BrewDog Clerkenwell

Another day, another BrewDog opening in London, this time in trendy Clerkenwell. The area has long been a hotbed for new media and graphic design firms, packed full of young employees ready to enjoy a crafty drink. The nearby Dovetail has done well catering to this market with an excellent selection of Belgium ales, back when Belguim beer was considered exotic before the craft beer movement got into full swing. I'm surprised it has taken BrewDog this long to open a pub in the area as there are plenty of potential customers although I have heard they had a go at opening a place before but the plans fell through.

BrewDog venues never seem to be big enough for the amount of punters they attract and sadly the Clerkenwell venue is no different. The two storey layout somehow feels very cramped and claustrophobic. The second floor suffers from narrow gangways making it difficult to navigate while holding your drink, and downstairs tables and chairs are crammed in next to the bar, making it difficult to squeeze past the mixed customer base of hipsters and City boys and order a drink. Once you make it to the bar you'll find an excellent selection of beer on offer - all keg of course. Cask beardies will have to seek what they want elsewhere - luckily the Jerusalem Tavern and the Craft Beer Co are a short walk away.

I was there for the Brew By Numbers (BBNo) tap takeover, which meant all of the guest taps (around 15 of them) were dispensing BBNo beer. They did not disappoint with a wide selection of beers and styles on offer. I went for a four beer sampler. The 01/03 Saison Mosiac was a good start to the evening, a well made saison with a welcome hoppy twang.The 09/05 Brown Ale - Chinook and Centinneal was another decent sup - a boisterous American style brown ale, very rich and boozy. 05/13 India Pale Ale Rakau was the booziest beer I had at 7.1% but it tasted much lighter than that, an easy drinking pale ale clearly made with skill. The samples were all 1/3 pints and it came to £9.60 - about the going rate for a drink round these parts.

The best of the bunch was the 03/05 Porter - Willamette and Cenennial. Brew by Numbers usually make excellent porters and this was no exception - plenty of malty flavours and a good bit of bite to it. After trying and failing to blag a free BBNo T-Shirt I called it a evening. I enjoyed my visit to BrewDog Clerkenwell and would be happy to return. It's a decent bar with friendly staff and good beer - if only the place was a little bigger.

When the craft beer bubble pops

Things have gone a little crazy for the "craft beer" movement in the UK over the past few weeks. First The Guardian are claiming that the writing is on the wall for the popularity of craft beers and then the BBC chipped in to the scaremongering with a report on how the hops beloved by trendy bearded hipster brewers worldwide are running short. Could the craft beer movement in the UK be heading towards the end? Well probably not for a little while yet, but I'm under no illusion that craft will be going strong forever. Craft beer is a bubble and it inevitably has to pop.

Allow me to do some naval gazing on the craft beer scene - in the UK at least anyway. I can't even being to guess what's going to happen in the US. I believe there are two reasons which will lead to craft beers decline. First is that craft isn't really spreading out to the regions, and secondly London is getting over saturated with new brewers that are offering a similar product, usually tremendously hopped IPA's or mega boozy stouts and porters. When I was in Birmingham there was plenty of exciting, well made beer but I didn't see anything from the craft "heavyweights" such as The Kernel or Beavertown. The craft movement is still very strongly London based, with perhaps small pockets of activity in places such as Manchester. The issue is what happens when the London hipsters move on to the next latest trend, and they will move on eventually. Sadly nothing lasts forever especially in the fast moving capital.

When the bubble finally pops not everybody is going to survive, for varying reasons. Some craft breweries will have enjoyed the ride and naturally call it a day. Others will fight to keep going but with the customer base becoming smaller they will have trouble making an impact on the marketplace. Some may get bought out. But others may do quite well - but they may not be considered "craft". My opinion is that to survive they will have to leave behind the craft ethos and become more commercially minded. Below are two examples of breweries that I think are prepared and a sure bet to survive the bubble bursting.

First up is BrewDog. Love them or loathe them, they are a big operation and were lucky to start at the beginning of the craft beer revolution. Their greatest asset is that they have their own bars, which are a valuable shop front for their beers and invaluable for spreading the word about their product and building a solid customer base.They even have their own off licenses now with BottleDog, a canny business decision. The crucial thing about BrewDog which will make them succeed is that thanks to their bars they have a presence nationwide, and not just in London. In fact they are even spreading abroad with openings in Tokyo and Finland. What BrewDog are doing is no different then a tied house such as Fullers or Sam Smiths - they just have a different image. If things did start to go pear shaped for them I think one of the big brewers will buy them out and keep the brand going. I can only see BrewDog going kaphut if the owners refused to sell on.

Another interesting thing about BrewDog is that I would consider them a "lifestyle choice" brand. I think a lot of punters choose to visit a BrewDog bar or have a BrewDog beer because it projects an image, the same way people drink particular brands of champagne or drive a certain brand of car. The whole "punk" attitude, anti-corporate stance and crowd funding is a very clever and effective way of getting a very loyal customer base. Luckily their beers are pretty good but even if they weren't I think BrewDog would still do well.

The second example of a brewery that I think will survive is Thornbridge. This may be a controversial choice as some may not seem them as craft. But I think that's a good thing. Thornbridge have done a fair bit to open the eyes and taste buds of the casual drinker to the world of more adventurous beer, mainly through the quietly groundbreaking Jaipur which is widely sold thanks to the Nicholson's chain. Not only is it a great beer but it's an excellent gateway beer to the world of big hopped ales that craft is famous for. I consider their beers to be craft as they are clearly dedicated, they're happy to brew practically any type of beer, and nearly all of them succeed. But it's also perfectly valid to consider them to be a regular brewery and that's why I think they'll survive the bubble bursting. They have the edge by being commercially minded, and have cleverly embraced both the craft and mainstream market. Their beers sit quite comfortably in both Waitrose and BottleDog. Camden Town and Oakham breweries are similar to this and I think they will also continue to do well.

BrewDog and Thornbridge are two breweries I can confidentially predict carrying on after the dust has settled, and it's testament to the exciting but volatile world of craft that I can't put a safe bet on any others. The breweries I worry about are the London based ones that aren't making much impact outside the capital, such as Beavertown or Siren and others in the "Bermondsey Mile." It may be that they don't care if they're short lived - they're just enjoying being part of a popular scene. But it would be a shame to lose some talented breweries and tasty beers. Ultimately I feel that to survive the craft bubble breweries have to leave behind some of the craft ethos and be more commercially minded. BrewDog have clocked this - will the others be able to do the same?

The Craft Beer Off License featuring BottleDog

BottleDog is a new venture from those controversial BrewDog boys. Satisfied with conquering the "craft beer" bar market with trendy hipster magnet drinking holes up and down the country, they're now taking on the humble off license. Well actually they're not really taking on the off license as judging by this first outlet they are offering a specific product, which is beers that come in tiny bottles with wacky labels and ABVs at the higher end of the scale. You're not going to find multipack offers on Fosters or Carling here.

I remember when this building was a cabby's accountancy firm

As the place is across the road from where I work I thought it would be rude not to visit on opening day.The place was doing a roaring trade when I walked past at lunchtime and when I popped in after 6pm it was quieter but still doing a brisk trade. The BrewDog branding is scaled back and there's nothing on the front of the shop showing that it's a BrewDog venture. It doesn't even advertise itself as a off license which confused a big group of punters who walked in expecting the place to be a bar. After confirming amongst themselves that there wasn't a seating area in the back where they could drink their purchases they quickly turned tail and left. Despite the low key branding there are a few BrewDog hallmarks in the shop  - stripped back decor, cool tunes being played, and plenty of trendy beers on offer.

So many beers, so little time. Well actually you've got from 12pm - 9pm
 every weekday (plus Saturdays!)

I was pleased to see the prices were competitive and the German and Belgian beers in particular were very reasonably priced. All the major London craft breweries including Pressure Drop, Siren and Beavertown were represented, plus of course BrewDogs own offerings - although I didn't spot any of BrewDog's rarer beers. There also two taps dispensing booze to take home in "growlers" - sadly not a dog full of beer but a fancy term for a glass bottle. I spoke to the enthusiastic manager who mentioned there are plans to do Meet the Brewer events and there will be additional taps installed for more take home offerings. I look forward to revisiting in the future.

BottleDog isn't the only game in town for craft beer off licenses. Another shop worth visting is the Oddbins in London Bridge. I found out about this place from the excellent "Craft Beer London" app on Android and iPhone. I never would of guessed that an Oddbins, more known for their wine offerings, would be a hotbed of hot new brewery activity. They stock all the cool London brands at prices slightly cheaper than BottleDog. Unfortunately the staff aren't as clued up as the BrewDog boys but there are some tasting notes nestled amongst the bottles. Well worth a visit if you're stuck in the building site dystopia which is London Bridge, with the ominous and downright creepy "The Shard" looming down on you.

For a more traditional off license The Bitter End in leafy Bromley is well worth a visit if you're in the area. They are always well stocked with beers from respected brewers such as Harveys, Dark Star and Oakham. The occasional newer brewery is also represented - I picked up an excellent American Pale Ale from Croydon brewery Clarence and Fredericks. They also have around six beers sitting in barrels behind a makeshift bar, ready to be poured out for lucky punters to take home. These are usually session bitters such as Wadsworth 6X but last time I was there Dark Star Seville was on, in great form, and at a very reasonable price to take home.

Say what you will about the craft beer movement, one big benefit is that there's a huge selection of beers available in high street shops, at least in and around London. But even out of town it's easier to get beers that are a big step above the usual Fosters and Carling tat. Before you could only get these beers at specialised pubs and bars - and at high prices. Let's hope this wide range continues to be stocked even when the "craft beer" frenzy, inevitably, calms down.

BottleDog, Hops and Glory and The Draft House Charlotte Street

Last week I was moaning about the fact that BrewDog Shepherds Bush wasn't the most pleasant place to have a drink, and that I'd rather be drinking the tasty beers at home. Well BrewDog must have been listening to me, or it's a spooky coincidence (I'm going for the former) as they have announced that they're opening an off license called BottleDog, right near my office on Grays Inn Road! Now I can finally drink all the wacky BrewDog beers without having to stare at bare brick walls and exposed ducts and wires surrounded by hipsters sporting trendy moustaches I can only dream of growing, and instead can sit on my sofa with a fat cat on my lap while I watch hipster unfriendly lowbrow tat "Motorway Cops." I'll be sure to pop in when it opens.

I also mentioned last week that it's possible to have a craft beer pub that is actually quite nice and welcoming unlike BrewDog's rather cold environments. Hops and Glory is one of those places. It's in the arse end of nowhere, located on the Essex Road, one of those weird suburban areas dotted around Central London which nobody knows about except the people who live there. But it's worth seeking this pub out. A good selection of cask and an excellent selection of keg and bottled beers were on offer. I was waiting for The Lovely Jemma to get her haircut in trendy Hackney so I couldn't treat myself to one of the stronger beers, so I opted for the 1643 Cannonball from Two Cocks, a tasty session bitter which hit the spot. On a Saturday afternoon the place was pretty quiet, maybe because of its out of the way location, but the customers who where there were enjoying the beers and the whole experience was very cosy. I was disappointed I could only stay for an half hour - I could have quite happily spent a few hours in there.

Another decent craft beer pub I visited recently is the Draft House Charlotte Street. I had heard good things on t'internet about the Draft House franchise and I wanted to see what all the fuss is about. First impressions when I walked in were "wow this place is small." I searched for an upstairs or downstairs with more seating but nope there is only one floor and it's not very big. A large bar takes up a lot of the precious space available.

There was plenty of keg and bottled beer on offer, and a couple of cask offerings as well. I bit the bullet and went for keg, starting with Beavertown Black Betty. This was a splendid Black IPA with a malty flavour pushing through the hops quite nicely. Siren Neither Imperial IPA was up next. At 8.5% they were only serving this in halves, which I always find a bit insulting. If somebody wants to risk ruin physically, mentally and financially, they should be allowed to buy a pint. Anyway this was fabulous, hoppy, tasty and all the other good things you'd expect from a good craft IPA - including the price tag.

The prices are astonishingly high at The Draft House. I know it's "craft" beer and that attracts a premium, as some of the big breweries are discovering and cashing in with their own interpretation of craft. But when The Lovely Jemma was charged £6.95 for a half of Black Betty and half a cider it's hard not to feel a bit exploited. It's testament to the good vibes of the place that we actually bought another round (this one coming in at a brain melting £7.10) and didn't just walk out immediately muttering "How much?!" over and over again like a deranged parrot.  I was hoping an upside of the the high prices would be a high turnover of seating as customers bankrupt themselves after one round and leave, but all that happens is that the punters who were lucky enough to grab a seat nurse their drink for dear life. A bit like being in a Starbucks. Still overall the place had a weird charm and I can see myself going back - only for one drink though, and probably on a Monday. It might be quieter then.

High prices are endemic in all craft pubs, as they can't really pile it high and sell it cheap like more traditional pubs. But I'm not sure how long these high prices can last until punters just think "nope" and stop paying, and craft breweries start to suffer. Craft superstars Art Brew have recently said they're going to stop brewing due to debt - how many other breweries aren't going to survive in an industry that is starting to look like a bubble?

BrewDog Shepherds Bush

It's amazing how in just a few years former no-go areas in London are now the place to be. Granted Shepherds Bush was never as bad as Hackney or Brixton, but it certainly used to be a dump. The only thing going for it was a Safeway and a Cinema, plus the Shepherds Bush Empire music venue. But then the Westfield shopping behemoth swooped in, and with that came an inevitable "regeneration" of the rest of the area. Visiting Shepherds Bush now is a weird experience - despite the shiny Westfield and new tube station the old Shepherds Bush with its grotty terraces and shop fronts is still peeking through - although it's definitely dying out. Property prices are absurd now, I never would have believed the Bush would end up being a desirable place to live. But then again I would have said the same about Brixton and Peckham.

Walking down the green I could see the tell-tale signs that Shepherds Bush had up and come as I had to walk past a Foxtons estate agent to get to the recently opened BrewDog. BrewDog is another trendy success story, and this branch is so confident of itself I couldn't even spot any signs outside the building saying it was a BrewDog. Walking in there is no doubting this is a BrewDog bar. The simple, bare brick and utilitarian décor was in full force, and some of the clientèle were sporting well groomed moustaches and beards.

This is a large BrewDog outlet with plenty of seating. The large serving area at the back has a tremendous amount of beer on offer, displayed on a "Now Showing" cinema style board. No cask here, only keg, and all the beers I tried seemed to be served slightly too cold. I started off with one of BrewDog's own - the Punk IPA which was a crisp, floral and hoppy treat as always. Next up was Weird Beards Decadence Stout which was excellent and the best beer of the evening. Its strong chocolate flavour completely overwhelmed the valiant attempt by the keg delivery to rob all taste. They're not kidding when they say it's "decadent" - the chocolate lingered in the mouth for a good 20 seconds after each sip. Excellent stuff.

The Kernel Pale Ale was up next. As I tried to check this in to the Untappd app it returned hundreds of variations of this beer in the search results. The one I had was the Tomahawk Simcoe Centennial edition. It was disappointing - it tasted watery and had no bite to it. I'm not sure if it was the keg delivery that robbed this beer of any flavour because I've had bottles of this before and it's always been a crisp, hoppy treat. Then again it could have just been a bad batch.

The Old Freddy Walker from Moor was much better, an excellent old ale with rich chocolate and liquorice notes. Like the Decadence Stout as the flavours were so strong the over chilled delivery didn't affect the flavour too much. Last up was My Name is Vladmir from BrewDog. A strong tipple but very tasty, and not as boozy tasting as I had expected from its 8.2% ABV. A good beer to end the night on. In between the beers me and The Lovely Jemma enjoyed some "loaded" fries from the BBQ menu. Topped with cheese, chilli and that hipster favourite pulled pork these were certainly loaded and tasted absolutely delicious.

I enjoyed the beers I had here, even if they were on keg and all seemed to be served too cold, and the food was excellent, but I wouldn't be running back to this bar. It just didn't have a very comfortable atmosphere. I got the same feeling at their other outlets, probably because of the stripped back decor and minimal furnishing which leads to a cold, clinical atmosphere. A pinball machine and a couple of arcade machines in the corner added some much needed amusement to the place but overall this is a cold environment to enjoy some very good beers. I'd much rather be drinking the beers on offer here in a more comfortable pub or bar, or even just buying a bottle and enjoying them at home.

Maybe I'm just not the target market for BrewDog but I do prefer my pubs to be a welcoming, comfortable place to drink. To be honest if I wasn't there with the good company I was with I'd be itching to leave within half a hour. It's definitely possible to have a craft beer pub that is both comfortable and have a great selection of craft beers, and next weeks update will be about two pubs that get the formula right. But with BrewDog, the only branch I've been too that hit the sweet spot of good beer and welcoming atmosphere is the Camden branch, perhaps because its smaller size gets the staff and customers mingling a bit more. Sorry BrewDog, but while your beers are great, the lustre has worn off your bars - at least for me.

Brixton Brewery and Art Brew (plus Windsor & Eton)

Considering most of my time is spent going on and on about pubs and beers to any poor sap who will listen, I received surprisingly few beery gifts this Christmas. In fact on Christmas Day I only received two beers, and one of them was BrewDog Tokyo at a mind destroying 18.2%. Drinking this would have ended up with me shouting abuse at the Queen before falling asleep and waking up with a poorly head and an appetite for cold roast potatoes. To be honest this wouldn't be much different to my usual Christmas Day activities. I decided I'll save this brain scrambling beer for when I hear life changing news that I want to forget, such as a meteor is going to wipe out all life on Earth or Piers Morgan is returning to the UK.

After the welcome but small collection of beer on Christmas Day I was cheered on Boxing Day when my brother presented me with a bag full of craft beers. Two from Brixton Brewery, one from Art Brew and another from Windsor & Eton. I could tell these were craft beers because the majority came in tiny (330ml) bottles presumably designed for teenagers. Thankfully the guys at Art Brew know that beer is actually drunk by grown ups and should come in nice big bottles, so their Orange IPA came in adult size.

The beery line up. Photo slightly blurry as always.

I was a bit worried before drinking the Orange IPA as it appeared to fall into all the craft beer trappings. It was an IPA, it had a slightly sarcastic blurb on the bottle and it had a "crazy" twist in the form of chucking orange peel into the brew. But thankfully my stupid prejudices were completely wrong and this was an excellent, well rounded IPA with an extra bit of magic from the subtle orange peel notes. This beer avoided the common "chuck in the hops and let's see what happens" mishaps other craft brewers blunder into. Well worth seeking out a bottle.

The two beers from the Brixton Brewery were good but not up to the standard set by the Art Brew. Reliance Pale Ale was a solid but unexciting example of the pale ale form. With so many pale ales out there the beer needs to be special to stand out but this one was content with being good but boring. Effra Ale was better, with good hoppy notes livening up this well crafted amber ale. Both beers were tasty but I feel this is a brewer that is still finding their feet. But there's definitely promise there. Finally there's the Windsor & Eton Republika. Windsor & Eton have a bit more experience than Brixton and this was evident in the beer, as it was a very good Pilsner style tipple. I do tend to enjoy Windsor & Eton beers and this one was no exception

Overall all four beers were decent but the Orange IPA was something special. As the craft beer "big bang" settles down and the brewers get more competent at what they're making I think the next few years could be an exciting time for beer. Let's hope I'm not proved wrong!

BrewDog Manchester

The Jortening. Identity blurred
to protect the innocent.

I made a welcome return to Manchester recently. I've previously covered some of the cities fine pubs in a previous post, and this visit added two new establishments. My reason for being in the strange world of the north was a good old fashioned stag night. We eschewed the traditional events of handcuffing the groom to a lamppost or spraying the back of a minicab in vomit and instead plied the groom full of booze, cutting off a piece of his jeans every time he had a drink so by the end of the evening he ended up with a fine pair of denim shorts, or "jorts" to use the modern parlance. This went down a storm with Manchester's finest lasses, and even with a bit of boxers peeking out of the jorts it didn't scare them off from catcalling and leering. They're made of stouter stuff up there.

The majority of the stag night was spent in two of the "finest" clubs Manchester has to offer, the gloriously kitsch Fab Cafe and the terrifying rock club Satan's Hollow. However we did manage to visit a couple of pubs and both of them were (spoilers) excellent. First up was BrewDog Manchester. BrewDog continue to spread across the country like a virus made out of hops and cocky attitude. This is the third outlet I have visited, the previous being Camden and Shoreditch. The Manchester branch was a great experience. Compared to Camden and Shoreditch this place was huge, spread over two levels. I was surprised at how quiet the place was considering how rammed the London outlets always seem to be. Granted it was about 3pm on a Saturday afternoon but I expected more folks there. I must admit I got a little overexcited when I saw two pinball machines, both of which were working well but considering how poorly I did on them I can only presume they were set on "insane" difficulty.

To celebrate the groom signing his life away a tasting session of six beers was presented to us and it didn't disappoint. First up was the Nut Brown Ale by the Ale Smith brewing company, from the good ol' USA. American beers were going to feature strongly in this tasting session, and with good reason, as they are producing some excellent beers over there at the moment. This first ale was proof that Americans can capably produce beer other than intensely hopped pale ales. The first thing to hit was the fabulous aroma, a rich bitter smell with the faintest hint of nuts, inviting you to take a sip. The taste was also excellent, the nut flavours subtly pronounced in the comforting bitter taste. A great start. Next up was Black Racer from Bear Republic. This was a solid Black IPA. I don't really know what a Black IPA is, it appears to mean it's going to have a burnt, malty flavour and this beer hit the right notes. Good stuff.

Imperial IPA from Green Flash was excellent and the highlight of the tasting session. I was a bit worried that at 9.4% this was going to be an unsubtle assault of hops and booze, with the harsh finish that these types of beer can suffer from. Amazingly it was the complete opposite. Despite the high strength the beer went down as smooth as chocolate mousse covered in Vaseline and was a hoppy delight. A really fine example of what skilled brewing can produce. Anniversary Ale from the Port Brewing Company was up next and managed to make all the mistakes the Imperial IPA skillfully avoided. A classic example of chuck in the hops and booze and let's see what happens, it was harsh, tasted strongly of alcohol with no subtlety to back it up, and was just not very pleasurable to drink. It might have been passable if it hadn't come after the Imperial IPA but unfortunately it just highlighted what a disappointment this beer was.

Next up was the lowlight of the session, but others may enjoy it. It's Lambic time! My tongue tried to escape from my mouth at the very thought of having to sip this sour, fruity disaster. My idiot brain started to try and comfort me - maybe it'll be good this time! Perhaps the fruity sourness won't want to make you end it all right there and then! One sip and I immediately wanted to fire my brain. Made by Brasserie Cantillon it was pure lambic through and through. I hated it. Luckily it didn't destroy my taste buds for the final beer of the session, the Stone Brewery Espresso Imperial Russian Stout. This eliminated all memories of the horrific lambic and ended the session on a high. This full bodied classic stout was spot on. As a regular stout this would be a terrific treat, but with the coffee added it was absolutely brilliant.

As you've read this far into the post I may as well tell you why I thought BrewDog Manchester was both better and worse than their Camden outlet, which is the branch I've frequented most. The extra space was definitely a plus over the tiny Camden branch, which gets packed full of punters early and it's practically impossible to get a seat after 6pm. As the Manchester one is twice the size it never felt very busy there, even as the evening drew on. The downside to this extra space is that the atmosphere didn't seem as good, the closeness of the Camden space encouraging punters to mix up a little and get the conversation going. Everyone just stuck to their own groups in the Manchester branch, which is unusual in a Northern bar as every man and their dog usually tries to strike up a conversation with you as all the Southerners desperately try to avoid eye contact and drink their beer as quickly as possible.

Well this post went on longer than I expected. Best save my biting commentary on the Port Street Beer House for next week. I've also gone and got myself a "Twitter," why not follow me @bitterbloke. Cheers!

Mitchells and Butlers, Brewdog Shoreditch

I'm convinced that ordering food at an unknown pub is always one of the biggest gambles you can take in the UK. Forgot about the bookies or going to a casino, ordering a "Huntsman Chicken" and seeing if the chicken is (a) not as pink as my nose on a cold December day and (b) actually chicken and not "avian substitute product" is more risky than those ridiculous Ladbrokes football bets. The ones where you bet Rooney will score a goal at precisely 7:43pm off the backside of a passing goose. To be fair I've heard tales of what pub food was like in the dim and distant past, which seemed to consist of pickling anything that could fit into a human mouth and maybe a limp soggy bap if you were lucky, and I'm grateful we've moved on from those days. But sometimes it's better a pub serves no food rather than over-stretching themselves

Mitchells & Butlers (M&B) are a owner of chain pubs that have really taken on the pub food mantle. So much so that I would rarely go into if I just having a pint. I recently visited an M&B owned "Vintage Inn" pub near Biggin Hill, the Aperfield Inn. I'd be tempted to call this place a restaurant rather than a pub. There is a bar and a small seating area for drinkers but this was basically a Harvester in all but name. The small ale selection had London Pride and Youngs available. I opted for a pint of Youngs Bitter which was in good flavour, befitting of the Casque Mark the pub had been awarded. It's a shame the Aperfield isn't more welcoming to drinkers, as it's the only pub nearby in the area and it would make for a good community hub. To be fair the food I had was tasty (a Pork Belly Sunday Lunch) but this wasn't really a place you could go for a chat and a pint.

M&B also own the Ember Inn brand. I've generally thought of them to be more as food pubs like the Vintage Inn but my view was changed when I recently popped in to the Railway Hotel in West Wickham. As it's mentioned in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide and I just had to tick it off on their mobile app, I went in for just a quick pint. There was a mini ale festival on with a good selection of Great British Beer Festival winners, so I ended up staying for a couple. I enjoyed a pint of RCH Brewery P.G Steam, a solid best bitter with a pleasant hint of sweetness. The Leeds Brewery Leeds Pale Ale wasn't as good, but was still a tasty, floral and hoppy ale. The atmosphere was comfortable and overall I spent a perfectly pleasant evening there. It certainly exceeded my expectations, or perhaps misconceptions, of what appeared to be a nondescript, everyday chain pub.

Obligatory terrible camera phone shot of the interior of Brewdog Shoreditch

Aw shucks

I also had the pleasure recently of visiting the recently opened BrewDog Shoreditch. I've visited their Camden venue previously and while the Shoreditch outlet was similar it also felt a little different. It's a large space with a downstairs basement which will apparently be used for live gigs in the future. It has the same industrial interior with bare concrete ceiling and walls, metal grating and exposed wiring. This is fine at night when the bar is dimly lit but I imagine it could start feeling a little oppressive during the day. The beer selection is as impressive as ever with the usual BrewDog suspects on tap, along with rare guest beers and a wide selection of bottled beers. I enjoyed a half of the Punk IPA, its fruity flavours with a slight tangy edge coming through pleasantly as ever. I also sampled a couple of American guest beers. The first was the Rogue Hazlenut Brown which tasted suspiciously like a Cornetto but was oddly addictive. Second was the Double Jack from Firestone, a really rather good brown ale with a subtle hoppy taste. Most American beers have a overpowering flavour of fruity hops and can be reminiscent of drinking an alcoholic Um Bongo so this made a pleasant change.

The artists rendition  of Paddy is scarily
accurate.

There is a small food menu, although the excellent burgers and pizza from the Camden branch are missing from here. The menu has a Japanese theme, with beef buns and chicken skewers. There's also JFC which apparently stands for Japanese Fried Chicken. I initially thought it was Jewish Fried Chicken and I expected a nice old lady to bring out a huge bucket of chicken because you're looking a bit thin these days don't they feed you at home? You're going to catch your death of cold! Sadly I didn't get the chance to try the food. Peeking at other tables the food looked pretty good and I'd like to give it a try next time I'm there.

Finally, considering the Shoreditch location, I'm pleased to report the bar was largely hipster free and I didn't feel the urge to punch anybody in the face. I can't guarantee that's the situation every night though.

I'm going to try and start doing more regular updates of this blog. In the future there will be a new post on the 15th and 30th of the month as a minimum. I do enjoy broadcasting my inane thoughts over the internet, and I hope you enjoy reading them!

A return to two old favourites

BrewDog Camden continues to impress.

Sadly I haven't been visiting too many new places recently. In fact I haven't really been visiting any boozers at all in the past couple of weeks. The pressures of work have meant that rather than going out for a nice pint I've been heading home to cry myself to sleep. I haven't written off pubs completely and have had the chance to visit a couple of pubs - one a old favourite and one that is rapidly becoming a new favourite of mine.

The Harp is a pereninal favourite in Covent Garden, an ale oasis in a area filled with expensive, soulless bars packed to the rafters with confused tourists and twats. The place is tiny which means it always seems full of happy punters, even when it's not actually that busy. A visit last weekend led me to have a tremendous pint of the Titanic "Nautical Mild." I love a good mild and this was one of the better examples I've had. A lovely, bitter coffee taste comes through with just the right amount of chocolate undertones. A fine effort. I also enjoyed a pint of Thornbridge "Lord Marple" a solid example of a traditional bitter. Very suppable. The problem I have with Thornbridge brews is that none of them match the mighty Kipling, which is probably the best ale I've ever sampled. Still the Lord Marple was excellent and well worth a pint or three.

The food at BrewDog. I highly recommend
the burgers.

I also paid a visit to the BrewDog Camden, which continues to impress. The wanky and pretentious scribblings are still on the walls but the friendly staff, great ambience and excellent beers make up for it. The food is still top notch and I enjoyed a great cheeseburger. This place is really settling in well and a pint of 5am Saint made for a great start to the evening. This red ale is a pleasure to drink with a pleasent bitter aftertaste. The Punk IPA was also in great form, a well hopped and fruity brew seems to taste better in draught form. The prices are expensive and penalise drinkers who don't fancy a lower strength beer as they all cost £3.95 upwards for a pint regardless of strength. This bar isn't the kind of place to have a session but it does make a great place for a few warm up drinks before moving on to the expensive shitholes that Camden has to offer.

Cameron != Churchill

One pub I've been visiting recently that I think that deserves a special mention is the Wetherspoons in Victoria Station. I usually end up here when I'm sending The Lovely Jemma back to leafy Bromley and I must admit that even though I'm dreadfully sad that TLJ has to head back, I do look forward to having a nice pint in there. This pub will never become a "favourite" as the ambience is pretty miserable and it's based in one of the more soulless London stations. However I've been impressed with the ale selection and quality over the past few weeks.  Well worth a visit if you happen to be in the station. Please rest assured I haven't sold out to Wetherspoons by the way. To prove this I'd like to say that I still think Wetherspoons founder Tim Martin is a loopy bastard although he has fabulous hair, and that Wetherspoons unique "Veto Ale" makes me feel slightly ill without me even tasting it thanks to the picture of David Cameron being compared to Winston Churchill on the clip. Terrifying.

Just look at those flowing locks. Amazing.

Brewdog Camden

2012 is here and my only resolution this year is to try and do more than two updates a month on this fine blog. To be fair December was a tricky time to write blog posts as I was gorging myself on chocolate, turkey, Pringles and ale. I was also playing Batman: Arkham City and Skyrim for most of the festive period. This meant that when I wasn't writhing on the ground with an upset stomach praying for death I was smacking henchman or dragons in a virtual style. But now January is here and with the sweet tooth satisfied the blog posts are sure to come flying. I've also finished Batman which helps.

Over the Christmas period I did manage to pay a visit to the new Brewdog bar in Camden Town. Brewdog is a brewery based in Scotland whose mantra on their website states:

We are committed to making the highest quality beers with the finest fresh natural ingredients.
Our beers are in no way commercial or mainstream.
We do not merely aspire to the proclaimed heady heights of conformity through neutrality and blandness.
We are unique and individual.
A beacon of non-conformity in a increasingly monotone corporate desert.
We are proud to be an intrepid David in a desperate ocean of insipid Goliaths.
We are proud to be an alternative

Basically they're tossers but I do enjoy their Punk IPA so I can't really complain. The bar was in high spirits when I arrived and we managed to snag a sofa in the comfy basement. Sadly The Lovely Jemma didn't join me for this visit so no pictures of beer and funky fingernails. In fact I only got one picture of the basement area and it's not my best work.

I did warn you - this photo is rubbish.

A good selection of beer was on offer although the pricing structure was odd to say the least. Just about everything was £3.95, and it didn't matter if they were 2.8% or 8%. Shots of the 32% Tactical Nuclear Penguin and 41% Sink The Bismarck were available at around £6, and there was a interesting and large selection of bottled beers. I opted for pints of 5a.m Saint and Trashy Blonde which were both excellent and in great condition. 5a.m Saint in particular had a very refreshing and tasty fruity hoppy taste. A pint of the Christmas Porter was the highlight - an excellent porter with a very pleasent taste of spice. The drinking was interrupted by a cheeseburger - the menu is designed by a Masterchef winner. I can't remember his name but I'm sure he's very proud of himself. The burger was top notch - not only was the meat excellent but the bun and veggies were fresh and tasty. Sadly they do not come with chips - presumably they're too mainstream for the Brewdog chaps.

The best thing about the bar was the atmosphere. Camden bars can sometimes attract a lot of tossers (maybe that's why I seem to drink there a lot) but the clientèle in Brewdog was eclectic and friendly. A random stranger joined us to help fill in the Private Eye crossword and we had a brief chat with some folks about Game of Thrones. They appeared to be of Goth or Metal persuasion, I can't tell anymore as I'm now 30 years old. A Tactical Nuclear Penguin was thrust into my hand by a random chap who couldn't even begin to drink the stuff. I understood why after my first sip as it tasted almost exactly like treacle. I still managed to choke it all down though because it was free. The service behind the r was also friendly and efficient. Overall this is a great bar and I'm looking forward to returning.