City of Beer
City of Beer
D
O
N
N
O
Special
issue
LONDON, CITY
Summer
2012
OF
EST 1721
Best
London Pub of
the Year 2011
www.thedukeofhamilton.com
Fancy a Pint
Reviewers
Awards
All ales 2.70 a pint Mondays and Tuesdays. See website for ales on tap.
In this issue
British beer styles
London breweries
10
Heritage pubs
18
22
CAMRA Membership
form
35
40
Theatreland pubs
48
52
Cider in London
56
Richmond pubs
57
Welcome to London
ONDON
Welcome to London
drink, and second to indicate that the staff have
stopped serving.
The handpumps on the bar have shaped signs
(called pumpclips) which, when facing you, mean
that the beer is available. If the staff have turned the
pumpclip around to face the bar this means that the
beer has finished. Beer, being a living product, has a
limited life. Sometimes you will receive a pint where
the white foam (head) at the top is very large and
the staff will offer to top it up, which means fill up
the lost space due to the head. They will usually do
this after the beer has settled, when the foaming has
stopped.
Christine Cryne writes in more detail about beer
styles. A wide range of flavours is possible from using just malted barley, hops, water, and yeast far wider
and more interesting in my opinion than even wine
flavours. The range goes from light, sour lemon at one
end (where a lot of hops have been used) to deep hot
chocolate, when the barley is malted (roasted) to a
black colour. In summer it is more traditional to drink
light, hoppy beers that are more cooling and refreshing. London is, however, home to a number of styles.
The most interesting of these is the dark porter or
London porter style that was used to keep the porters
(bag carriers) at Londons markets warm in the winter. I hope you will find some of these to try this summer.
The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) runs a national Pub of the Year competition and the London
pubs that have competed in recent years are described
in Geoff Strawbridges article. For more information
on CAMRA activities in London, visit www.camralondon.org.uk where you will find the regular London
Drinker magazine, also available in many pubs. For
all kinds of events in London pubs this summer, visit www.londoncityofbeer.org.uk or follow twitter @LDNCityOfBeer. I hope that you enjoy your beer experiences in London and try as many of our amazing
and historic pubs as possible.
The Star
17 Church Street, Godalming, Surrey Tel: 01483 417717
N
in ow
Br o
ig pe
ht n
on
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13
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18
NEW!
cider pump
installed
17 Real Ales
and Real
Ciders
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THE BARNSBURY
209-211 LIVERPOOL ROAD ISLINGTON LONDON N11 LX
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train-side.
Food kicks off with breakfast from 9:00 until
11:30: full English, smoked salmon, eggs benedict,
sausage and bacon sandwiches, porridge, croissants,
toast and muffins. The main menu and snacks
menu runs from 12:00 until 21:30. There are
various starters (some of which can be taken as
larger mains e.g. fish cake or barbecued ham-hock
salad); mains such as linguine, stuffed chicken
breast, baked bream fillet, duck breast and rib-eye
steak, burgers, fish and chips, sausage casserole and
ploughmans (from 8.45 to 16.25) with
sandwiches and soups and half-sized (and halfpriced) portions for children. Bar snacks include
pork pie with piccalilli, black pudding scotch egg, a
half pint of prawns and mini fish and chips from
3.50 to 6. Roasts are served on Sunday. There is
an extensive wine list and private dining can be
arranged and tables booked. The pub holds regular
beer festivals.
The ales on offer are Adnams Bitter, Sharps
Betjeman Ale and one or two guests, and the pub is
open daily from 09:00 to 23:00.
Snooty Fox, 75 Grosvenor Avenue, N5 2NN
This vibrant, spacious pub decorated with 1960s
icons and a 45 rpm jukebox gives a retro feel. It
features an open-plan room with plenty of seating
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32
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Ye Olde Mitre
Ely Court, between
Ely Place and Hatton Garden
London EC1N 6SJ
020 7405 4751
CAMRA GOOD BEER GUIDE 2012
East London & City Pub of the Year 2006,
2008 and 2010
Historic and
traditional Ale-House
London Pride, Adnams Broadside,
Deuchars IPA, Gales Seafarers and
4 guest ales every week plus a real cider
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40
43
44
46
PODGES
BELGIAN
BEER TOURS
24th - 27th August 2012
Beer & Heritage
20th - 24th September 2012
Abbey Beer Pilgrimage
22nd - 26th December 2012
Christmas in Bruges
www.podgebeer.co.uk
Ring 01245 354677
for details
Driving people to drink since 1994
47
Theatreland pubs
any visitors go to the theatre when in London
but with the lack of real ale in theatre bars, the
best place for a pint is in one of the many pubs in
this area. This article will lead you to a few that are
offering a good pint or two as well as a little bit of
history as the majority date from a different time
with many offering interiors to ogle at. They are all
within a reasonable distance from each other should
you wish to do a pub crawl.
Coal Hole
91-92 Strand, WC2R 0DW
This pub is old even for its area; it has been trading
since 1780 but the pub was extensively refurbished
in 1904. Because it is so accessible for the theatres,
it is often very busy especially at weekends and
when there are new plays in the theatres so be
prepared to stand rather than sit.
The lead glass windows are frosted, hiding
much of the wonderful interior, which has not
changed very much in the last century; the marble,
check-patterned floor is a very nice feature. A
carved wooden staircase at the rear of the pub leads
up to a balcony with a quieter seating area
overlooking the bar area. The bar, above which are
three wooden statues in dancing poses, is of a
traditional carved wood design and curves around a
corner island. Lights under pink glass shades
provide interesting illumination. Much of the wall
is wood panelled which gives an aged feel, although
the area under the balcony has a painted mural.
The pub was once a song and supper club
where regulars sang and it was famous for hosting
performances from the English operetta writers,
Gilbert and Sullivan, during the Edwardian period.
And if that is not enough, the Shakespearean actor,
Edmund Keane, started the Wolves Club here for
husbands forbidden to sing in the bath! Above the
route down to the toilets there survives an
48
Theatreland pubs
road. The Nags Head is owned by Hertfordshire
family brewer, McMullens. It is a comfortable, large
one room pub with a number of different areas with
tables and a lot of sofas and soft seats. In the tiled
area around the bar there is an interesting section
that records that the brewery was created in 1827.
There are original and reproduction Victorian
features from its original use as a gin palace, a bar
that primarily served local gin. Around the pub
there are interesting cut glass mirrors and windows,
(many featuring the McMullens branding) which
are found in many pubs of this age. Also, typical of
pubs built at this time, are the bright red pillars
with gold tops and bottoms and the horseshoe (U
shape) bar. The Tartan carpet and red wallpaper are
also typical of McMullen pubs and of Victorian
style. It features seven hand pumps carrying a
selection of McMullens beers and one from another
brewery to give more choice.
Being so close to Covent Garden market gives
this pub a good atmosphere but means that it can
be very busy. This is more likely at weekends and
when there are events on in the market. Food is
available between 10:00 and 22:00; it is mostly of a
British style and some of it is cooked with beer.
They also do a special Sunday lunch. The pub is
open 10.00-23.00 (23.30 Fri/Sat, 22.30 Sun).
49
Theatreland pubs
Lane in the centre of theatre land close to Covent
Garden market and the Long Acre.
Five
handpumps (original Yorkshire-style ceramics
showing hunting scenes) carry a range of different
beers including Fullers London Pride and some
beer from Youngs.
The lantern style lights and flowing red curtains
give a warm feel to the pub. Above the bar is a pair
of the etched glass mirrors surrounded by
reproduction, carved wooden, decorative sets of
shelving. The wood block floor is surrounded by a
chessboard of tiles and the small tables. Of further
interest is the dark fireplace on the wall by the gents
and decorated with angular designs.
The menu is of English countryside style
providing a range of affordable food and is served
12.00-22.00 (21.00 Sunday). Outside, there is a
large area at the front on the corner of Drury Lane
and Great Queen Street that overlooks a nice
square and provides an area in which to smoke.
Despite its position close to so many theatres on
Drury Lane and nearby hotels, it is in a slightly
quieter area and the pub is ideal for visiting before
shows and getting away from the main rush of
Covent Garden.
The pub is open Mon-Thu 11:00-23:00; Fri/Sat
11:00-23:30; Sun 12:00-22:30.
Salisbury
90 St Martins Lane, WC2N 4AP
This classic late Victorian pub is in the same
thoroughfare as the Wyndhams, Coward and Duke
of Yorks theatres, and the London Coliseum. It is
named after the Third Marquis of Salisbury, who
was said to have been Queen Victorias favourite
Prime Minster, and the pub dates from around 1892
but there has been a pub on this site since 1694.
Rebuilt as a restaurant called the Salisburys Stores,
it was refurbished in 1899 with exuberance and is
now a listed building. Note the beautiful glass in
the windows and the fine mirrors.
Food is served from 11.00 to 21.30 every day to
complement the well kept ales. Leicester Square
tube station and bus routes are both in nearby
Charing Cross Road. Beers include Harveys
Sussex Best Bitter, St Austell Tribute, Taylor
Landlord, Wells Bombardier and Youngs London
Gold. The pub is open Mon-Thu 11.00-23.30,
Fri/Sat 11.00-23.59, Sun 11.00-22.30.
Wellington
351 Strand, WC2R 0HS
The Wellington is a small corner pub built in 1903,
close to the Lyceum Theatre, Aldwych. Long and
thin, there are stairs on both sides up to the rear
area. Wood panelling abounds and behind the bar
there are beautifully carved wooden shelves for
displaying bottles in a traditional manner. The walls
have original Victorian marble panels separated by
50
2012
Green Lane,
Old Hanwell,
London W7
Tel: 020 8567 4021
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The London Pub of the Year for 2008 was also the
previous years (and the following years) South
West London winner. The Trafalgar is five minutes
walk from South Wimbledon Station on the
Northern Line or less than that from the first 93 bus
stop in Morden Road. Mostly built in the 1860s, it
is another back-street local, thankfully in private
ownership. Its name reflects the fact that Admiral
Lord Nelson once lived nearby.
Nelson
memorabilia decorate the walls and Trafalgar Day
(21 October) is celebrated every year.
Tenants David Norman and Karen Wood again
saw a choice of real ale as the key to the survival of
this tiny pub. Locally brewed beers from Ascot, By
the Horns or Pilgrim appear regularly on the six
handpumps, together with changing beers from
more distant microbreweries and usually including
a mild, porter or stout.
The Traf opens at 15:00 from Monday to
Thursday but at 12:00 Friday to Sunday and on
Bank Holidays, closing at 23:00 daily. Monday
night is quiz night (20:30 start) and on Thursday
between 19:30 and 21:30 a curry or pie and a pint
are on offer @ 6.50. There are just bar snacks at
other times.
Very much a community pub, with cricket and
55
Cider in London
ider is a drink that has been made in England for
centuries, simply the juice of apples fermented.
Nothing else, just traditionally made. CAMRA, the
Campaign for Real Ale, campaigns also to preserve
this traditional drink and likewise perry (the juice of
pears fermented).
Real cider will usually be on a handpump or
served from a tub, not from a font on the bar. Two
of our recent London Pubs of the Year have won
CAMRA cider awards. Here are three other good
places to enjoy real cider.
Ian White
Euston Cider Tap, 190 Euston Road, NW1 2EF
A cider lovers paradise, recently opened in an
historic gatehouse, the Euston Cider Tap is the sister
of the Euston Tap featured on page 44 for its
imported beers. Both pubs are handy for the many
hotels in the area.
Friendly and knowledgeable staff help guide
customers through the range of different ciders and
perries on offer, giving tasters if required. A large
blackboard lists those available. The majority are
from the South of England, from sweet to dry and
single varieties. They are supplemented by
occasional foreign draught ciders, also bottled
French ciders and Calvados.
Note the lovely green tiles. A spiral staircase
(mind how you go after a few ciders!) leads upstairs
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