Southampton Visit

I arrived by train in Southampton and literally walked due south following the sun, slightly to the right of south, and didn't need to check a map, the sun did its job! My first destination was the Grade I Listed 14th century warehouse, The Wool House, Town Quay SO14 2AR (Historic England), now the home of Dancing Man Brewery, and Bar and Restaurant (website).

My first ale was Dancing Man Jesus Hairdo Pale Ale (4.0%), which the brewery doesn't divulge in writing anywhere I can find which hops are used, but it is suggested in places that English hops are used. This is born out on tasting as this has a gentle fruitiness to taste, it is slightly hazy, dry and bitter, and quite refreshing, it would make an excellent summer ale methinks!

I loved this spiral staircase coming down from the restaurant upstairs, so had to take a photograph and include it here. The brewery is downstairs towards the back, but no photographs from me of that here. I received a warm welcome when I entered the bar, good discourse with both lads, and I was enticed into having a second pint (below), I coped! 😉

Hazy, perhaps a wee bit more than the Jesus Hairdo, the Voodoo Jazz Hat, a New Zealand Pale Ale (4.7%) brewed with Motueka (hopslist) and Nelson Sauvin (hopslist) hops. Certainly much more to it, absolutely packed with tropical and citrus fruits, and with a dry bitter finish. As regular readers will be aware I'm not much into hazy ales, but this was pretty damn good!

Close by the Wool House and old town walls is the Grade II Listed Pilgrim Father's Memorial (or Mayflower Memorial - Historic England), a 50 foot high column made of Portland Stone, with a cupola and bronze model of The Mayflower atop. This was designed and erected by Garret and Haysom, and unveiled in August 1913 by the U.S. ambassador to Britain, Dr William Hines Page. In 1620, the Pilgrim Fathers, Protestant 'separatists' from the Church of England, having escaped persecution, and having lived in Leiden in Holland for 12 years, joined up with The Mayflower, and the 65 people who had earlier embarked in that ship at Rotherhithe in London. Their other ship, the Speedwell, was declared unseaworthy when they first set sail for America, but they finally set sail to cross the Atlantic on the 16th of September 1620 (Heritage Calling).

For reasons regarding links to Arthur Wellesley, The Duke of boots and victor at the Battle of Waterloo, and other military victories, oh yes, and he became Prime Minister (twice), I then chose to visit the Grade II Listed Duke of Wellington, 36 Bugle Street SO14 2AH (website). Originally a house built in the early 13th century, with the foundations and cellars still lasting from that date (Historic England).  It became a pub called the Duke of Wellington following victory at Waterloo, previously called Bere House, possibly Southampton's oldest brewery then. Various restorations and work has been done over the centuries, particularly noting damage from a French raid in 1338, and more recently after serious damage caused by bombing in World War II.

This pub is a tied house to the Devizes brewery Wadworth (website) who were established in 1875. I first drank Wadworth 6X (4.1% in cask, although it was 4.3% when I first tasted it) back in my twenties in a Devon pub then called The Palomino Pony, now The Greyhound Country Inn (website), when friends lived close by in a village called Feniton. Anyway, a friendly lad behind the bar, who poured the cask conditioned 6X via an electric pump. 6X is a traditional amber bitter, brewed with Fuggle (hopslist) and Golding (hopslist) hops, with a slightly nutty, malty taste, and a dry, not overly bitter finish, and nice memories jogged too.

I then walked uphill away from the Quay and Old Town towards where I stayed the night, passing through the Grade I Listed Bargate (Sotonopedia), the northernmost gatehouse to the medieval town. The oldest part of this structure was built around the year 1180, with many modifications and restoration since, notably in the 13th, 18th and 19th centuries (Historic England).

After dropping off my backpack at the hotel, I carried on northwards to London Road, just behind which is the Raven & Bine, 16 Carlton Place SO15 2DY (website). This is Dancing Man's second bar/public house which they took over in 2024, and used to be called The Smugglers. I've tried to find out the history of the building, with little luck, although Carlton Place appears to have been built around 1840. The Raven & Bine is quite an airy place inside, having quite a classy interior with 'vintage art' adorning the walls. Again, a friendly young lad behind the bar, and I just about beat the crowds as I reached it earlyish (opens at 16.00).

You may have guessed from my reporting of the other Dancing Man ales above, that their ales are un-fined, thus hazy is the norm, and they appear proud of this fact. Here, I tried their 'Best Bitter' Old Fashioned (3.9%), brewed with Bramling Cross hops (hopslist), slightly hazy, a light traditional English bitter, gentle malt and hints of fruit, and very easy to drink.

My final port of call before heading towards the football was London Road Brew House, 67-75 London Road SO15 2AB (facebook). It used to be The Varsity pub, but little information seems available, brewing on the premises, but nothing really up to date available about that either, but it appears to be a rebuild with slightly art deco frontage following bombing in World War II.

I drank here, what I believe was Greene King Scrumdown Golden Ale (4.1%), brewed with Pilgrim (how suitable for this blog! hopslist), First Gold (hopslist) and Styrian (hopslist) hops. Certainly golden, quite refreshing ale, not overly fruity, floral or spicy, easy to knock back.

I'll not mention the match, trying to forget, but cheers m'dears, 'til next time! 😁