09/05/19
217. The Trading House, Gresham Street.
This one could easily be overlooked. As a hole in the wall only identifiable via the hanging sign it doesn't give away too much about the goodness inside. What opens up is a quite large open space with up and downstair drinking facilities. A live performer nestled in the corner provides the atmosphere and the bar provides the neck oil; though sadly not as varied as one might expect from such a long worktop. Some particular light fittings seem misplaced and it does place itself as one of the slicker (read less characterful) drinkeries on the odyssey but nevertheless mostly doing the right things.
Beers:
Goose Island Goose IPA - lighter appearance, citrus aroma, bitterness up front, citrus notes, little linger on the tongue, as an IPA should be.
Goose Island Goose IPA - lighter appearance, citrus aroma, bitterness up front, citrus notes, little linger on the tongue, as an IPA should be.
Freedom Brewery Totum IPA -decent head, clear, sparkling, hoppy but it's got a cold emptiness that a lager has, lots of bubbles up front, not too exciting.
216. Old Doctor Butler's Head, Masons Ave.
You'd be hard hearted to see too much wrong with this little number. Aback from the main street, this wooden beauty is only to be found via word of mouth. And enough have heard about it as the crowds spilled out onto the cobbled earth below. Inside, every surface creaks like it bares the secrets of many a drunken tale from down the ages. Dating from before the great fire, this was once home to Doctor Butlers own brews and maybe the site of his crackpot cures for various illnesses.
Beers:
Shepherd Neame New Dawn - yellowish and pale, clear, light bodied, sits on the tongue for some time, pleasant, quite light and easy to sip on.
Shepherd Neame Master Brew - dark amber, looks still, no aroma, citrus is strong, long tail to it, decent body and tasty overall.
215. The Globe, Moorgate.
Built so they say on the site of the old Roman wall. Outside a legion of jolly drinkers guzzle at the hoppy goodness. A respectable selection at the bar. The inner room was neat, perhaps a little plain but certainly no bore.
Beers:
Exmoor Ale - clear and brown, wholemeal, malty, mealy and bodiful, like hovis with the seeds in it, very nice.
The Beer Company Turtle Peach - clear and amber, little bit of head, fruity and full of peach and apricot flavours as prescribed, up front bitterness, nice but could do with being more beery.
214. The Telegraph, Telegraph Street.
Like it's predecessor, a little open and barenaked in it's display of the ceiling workings. Perhaps didn't work so well here but nevermind that, what a lovely few pints this one had to pull. Barely room to move but this place was spacious enough for everyone to wet their whistles. Bar stools at the ready, decent bar snack availability and buxom barmaids.
Beers:
Mondo Brewing Company Dennis Hopper IPA - cloudy like a Welsh hill, fizzy looking, hoppy and bitter, drags you along by the short and curlies, quite fizzy giving way to a bitter edge, tropical flavours, lasts a short while before trailing off.
Little Creatures Brewery Little Creatures IPA - slight head, rather cloudy, keeps its nasal secrets, slight bitterness behind the main flavour, mainly mild and tasty.
Large Fullers pub, modern and clean and not to be sniffed at. They've gone for an open ceiling displaying all the upper workings of the building. Some brickwork can be seen and there is a nice arrangement of rectangular images upon the blue walls. It all works rather nicely together with the polished oak furniture. Sadly the background music became foreground music not long into the first drinks and the tone changed.
Beers:
Castle Rock Brewery Songbird Pale Ale - bright and slightly cloudy, tropical nasal aroma, good body, a good all rounder like Alistair Cook, pineapple notes, quite bitter.
Fullers Black IPA - very dark, minimal light showing through, frothy on top, prickly up front, long lasting taste getting bitter at the end, smooth overall.
