London Pub Tour 35 - Chelsea: World's End Market, Sporting Page and Kings Arms

So it was time to head back to Chelsea and visit some more of their pubs. My first stop was the World's End Market (SW10 0LR) which is on the main road next to the estate named after the pub, World's End Estate. I've passed this grand building many times which stands out from its surroundings. The pub is grand and stretches upwards with the distinctive red brick design you see in Sloane Square and Victoria. The entrance to the pub is round the side and I easily found this due to two guys walking out for a ciggie. The bar is a few steps in front of you upon walking in and is quite small. There are bar stalls around this small bar, which is where the only customers were all sat. It was at this stage I realised that the pub had become a gastro pub and beyond the bar area was lots of tables entirely for the restaurant. An open kitchen was at the rear with an ice display which sea food would be placed on soon. There was nobody eating in the restaurant and only six people drinking in the bar area. Although mainly a restaurant you can just sit and have drinks, which is exactly what I done, though I did fail at the first hurdle as although they had 5 brass beer taps, none of them had any names that I could visible notice. I asked the barmaid what was on offer and struggled as she quickly said 5 beer names back to back. I could make out Spitfire but didn't fancy that so just ordered the blonde. I believe all the beers were Shep Neame and this distinctly tasted like Whitstable Bay Blonde, but I can't guarantee that.

I grabbed a bar stall and sat at the bar with the others and gazed around the pub. On one wall they had a fishmonger and butcher mural. The rest of the walls had clean white tiles from ceiling to floor. On the floor along the bar there were black and white tiles whilst the remainder of the floor was wooded. There was a comfy looking green sofa all along the outside walls, and from the ceiling hung copper plated lights. The whole decor of the building was beautifully done it's just this no longer felt like a pub. My stay in this venue was short, and made all the more shorter by the man in the glasses seated at the far end of the bar giving me a dead eye stare the whole time. His eyes never seemed to come off me, which just made me feel creeped out and uncomfortable. I quickly drained my pint and left.

I walked through the back streets of Chelsea praying my next stop would be more pub like and welcoming. My next stop was the Sporting Page (SW10 0BH) which I knew showed sport not just because of its name, but as someone I know pops in here. I imagined more a back street boozer than what I was actually graced with. The outside of the pub is painted in a grey charcoal colour and there were some tables outside which were full of drinkers (hence why my picture is side on rather than front on). The outside has gas heaters which is why it was popular. The front entrance doors into the pub are different in that they're coming out towards the street in a V. Upon walking into the pub the bar is straight away and runs all the way down to the side wall on the left. There are a few tables in this space and some stalls at the far end. The majority of the seating though in the pub is off to the right where it's slightly more open. There was a large chalk board on one wall advertising the ales on now and coming soon. There were 6 hand pumps with only three on offering up a choice of Wandle, Junction or Coaster. The coming soons were Twickenham's Naked Ladies and Truman's Swift and Runner. On the bar there was a selection of lagers including Amstel, Estrella, Guinness, Camden Hells, Camden Pale, Neck Oil and Gamma Ray. There was also a Moment of Clarity from Siren which is what I went through.

The Moment of Clarity cost £7.60 which I felt was very steep for a below 5% beer. The beer was enjoyable and I would order again, though perhaps not here. I went to find a table to drink my beer but noted that all had reserved signs, which is something I dislike in pubs. They did however at least have a time on the reserved signs, so I sat on one of the tables which gave me an hour, if required. I looked around the pub in more detail now I was sat down and realised that the bar was actually painted in a dark colour and had tiles on the back bar. Over in the far right hand corner there was a small area hidden around the corner, though I never seen/checked how big it was. On the walls there were some fake bookcase wall papers which I never understand why pubs use. Though across all the other walls were paintings and memorabilia from Horse Racing, Tennis and other sports. This was a really nice cosy pub and I would certainly return though perhaps try a more mainstream beer or perhaps ale. I did note that they had a nice selection of craft beers from both local and America, though I might steer clear of those.

I finished up my pint and left to head north to the main road for my final stop the King's Arms (SW10 9PN). The outside of the pub immediately stood out with its light wood. Walking into the pub and the place stretches back quite a bit and is nice and wide and airy. The bar is straight ahead against the side wall and stretches back the majority of the way. This is a Young's pub though they on their 3 hand pumps they offered Grandstand, Ghost Ship and Young's Bitter.On the keg front there was Chelsea Blonde, Beyond the Pale, Guinness, Yakima Red, Hiver Honey Beer, Amstel and Peroni. I went for a pint of Beyond the Pale by the London Beer Factory. The beer was a nice pale ale that I drank but I'm not sure would hunt out again.

All the tables were taken so I found a space out of the way at the of the bar to stand and drink. The clientele were all young though mainly sitting solo at tables. The interior of the pub was beautiful which tiles on one side and exposed brick on the other. There was a sky light at the rear letting in more natural light from above. There was a red leather sofa running along the exposed brick wall.

I sadly didn't stay too long as I had to make my journey home from Fulham Road and could rather have done with a seat than standing. I did thoroughly enjoy my pub tour today for the decor of all the pubs I visited which were all different but beautifully done. It doesn't surprise me that this three pubs were in Chelsea as that is where customers have money, so the pubs have done themselves up to compete with the restaurants.

London Pub Tour 34 - King's Cross: The Fellow and Bar + Block Steakhouse

I was back in King's cross and decided to pay a visit to a pub I'd never been before and in the process also visiting a bar directly across the road. So my first intended port of call was The Fellow (N1 9AA). It was later in the evening and the place was quite busy. The pub is just down the side of Kings Cross station near platform 1 and around the new developments. The pub looks quite grand on the street corner and well maintained. The pub is a gastro pub and was filled with young professional people, and majority female. It was busy but I did still manage to grab a small table by the window. The music was playing quite loud, but I'm guessing this was due to the time of the night (about 9pm). The floor was wood and the walls also had very worn wood on them. The outside wall had sofa seating all the way along it, with tables and chairs opposite. The pub was large and the bar itself was quite sizeable. On tap there were three hand pumps but only two were on offering up Doombar or Wild Goose. On tap there was Amstel, Longhorn, Freedom Four, IPA Unfiltered, Camden Pale and Pale Unfiltered, Guinness, Birra and Symonds Cider.

I opted for a pint of the Freedom Four and retreated back to my table for both a chat and to have a better look at the pub. The pub has been done up well and certainly looks pleasing to the eye, though the music was now beginning to annoy as to chat involved shouting. The beer Freedom Four from Freedom Brewery was ok, nothing much stood out from it. It was at this stage I wanted to move on to another pub, but the venue across the road had caught my eye. It wasn't appearing in my searches as a pub but they had a bar and it didn't look so busy/noisy. So I finished up my pint and went across to what was the Bar + Block Steakhouse.

As expected there was no loud music playing, there was also no queue at the bar and plenty of seating. This bar-restaurant was very large offering up american diner style seating to all customers. The resturant was in the rear and the front was bar only. The bar was large and spacious and we weren't the only customers in there. There were no ales on offer but there were taps offering Guinness, Becks, San Miguel and Meantime Lager and Pale Ale. I skipped choosing a tap beer and instead selected a bottle I hadn't seen before which was Pacifico Clara by Modelo. This was a very sweet beer, with the style of Mexican Pilsner.

I only had the one drink here as time was moving on and I needed to get home, and this was just a short stop. Now I've included this place in my pub tours blog although rightly I know it's not a pub, but thought I would include for completeness sake, otherwise it would have just been a short blog on one noisy pub. I've also decided to include some pictures I took of the place below. I haven't eaten there so unable to confirm if the food is any good, nor the price.

Beers to note - March 2017

I'm still playing catch up due to losing the first two weeks of March for write ups, though am now into my March write ups, and hoping to keep up the good post rate. During March I managed to sample 69 beers with 39 of these being 'new' to me (56%). These beers were consumed in 44 different locations, mainly pubs, of these 21 were 'new' to me. I'm using the term 'new' as I'm basing the data on Untappd data which I only started using about 18 months ago. So although I may have had a beer or visited a pub before, I'm considering it 'new' if it was before 18 months.

Of those 69 beers I had in March the below are the ones that stood out most for me:


Guinness Rye Pale Ale (Guinness) - 5.0% | Bottle 500ml
I think I remember the press release about the newest beer in the Brewer's Project from Guinness but had put it to back of mind and not thought of locating it. I happened to be in Morrisons looks for a bottle of Draught Guinness Original when my attention was brought to the Rye Pale Ale. I picked it up without hesitation (along with the Guinness Original). The beer tasted good, as it was both light but spicy. The beer tasted miles better than their Hop House 13 and is definitely competing with the West Indies Porter. I can't wait to taste the next in the series as they've tended to be quite good.



Honkers Ale (Goose Island) - 4.3% | Bottle 355ml
I've seen this a few times in pubs but never gone for it as I'm not a massive fan of Goose Island IPA. Well I was certainly surprised by this beer, firstly with it being a bitter and secondly tasting so amazing. Such a shame this was only 355ml as I could have done with a 500ml version.






Dave (Great Heck) - 3.8% | Cask Pint
I didn't have great expectations for this beer as the venue itself wasn't that great and it was served in a doombar glass. But the beer shone through the venue and delivered its wonderful malty taste. And at 3.8% can easily be sessioned.






Moment of Clarity (Siren) - 4.7% | Keg Pint
The price I had for this abv beer seemed quite high but it was worth the money in the taste it delivered. The beer was slightly hazy but came through with a tropical fruit taste and the hops. Not a session beer, particularly at the price I paid.



Little Haka (The Little Beer Corporation) - 3.5% | Keg Pint
Perfect example of new world hops in an ale. Light and bitter yet a sweet after taste. Best of all was the amazing fruity aroma the beer gives off, which makes it even more enjoyable to drink. At 3.5% and with a nose like that, it's certainly night out material.




Digital IPA (Yeastie Boys) - 5.7% | Bottle 330ml
Another brilliant example of new world hops this time in a stronger beer. The nose is still there but not as powerful but the flavour is sweet and hoppy.




XB (Theakston) - 4.5% | Bottle 500ml
I've had a few Theakston beers in my time but I don't think I've ever had this classic, and I must say its now become a favourite of mine. It was a nice bitter with some good malts coming through.







Ram Rod (Charles and Wells) - 5.2% | Bottle 275ml
I've always liked the Charles Wells small bottle beers such as Ram Rod and Light Ale. I know they're aimed to be used in mixtures such as light and mild but on their own they're excellent tasting. The Ram Rod is particularly enjoyable as the 275ml is a perfect size for the high ABV.

London Pub Tour 33 - Fitzrovia: Northumberland Arms, Smugglers Tavern, George & Dragon and Lukin

Northumberland Arms Photo by Ewan Munro

So it was back to Warren Street and the Fitzrovia area again to visit some of the many pubs there. My first stop was at the Northumberland Arms (W1T 5AJ) which is about 2 minutes walk south from Warren Street station. Like most pubs in this area, the pub is on a corner, this one has its main door on the quieter road. The outside of the pub looks quite dark with its brown building and black covers. Inside the pub is quite small with the bar directly in front, on the left there are a few tables facing out the window onto the main road meanwhile on the right is some low tables which I assume they use as their dinning tables. The inside of the pub has a worn wood look on both the floor and ceiling, and the walls are a dark pattern vinyl wallpaper with the top section being painted orange. The whole look of the pub makes it feels like a tatty Taylor Walker pub.

There were two hand pumps with only one on serving up Hobgoblin. I think this is Hobgoblin's own doing, but I now associate this beer with their big halloween marketing push, so find it strange to see it outside the September to November period. On tap there was 1664, Heineken, Amstel, Symonds, Murphy's and Sagres. As this was going to be a bit of a heavy night I started with half a Murphy's stout for £2.25. The Murphy's was it's usual self, and was probably the best selection here.

Photo by Ewan Munro

Once finished with my half I walked back up to Warren street and down past the Feathers (which was packed) to my second stop, the Smugglers Tavern (W1T 5ND). The pub was packed outside and I was concerned how busy it would be inside as it didn't seem that big from the outside. Upon entering two things strike you, firstly the pub is quite narrow and secondly the white and blue coastal feel to the pub with map decorations and even a ship's wheel. The bar is at the far end of the pub which was quite difficult to reach as it was busy inside as expected. There are a few columns near the bar area which eat into the available space.

The pub had two hand pumps with only one on offering up Wandle. On tap there were a selection of Meantime beers (Lager, Pilsner, Yakima and Pale Ale) alongside Guinness and Stowford Press cider. There was a very good bottle selection offering local beers from the likes of Brixton, Yeastie Boys, Mondo and Pressure Drop. I ended up selecting the Meantime Pilsner on tap as I've never actual come across this one of theirs before. The pint cost £5.50 and the pilsner was not actual as crisps and refreshing as I was expecting. There was only standing room so leaning against one of the pillars in the pub out of the way of the bar.

After finishing up the pilsner I moved onto my next stop which was the George and Dragon (W1T 6QF). The outside of the pub looks nice all lit up in these quieter streets and I was surprised at its size. This pub wasn't as busy as the rest with seats available and room to move around the pub. The bar is set against the far right corner and again I was in for a surprise with the range of beers on offer. All the beers are written on small chalk boards in front of the tap and as I was looking at the beers a man from the end of the bar came up and was chatting to me about some of the beers. It turns out this was the owner of the pub and he has setup his own microbrewery downstairs with his own machine he has built, which he is hoping to market to other pubs. It was at this stage I realised I recognised this guy from previously, and confirmed that I had met him before and spoke about his brew machine, of which he has the first model installed at the Burlington Arms. The owner also told me there was a very nice imperial stout coming on soon which he had in his cellar, waiting to go on.

Sadly none of the own brews were on tonight at the pub but there was a very large selection. There were 6 hand pumps offering up Fat Sprat, Oakham Citra, Southwold, Ghostship, J.H.B and Southwark Potters Field Porter. The hand pumps are unique in that the ales are situated up higher than the keg beers, and I believe delivered via a vacuum pump system. There were 10 taps offering up three cork beers, Rebel Red Ale, Shandon Stout and Chieftain Irish Pale Ale, Lost Rivers Pale Ale and Lager. There were also some German beers and a Welsh brewery's take on a German beer. I firstly went for a pint of the Potters' Fields Porter at £4.50. The beer was light and slightly fruity but still dark and easy to sip at 4%. My second pint was the Franciscan Rebel Red Ale. I wasn't aware this was a Franciscan beer as the chalk board only listed the beer name and style, which was a slight let down.

The pub had started to empty out a bit more now and so choosing a seat was easy. Looking round the pub everything seemed bright and that was due to the darkness of the mahogany bar surrounded by the white walls and soft lighting. The floor was wood and the area around the bar had no tables to keep it feeling more open, whilst against the windows there were high tables. All this perhaps led to the bar feeling emptier than it perhaps was, due to good use of the space. I finished up my pint and made my way to the last stop, The Lukin (W1T 6BB). This pub was quite a lot smaller than the rest tonight. There were some tables at the front but the remainder of the pub and behind the bar there was cushion seating which gave off an american diner feel. The pub wasn't that busy, meaning some of the rear tables were free. There is an upstairs private function room and the staircase was directly opposite the bar, making the walking space through quite narrow. There was a bookcase on one wall, whilst the rest was tiled or wood. There was a fire place at the end of the bar but it wasn't lit. Red velvet curtains were hanging on the side of the windows.

There were three hand pumps offering up Doombar, Dave or Fat Sprat. On tap there was a choice of Aspall, Amstel, Peroni, Shipyard, Hells, Sierra, Camden Wit, Punk IPA and the obligatory Guinness. I went for a pint of Dave by Great Heck Brewing and this was a delicious pint. I didn't have great expectations for it, especially when served in the Doombar glass, but the beer was a lovely bitter with a great malt flavour. Whilst drinking I noticed some nice bottles in the fridge such as Hiver Honey beer and Delirium. Sadly after this pint it was a time to call it a night, with quite a few pints drunk and 4 pubs visited. I can certainly say I will be back to visit the George and Dragon particularly to taste their own brews, though I would also pay visits to the Lukin and Smugglers, less so to the Northumberland.

London Pub Tour 32 - Chelsea: Pigs Ear and Cross Keys

In the back streets just off between King's Street and the Thames there are quite a number of upmarket pubs. I went to visit two more of those pubs today starting with the Pigs Ear (SW3 5BS). The pub sits on the corner of a residential street and has a bizarre modern art pub sign. The entrance doors on either side are plastered with stickers about food awards, Cask Marque and other items, which makes it looks quite messy. There are some nice lanterns hanging outside along with three smalls barrels in a stack (though I'm unaware of the symbolism of this). The pub itself wasn't busy and only had a few people in, so I was able to grab a table and sit down with my beers. There was cushion seating against all the walls, with tables and chairs opposite. Stools were available at the bar for those inclined to sit there. The bar was lit with lamp shades from above, and there was a red ceiling, cream walls and wooden floor which helped spread the light. The bar is on the back wall and is L shaped with front part of the bar being light wood whilst the back bar a dark wood.

On the bar they were offering up a choice of 4 ales Swift, Wandle, Junction and Common. On tap the selection included Heineken, Guinness, Orchard Pig, London Ale Pale and Amstel. I wasn't tempted by any of the offerings so look to the bottles instead. I immeditaley seen a beer from Goose Island that I hadn't come across before so selected that, that beer was Honkers Ale. The bottle cost £4.80 for 330ml with an ABV of 4.3%. It was a very enjoyable and easily drinkable bitter and I could certainly have a night on these. I did go back to order another bottle but got tempted away by another beer I seen  Ola Dubh 12 Year Special Reserve Matured In Highland Park Casks by Harviestoun. The beer is a massive 8% ABV but only got me £4.50 (I think there may have been a pricing error). I didn't know what to expect from this beer and certainly didn't think it was an imperial porter, so when this thick syrup liquid started pouring I was pleasantly surprised. There is massive smells of whisky and it carried through to the beer as you get a tiny after hit of

Whisky. This was certainly one to enjoy but slowly.

No more people came into the pub by the time I had finished my special bottle. I left and made my way the short distance to my second (and now last stop due to the high ABV bottle I just had) which was the Cross Keys (SW3 5NB). The pub is just off a busy road but is easily missed and doesn't seem too busy. The exterior is white with a black pub sign and the pub name written in gold on both. The pub much like the Pigs Ear is a gastro pub but the Cross Keys separates pub and dinning. The front of the pub is for drinking and snacks whilst the rear is setup for dinning only. To enter the pub the door on the right is used as the door on the left is blocked on the inside by a table. The bar is just ahead and to the left and has a nice spirits display behind. The bar is rounded at the end and heads slightly towards the rear. It has a wood panel cover and a solid wood top, which goes very nicely with the whole setup and design of the pub. The floor is wood floor boards with a slight rustic look on the walls and tables. The bar taps are metal with small descriptions saying what they're serving, meaning you have to look closely to see what is on offer.

On the keg beer department they offered up Guinness, Truman's Pale, Estrella, Becks and Truman Runner. On hand pump there was Otter Ale, Truman's Runner, Lucky Penny's Long Artm and Mad Goose. There were a few bottle beers including a Swiss beer which I've only seen on sale in this place. I went for a pint of Otter Ale at £4.30 which was in good nick, with it's creamy head and fruity taste and served in a dimple mug. The Cross Keys looked to offer a very good food menu, and seems like it would be one of those higher priced but well worth it Gastro pubs. The whole design of the pub was to my liking and certainly a place that I will visit again. Just to clarify I have been here before and had the Swiss beer, which was delicious. I'm not sure how busy the pub gets but the ti
mes I've been here it's never been busy in the bar area and I've always found a seat. But on each of those occasions the kitchen hasn't been open so perhaps the dinner crowd in Chelsea packs out the

pub.

I called it a night after finishing my Otter, and was starting to feel the effects of the imperial porter from earlier. These were two pubs both listed as Gastro but based on the interior you would judge one to be more fitting of that accolade. Most of the pubs I've visited in the back streets of Chelsea have been upmarket and gastro, whilst all the ones on King's Road itself seem to be more booze and down to earth, maybe because their aimed at the workers in all the businesses there whilst the back street are for the locals.

London Pub Tour 31 - Belgravia: Horse and Groom, Plumbers Arms and Victoria

It was a quiet day at work so I once again decided to pay a visit to some of the local pubs, in particular ones I haven't visited for 6 months+. My first port of call was the Horse and Groom (SW1X 7BA) a Shep Neame pub which is down a mews just off from all the embassies. Normally on a nice sunny or just warm day people are outside drinking, but it was a rainy day so it seems most people didn't feel like heading out. The outside is typical shep neame colours and the door is on the right with a step up. The pub itself isn't large and only has about 7 tables in the bar area (3 high, 4 low). I understand there is a dinning room upstairs though I would assume its about a similar size. The floor is wood boards and the walls have wood panels on them.

The bar is in the far corner to the left and they had three hand pumps serving up Whitstable Bay Pale, Spitfire and Hog Island. On tap there was Thatchers, Samuel Adams, Guinness, San Miguel, Ashai, Oranjeboom and Whitstable Bay Blonde. I hadn't come across the Hog Island before so went for a pint of that but sadly it was at it's end and the barman asked me to select something else, so I went for a pint of Sam Adams at £5. There were only 4 other people in the bar but soon a group of three came in for food and went up into the dinning room. The pub was quiet and relaxing, though the outside area is a nice sun trap during the good weather and that is normally when this place is busiest. There are some large wooden barrels outside in the mews for leaning beers on.

This is not a bad Shep Neame pub though limited on beer selection the venue itself is nice. I finished off my pint and made my way back towards Victoria station and for my second stop the Plumbers Arms (SW1W 0LN). The Plumbers Arms is nearly 200yrs old, and is a Taylor Walker pub that is most famous for being the pub that Lord Lucan's Mrs ran to covered in blood. The pub has a small outside area for standing and the inside is not as large as you might expect. The bar is on the far left upon entering but the placing of a huge support pillar in the middle of the pub does eat into the space. there are tables placed around the outside, and down at the end of the bar is a little soft seating area. There are function rooms upstairs though these are very bare with some basic table and chairs. The floor is wood apart from the tile around the bar area. Most of the people in the pub were tourist eating and there was only a single bar lady on.

The pub has four hand pumps offering T.E.A, Sussex's Best, GK IPA and GK Fresh Golden Beer. On tap there was Heineken, Hells, Sambrooks Pale, Becks Vier, Peroni, Stella and Guinness. Although not a fan of Greene King ales I did go for the Fresh Golden Beer under their St Edmund's brand. There was no mention of Greene King on the badge, which I've noticed on a few of their beers now. The beer had the usual GK taste but slightly weaker than normal, and the fruitiness of the beer came through more, which was nice. There were stalls at the bar but I opted to sit on one of the free tables. Sadly they had a TV on showing Loose Woman, with special guest Jeremy Kyle.....shudder.

I drank the pint quite quickly, probably helped by what was on TV. As I had a bit more time on this long lunch break I decided to stop by the Victoria (SW1W 0NR) which was just down the round. This has now been rebranded from Taylor Walker to Greene King and has a new sign to go with it. This is always a busy pub and at this time on lunch it was still quite busy. There are two entrances, the main entrance facing towards the station and a small back door entrance on the opposite side mainly used by workers to get into the pub quicker. Along with the rebrand the pub had a fresh coat of paint inside. To get to the bar you need to walk into the centre of the pub. There are a lot of tables varying in size, but the middle area infront of the bar is open with some booths against the wall.

There were 4 ales on offer which were 1730, Tribute, Doombar and Glory. On tap we had Fosters, Aspall, Belhaven Pilsner, Stella, Peroni, Guinness, Becks, 1664, Hells, Hop House 13 and Punk IPA. I hadn't come across the Belhaven Pilsner before so decided to give it a try and immediately regretted it. The beer had a metalic taste and not much aroma to it. It was difficult to drink and I suddenly remembered the last Belhaven pint I had which was very much similar on New Yrs in the Boot. I can sense a trend there. And to top it off, I only realised at that stage that Greene King own Belhaven, so their ales aren't that great and the lager is metallic, not looking good. I think I left a bit near the end and made my way back to work with a bit more energy in me.

London Pub Tour 30 - Brixton: Prince of Wales, SW9, Beehive and Craft Beer Co.

I was down in Brixton to pick up some beer that I had brewed at London Beer Labs. I'll be putting a two part post up on the brew session and the outcome of the beers soon. Whilst down in Brixton and awaiting the London Beer lab location to open I used it as an opportunity to knock off some of the pubs in the area. My first stop was the Prince of Wales (SW9 8HH) or as it seems to now be stylised, POW. The pub is just a short walk away from the train and tube station and just off the high street. The outside is brown with some big windows and not much else to it. Upon entering the pub you will see the bar off to your front and right. The bar stretches from the window across to the far side of the pub, but the area against the window is for a coffee machine and glass collection. The bar actual has metal front and edge which I guess is more durable.

The pub offered up three hand pumps which served Doombar, Tribute and Brixton Effra. It was nice to see at least a local ale on offering. The lagers though were more standard with the except of VPA by Portobello. There were some Brixton bottle beers plus a range of ciders. I in the ended just wanted a plain simple lager after the day I had, so opted for the Budweiser which cost £4.60 for the pint and matched my need and mood.

The pub is quite open with only a few tables on the lower level, and lots of space around the bar. On the raised area is where the majority of the seating and the booths are contained. The pub has other levels but I believe these are for the club levels. Food is served at the pub and there was also a DJ setting up for later, but in the meantime there was some loud music blaring out.. The crowd in the bar was young but it wasn't too busy at this time of the day. On the ceiling there were some fans and just above the bar angled mirrors. The tables themselves are old (maybe reclaimed) and just had dark wood stain put on top which is now chipping off.

After finishing up my lager I made my way closer to the Beer Labs and stopped at SW9 Bar (SW9 8EG). It is difficult at times to determine whether a venue listed as a bar is pub-like or more restaurant, Particularly now with lots of gastro pubs and rural pubs mainly focused on food, the line has become more blurred. In my interpretations the SW9 Bar falls under the 'pub' category, hence why I'm including it in my Pub Tour outings. The bar is just off the main road across from the station, and down a pedestrian footpath. They serve only keg beers which included Hoegaarden, Stella, Guinness, Becks Vier and Leffe. There was a good bottle selection which included local beers from breweries such as Brixton and London Beer Labs.

I got a pint of Hoegaarden for £4.90 and moved over to one of the tables by the footpath window, and near the front door. Outside storm Doris was working away and nobody was using the outside seats. Inside there were only 10 people in the bar. Pop music was playing quietly in the background and the conversation levels were low. The seating on the tables had slight reclines which made them very comfy to sit slightly back in and relax, though I there were some seats that were more like deck chairs on their lowest seating and were perhaps too low for the tables they were placed against. The bar was quite dark and had element light bulbs hanging from the ceiling to add to the effect. The bar was quite relaxing and considering I only had to walk across the road to the Beer Lab it meant I could take my time with the pint.

Once ready I picked up my box of beers and then headed back towards the station. As the weather was still bad and I was going to have to carry these beers all the way home with me on the tube, I thought I needed a slight beer top up, so headed to the Craft Beer Co. (SW9 8PA). This is quite a small Craft Beer Co venue on a market street opposite the railway track. The design of the pub (both outside and in) is minimalist and industrial. The main feature is the bar in the left hand corner which had 10 hand pumps (With a focus on Oakham Ales) and I believe 20 keg beers. The ales were situated on the bar top whilst the keg beers on the large cooper pipe unit which arches over the bar. Being Craft Beer Co. there was inevitably such a large selection of bottle beers from all over the UK and World, it's impossible to name them.

There were a few tables in the pub but all were taken so I was left to stand in the corner at the bar, ensuring I didn't block anybody. The pub wasn't busy, around 15 people, but enough to take all the tables. I had two beers whilst at the pub, the first was New World Order and the second Bishops Farewell, both by Oakham's. Both seemed to be Golden Ales with the New World Order being slightly more malty in taste, but both in good form.

I was still in the mood for another beer so made the decision to visit the Spoons just around the corner, The Beehive (SW9 7DG). The Spoons was quite grotty outside and there was only one door in. Once inside you realised that this must be an early spoons due to the width of the pub. The pub is long but not wide at all, and add to this that it become less wide at the bar area and there are large supporting columns throughout, you can see that it's not quite the usual Spoons open plan pub. There were 9 hand pumps offering Pride, Hobgoblin, Ruddle and Buffalo. Shockingly I couldn't believe that Pride was being sold for £2.65, considering Fuller's consider that their Premium Ale...
As usual Spoons had a varied bottle selection and the tap selection included Strongbow Black, Magners, John Smith, 1664, Carlsbery, San Miguel, Fosters, Devils Backbone, Sambrooks IPS, Shipyard, Coors and Guinness.

I selected a pint of Buffalo by Dorking Brewery which was very smokey in taste and not what I was expecting, but enjoyable nonetheless. There was no seating room and barely any standing room due to pub layout, so I was standing in the area area where a column stopped bar service. A gentleman came in and ordered half a Guinness and was surprised at how cheap it was, so I assume he either does that everyday or its his first time in a Spoons. After uncomfortably finishing off my pint, I finally decided to call it time and head back with my rattling box of bottle beers.

London Pub Tour 29 - Wandsworth: Waterfront, Royal Standard & Alma

Last time I was down in Wandsworth I had popped down just to visit the Cat's Back a Harvey's pub, and before I headed home managed to squeeze in a visit to The Ship, a Young's pub by the river. I decided to head back and knock off the three other pubs in the small area near the station. My first stop was The Waterfront (SW18 1TS) a modern Young's pub built under a new build tower facing out onto the Thames. Young's seem to have made it their style now to open most of their new pubs in new developments which face onto the River Thames. The Waterfront has been around since 2006 and has generally been one of the quieter Young's pubs due to the surrounding area still being developed.

To enter the pub you need to turn just off the Thames path and enter from the side, as there is no front entrance leading onto the river. The pub is large inside, helped by the majority glass exterior letting in lots of light. There is an outside area on either side of the pub with lots of seating, covers and heaters. The very large square bar is set right in the middle of the pub with the area in front set for casual drinking and the area towards the rear serving as formal dinning. In between the two areas, on one side, there is a very large booth that could seat 15 people which I assume is used by after work groups. Also towards the front is an open gas fire.

The bar had 9 hand pumps which between them offered up Grandstand, Special or Bitter. On the keg front there was more selection with the standard Young's offering of London IPA, Guinness, Estrella, Hells and Hells Unfiltered, Fosters, Peroni, Yakima Red and Heineken. There were some craft beers from Brixton and brew by numbers (I believe) but I opted for the London IPA and a packet of spuds, which came to £6.90. The pint was smooth and went down well even on a windy day. There were only a handful in the pub and some music was playing lowly in the background. This sort of pub is perfect to visit on this type of day, and sit reading a book, watching the river and the people go by. After sipping and enjoying my pint I made my way away from the banks of the Thames, inwards towards Wandsworth Town station on Old York Road. I avoided the obvious pub directly opposite the station to The Alma (That was my next stop) and instead turned away from the Alma and a few metres down Podmore Road I arrived at The Royal Standard (SW18 1AL).

It's quite surprising how many people are unaware of this pub, even though it can be seen from the Alma. The Standard is a small looking corner pub, has the look of an old back street boozer. Upon walking in the corner door the bar seems quite empty of furniture and seems small. The bar is just against the wall and itself is not too large either. There were two hand pumps with only one in use offering Doombar. On the keg front there was Lagunitas IPA, Fosters, Freedom Authentic Lager, Orchard Pig Reveller, Guinness, Hop House 13, 1664 and Peroni. I selected a pint of Lagunitas for £5.60 which is reasonably priced for a 6.2% beer. The beer itself is very hoppy and this hides the flavour of any alcohol you would be expecting.

There were only 3 other customers in the pub and one of those was sat chatting with the barman. The pub has a wood floor with some small tables placed along the outside, and a set of sofas at the rear. There is a dart board alongside the bar, and sport on TV. On the walls there is lot of ruby memorabilia, which makes sense as this is a rugby area. There is a smoking patio/garden out the back. I've been in this pub previously and at times it can get very busy but today it was relaxed but I feel this is a pub that requirements more of a buzz going on rather than the relaxation like at Waterfront.

I managed to finish my pint quite easily and walked back up the road to the Alma (SW18 1TF). This is a large corner pub that looks very attractive, and is conveniently located directly opposite the railway station. This is a Young's pub and it also has a hotel, with a separate entrance area just slightly further down the road. The main entrance is on the corner through the curved doors. The pub is open plan with a large square bar in the centre. There is seating all around the outside of the bar ranging from sofas to small tables and high tables. There are function rooms upstairs and a dinning room in the rear. The bar is a dark wood which differs from the more pale wood of the floor. The walls are dark green up to waist height and light green from there up, and onto the ceiling.

Unlike some other pubs with square bars, this one does offer service on all sides. The bar has 14 hand pumps with three on the shorter sides and four on the longer. The ales on the pumps were a mix of Gold, Special, Bitter, Grandstand, Wandle and Pale Ale. The tap offering was standard for Young's with the likes of 1664, Camden Pale, Estrella, Guinness, Hells and Heineken. The only slight difference was the offering of Yakima Red and Neck Oil. I though had my eye on the fridge where there was a selection of beers in bottles and cans from breweries I'd yet to try. I ended up going for a can of Backstage IPA by Signature Brewery. There is a nice hand written looking label on the can but aside from that nothing much stands out from the beer. There was a fruit aroma and a slight orange peel taste and the beer was drinkable.

The toilets at the Alma are downstairs, and on the way you pass the wine cellar which is behind bars. The cellar adds to the pubs lure, and it's certainly well worth a visit, though I would recommend avoiding rugby days, as this is the pub everyone gravitates towards. The pub wasn't busy so I managed to get a table and from here I seen a bar tended being trained on how the pour the perfect Guinness, which is less regularly taught nowadays in pubs.

After finishing off my drink I walked across the road to the station to head home. Wandsworth Town Centre is just around the corner and has quite a few pubs but these will have to wait for another day.