, and situated right near one of those new Thames developments.

Sadly I never made it to the Cat's back under the previous owners when there were interesting tit-bits all over the pub, but since 2012 this pub has been owned by Harveys, and is one of only three in London. When I arrived outside the pub, I could see one of the workers outside cropping up wood for the fire. Upon entering the pub the bar is directly in front, to the right and left are tables with seating. On the right at the end of the bar is the open fire, which the worker was tending to. To the left in the corner facing towards the road is a piano, which had a sweet machine atop. The pub has vinyl wall paper on the bottom half of the wall, whilst the top half is either a plain colour or pattern paper. The flooring is wooden block flooring.

There were about as many customers as staff when I walked in and it remained that way for my visit. On tap at the bar there was Guinness, Peroni, Thatchers, Blue Moon and Staropramen. But I wasn't here for the keg stuff, I was here for the cask. There were 5 taps, though one was separate from the other bank of 4, and may have just been a prop. Only the bank of 4 had ales on offering up Sussex Best Bitter, Old Ale, IPA and Wild Hop. I of course started with a pint of the excellent Sussex Best Bitter and it did not disappoint. The body, mouth feel and flavour were all on spot, and made even better sitting opposite a nice crackling open fire.

Harveys is a brewery whose beer I always enjoy, but sadly don't have often enough. My last pint of Harveys was at the GBBF in summer last year, and it was their monsterous Imperial Stout, which likewise is an amazing beer. I was hoping they might have sold bottles at this pub, so I could take a few away, but alas no. After finishing up my lovely pint of Best I thought I'd give Wild Hop a try. Unfortunately this was just out, and so I selected Old Ale instead. The ABV on this is slightly higher at 4.3% and the price was 20p more at £4.20, though still a great price for London. This was a dark beer that was still light and smooth to drink. Not as good as the best, but certainly a well made beer. As I sat down and supped my pint I noticed an extra bit of furniture, the large old suitcase on top of the bar, which I thought a strange addition to the pub, and wonder if it was a nod to the Cat of old.

After finishing up my pint I made my way back along the Thames path towards Wandsworth to The Ship (SW18 1TB). This is a Young's riverside pub, that was at one stage the closest pub to where I lived. Unlike some of the other Young's along the river here, this one is an old pub that has stood here for over 200 years. The outside has a raised decking area with seating, providing a wonderful river spot in the good weather. To accompany this there is an outside bar at busy times, and a burger shake. But as we know this is January, and the outside was empty and everyone was inside.

There are two parts to the pub. I entered via the smaller part of the pub where you see the final tip of the large horse shoe bar. There was one person on this side, and though I normally enjoy sitting here I opted to walk through to the main bar area. Walking through to the main bar, you actually leave the old original pub building and enter a large conservatory. It has all been tastefully built and when the rain is pouring down outside, its a good place to wile away the time. There are a number of function rooms in the pub, in the original building. Connected to the extension is a private dinning area serving up a different menu to the rest of the pub. There was a very nice fire light in the middle of the extension, that added a bit more to the feel of the pub.

On tap there was the usual Young's selection of Estrella, London IPA and Camden Pale, but there was also the addition of London Lager Brewery Fresh and Camden Hells Unfiltered. On Cask they were serving up Pure Gold, Special, Bitter, Winter Warmer, Pump House and Broadside. But I had already been taken by the Camden Hells Unfiltered. To be honest, the pint came out looking very clear and couldn't tell much difference between this and the filtered Hells. Also following on from the two lovely Harveys pints, I don't think this drink stood a chance. I took a seat, though it was had to find one what with the pub being practically empty, yet every table having a reserved sign for people who were due (and even overdue) within the next 30mins.

I think the Ship is a nice pub, and it just depends on the day and the crowd you get. Similarly with the Alma nearby, which I hope to cover in a London Pub Tour, along with some of the other Wandsworth pubs in the next month. So for today it was just the two pubs, but it was all for the Harveys anyways.

London Pub Tour 18 - Vauxhall: Nine Elms Tavern, Riverside, Royal Oak and The Beehive

I was back south of the river again (just) for my next London Pub Tour, taking in some of the pubs in the Vauxhall area. I started by heading slightly down Nine Elms road to one of the newest pubs in the area, Nine Elms Tavern (SW8 5BP). This pub is in the new US embassy district and no doubt once the place opens up later this year, this pub will become busy every evening after work. At present the few occasions I've popped in this place has been empty and this time was no different.

The pub, like most new pubs, is underneath some Thames side flats, facing the river. Upon walking through the doors the bar is directly in front, with all the remainder of the pub accessed by turning right. There is an upstairs with quite a bit of seating, and from this area the design of the pub feels slightly ship based, with the supporting beams feeling like a ships mast. The downstairs has large round booths, with large tables in the middle, allowing big groups of 8 people to sit and drink in comfort. This is by all means a very modern bar in design but it pulls it off well and due to not being noisy/busy is easy to relax in having a quite chat with a friend or reading a book over a pint.

On offer were 3 ales: Winter Warmer, London Gold and Young's Bitter. The lagers offered up included Hells, Peroni, Estrella, London IPA, Guiness, 1664 and Fosters. I surveyed their bottle beer range and selected one of their Briton beers, Atlantic APA. The bottle was 330ml and 5.4% in ABV. I also had a packet of crisps to accompany from the Tyrells range, and the total came to £6.80. The beer was very floral but easy tasting and the hops were not overpowering, which is just the way I like it. There were only about 3 others in the pub, though some did start to arrive as I was finishing off my bottle.

I retraced my route to the Nine Elms tavern, back to Vauxhall and into another Young's Thames pub - Riverside (SW8 2LE). I'm quite familiar with Riverside as when it opened it was the local pub near where my work was based. Much like most of the Young's (Rams) Pub estate the outside hanging sign has been updated to just displaying the initial letter of the pub name, fitting into a scenery that matches. I do appreciate the design work that goes into these signs, but I feel they're less distinct and at a quick glance all you see is a letter, making all the Young's look very similar. I see they continue to update signs in their estate and assume these will happen for all their pubs, just wonder what their doing with the old ones?

Riverside offers a better view of the Thames than the Nine Elms, particularly with the outside heated seating. This wasn't in use today due to it being January, so everyone was inside. It's hard to tell which is the main entrance for this pub, but I walked in the doors from where the seating area is and the bar is at the far side. Along the window facing out to the Thames are lots of comfy seats and smaller tables. On the left there are more seats near an open modern gas fire. Directly opposite and running parallel to the bar is some high cushion seating. To the left of the bar is the dinning area and toilets. The bar is a large oval bar, though the rear is not used for service, and the area behind the bar had single seater booths. These are my preferred seats on busy days as you can seat with a mate with your own table and comfy seat and chat. Sadly the keg and pump selection offered at Riverside was exactly the same as the Nine Elms, except for the addition of a New Year Ale from Young's. I resisted and went for a pint of the London IPA. At £5.30 it's not worth the price, but it at least tasted better than the last pint of it I'd had.

The pub was starting to get busy with after work drinks crowd, so I moved onwards to my next pub the Royal Oak (SE11 5QY) which is a short walk from vauxhall train station heading towards Kennington. This is an Irish style bar, not the Irish theme bar of the 90s but an old school Irish boozer. The pub is not that wide, with the bar on the left and red booth style seating opposite on the right. At the end of the pub is an open  area with table seating. This is where most of the punters were, seated down the end watching the horse racing and Trump's inauguration. On one wall at the end was an electronic advertising display board, near to this was a juke box, quiz machine and a wall with trophies and photos. The pub has a worn look about it, but felt comfortable. There is an outside area for smokers to go. Behind the bar were leprechaun teddies which would hopefully inform those not in the know, that this is a Irish pub.

There were two hand pumps offering either Doombar or Cornish Coaster. On Keg there was a standard offering of Guinness, Guinness Extra Cold, Stella, Fosters, 1664, Carling, Heineken, John Smith and Strongbow. Out of this selection I would normally go for Guinness, Stella, Heineken or Strongbow, which all depends on my mood and the weather. I went for stella and a pack of Tayto's, and was surprised the stella was only £4.30. I relaxed in one of the empty booths and caught a bit of the inauguration, which to be honest wasn't high on my interest agenda. After finishing my pint I made my way round the corner to the Beehive (SE11 5JA).

The Beehive resides on a busy road junction and stands out with its mock tudor beams. The outside of the pub is great to look out but the inside differs entirely from what you may be expecting. The inside is very modern and open plan. The horseshoe bar is right in the centre of the pub, with some sparse sofa seating around the edges. This leaves large spaces around the bar area, which makes sense when you think that this pub is right next to Oval cricket ground. Considering the three pubs I had walked into already I was even more shocked to see that the Beehive was rammed packed with standing room only. On tap the selection was the lowest out of all the pubs today offering Heineken, 1664, Amstel, Fosters, Symmonds and Strongbow Cloudy. On cask there was Pride and Doombar. I selected a pint of Heineken and luckily found a drink resting space in the pub.

Looking around it seemed to be a few different work gatherings, and it's the first time I've seen the Beehive this busy outside of Cricket days. There is a small outside garden through the glass doors for the smokers to gather in. There was some awful club music playing trying to compete with the volume of the customers. After finishing up my pint I headed back to the Royal Oak for another pint of Stella in quieter (yet slightly busier than before) surroundings.

Not much beer choice on this pub tour but overall the pubs themselves were quite good, even if they were at the extremes of busy or quiet.