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Conrad
11-04-2011, 11:13
Old thread archived here (http://forums.pubsgalore.co.uk/showthread.php?6273-Pub-of-the-Month-%28March-2011%29).

Conrad
22-04-2011, 17:54
Early nominee, The Golden Guinea (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/391/).

Arranged to meet Dave for a late lunch yesterday and we decided to the Ostrich Inn (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/534/) so that we could sit in the sun. Went in to order our food at 2:15 only to be informed the kitchen was closed (at 2).

Dave thankfully remembered that the Golden Guinea was round the corner and had a good reputation for RA so we popped up there. In we go and ask about food, yep they have some specials on, so already better than the chain menu we were looking at in the Ostrich. Also had Valour, Alpha Dog and Bristol Steam on (thank goodness for their Tweet to remind me). Dave had a pint of the Valour and some banter for picking a straight glass, and I got the Alpha Dog which was a pleasant pint, that went very nicely with the chilli I ordered.

Friendly service, nice garden/smokers area out back and good drink and pleasant food. Was a struggle to pull myself away and come back to do more work on the site :).

Thuck Phat
24-04-2011, 11:12
An early call which may be beaten yet but it'd have to be by a cracking boozer. The Merchants Inn http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/57333/, Rugby has just hosted it's Spring Beer Festival, themed On The Farm. The pub is painted in brown and white cattle pattern outside, the inside has a turfed floor, hay bales and various farming themes and implements around the place. This happens twice a year with different themes and I have seen the pub painted with colourful beach huts outside and a real sandy beach inside for their Rugby by The Sea festival. Up to a hundred beers and ciders are on over the week and entertainment every evening. The pub has a great atmosphere anyway but the beer festivals certainly enhance it. A great boozer.

rpadam
24-04-2011, 15:14
It looks like my pub of the month will be a three-way tie between the Flask at Hampstead (Youngs), Mitre at Lancaster Gate (Youngs) and White Cross at Richmond (Youngs).

PS - Any connection with my BOTW for w/e 24 April 2011 is purely coincidental...

Al 10000
24-04-2011, 15:55
My pub of the month is the Exeter Arms in Barrowden,this pub is in a small village with nice looking countryside around it and there is also a brewery at the back of the pub and five of their beers on the bar.
What more could i ask for.

Andy Ven
24-04-2011, 21:24
An early call which may be beaten yet but it'd have to be by a cracking boozer. The Merchants Inn http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/57333/, Rugby has just hosted it's Spring Beer Festival, themed On The Farm. The pub is painted in brown and white cattle pattern outside, the inside has a turfed floor, hay bales and various farming themes and implements around the place. This happens twice a year with different themes and I have seen the pub painted with colourful beach huts outside and a real sandy beach inside for their Rugby by The Sea festival. Up to a hundred beers and ciders are on over the week and entertainment every evening. The pub has a great atmosphere anyway but the beer festivals certainly enhance it. A great boozer.

My mate went yesterday and tried 25 beers - he was well impressed by the pub. Do you know the date of the next beer festival there?

Andy Ven
24-04-2011, 21:28
So far for me it was the Anchor in Digbeth in Birmingham - I managed to get a cheese and onion cob this time before Quinno nicked the last one from under my nose ;)

The Red Lion in Birchover, Matlock was a good place too - home made pork scratchings!

Thuck Phat
26-04-2011, 09:01
My mate went yesterday and tried 25 beers - he was well impressed by the pub. Do you know the date of the next beer festival there?

I don't think that they've released the date yet as the current one only finishes today but they're normally in April and October so I'd guess sometime in October. Their website is good and they update it regularly so that's probably the best place to find out. http://www.merchantsinn.co.uk/ I'd recommend a visit if you're anywhere near even without the beer festival as they tend to have 8 or 9 different beers on of varying strength and styles but the beer festivals are worth a special trip.

trainman
26-04-2011, 11:27
Their website is good and they update it regularly so that's probably the best place to find out. http://www.merchantsinn.co.uk/ I'd recommend a visit if you're anywhere near even without the beer festival
If in Rugby, I'd also strongly recommend The Victoria (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/37252/), my fav on the day, when almost all seating at Merchants was 'reserved' for people who may, or may not, have deigned to visit later for the Eng-Fra game.

Thuck Phat
26-04-2011, 13:57
If in Rugby, I'd also strongly recommend The Victoria (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/37252/), my fav on the day, when almost all seating at Merchants was 'reserved' for people who may, or may not, have deigned to visit later for the Eng-Fra game.

I agree about The Vic, a great boozer with quality Atomic beer. Other places worth a look are The Alex, The Raglan, The Squirrel and The London House as well as 2 Wetherspoons so there's no shortage of choice.

The Merchants is still my personal favourite though. Their system for international rugby matches is that to reserve a table you have to buy a 1/2 barrel of Hook Norton (at least) which sits on the table and avoids the necessity of trips to the bar so I suspect that the reserved signs were genuine. Every time I've been in during an international it's been heaving and difficult to find a place to stand never mind sit so may be one to avoid, if you have no interest in rugby, on international days.

Thuck Phat
26-04-2011, 13:58
My mate went yesterday and tried 25 beers - he was well impressed by the pub. Do you know the date of the next beer festival there?

I've just noticed the number of beers your mate tried. Even at 1/3 pints that's impressive. :notworthy:

Andy Ven
26-04-2011, 22:00
I've just noticed the number of beers your mate tried. Even at 1/3 pints that's impressive. :notworthy:

I don't even think about trying to keep up with him

Blackthorn
27-04-2011, 18:27
I don't usually contribute to these, but having just discovered this little gem, I'll make an exception -

http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/73655/

It's within cycling distance of the inlaws, so why I haven't been there before I don't know. Some people may take issue with the fact that they only had two beers on, but with their excellent home brew cider to drink, why worry about that? An idyllic and unspoilt country pub.

ROBCamra
03-05-2011, 11:44
As I've mentioned on another thread we've been in Belfast for a few days which means that POTM is almost a given.

It has to be the Crown Liquor Saloon. Absolutely stunning interior and they even have the real stuff on 3 handpumps.

http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/46394/

White's and McHugh's were also very good, but they lose out to the Crown. :cheers:

Pubsignman
03-05-2011, 12:25
I've had an excellent month in terms of ticking off lots of pubs that have been on my 'to do' list for far too long, taking in lots of places that would, in any other circumstances, be dead-certs for pub of the month.

Highlights in Peterbourough were Charters, Coalheavers Arms and the excellent Brewery Tap, whilst two trips to Nottingham included Newshouse, Salutation and Vat and Fiddle. Mason & Taylor in Bethnal Green seems to be a promising, modern bar serving exciting beer and a day walking near Godalming culminated in an evening at the Star, with a rather good Easter beer festival.

However, despite all this stiff competition, one pub stood out from all the others; The Halfway House in Brenchley, Kent. http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/53015/
I've already reviewed it, so I won't repeat myself here - suffice to say that this is one of the best country pubs I've ever had the pleasure of spending some time in.

RogerB
03-05-2011, 15:17
5 new (to me) pubs that stand out from my travels for the month. The Red Lion - Bromley, Rum Puncheon - Gravesend, Mermaid - St Albans, Three Hats - Milton Regis and Dial Arch - Woolwich, all worthy of a return visit at some stage. The Dial Arch has a beer festival in a couple of weeks so it could end being the May candidate. Out of the others I think I'd pick the Red Lion in Bromley, quite a quaint pub in a bit of a good pub backwater and despite being Greene King, they did at least have the 2 less obvious ales (Olde Trip & St Edmunds) and from the pump clips over the bar, an excellent rotation of guest beers. The Three Hats was very close though.

Bucking Fastard
03-05-2011, 16:08
Had a good end of month spate of pub visits as a result of boating from Atherstone to Lichfield and then Burton on Trent before reaching Sandiacre for a cab ride into Derby.
In any other month ,The Duke of York in Lichfield or The Smithfield in Derby would have strolled off with PoTM but these two outstanding pubs were pipped by Coopers Tavern (http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/34227/)in Burton,standing defiant infront of the vast towers of the Coors keggery:eek:
If you are visiting this brewery town,I would strongly suggest a diversion to the Coopers,another fine pub in the Joules Brewery stable.

aleandhearty
09-05-2011, 14:35
My POTM is The Reindeer at Overton. A big hearted village local that's starting to attract people from farther afield due to its beer quality. Good honest pub food and Sarah Hughes Mild permanently on draught. :drinkup: On balance, it's probably a good thing it's on the other side of town!