Covent Garden Pubs 2

Further to my recent Covent Garden blog, really a wee pub crawl from Charing Cross to Tottenham Court Road/Oxford Street, where we obviously missed quite a few pubs, we decided to go to some of those pubs missed. But we did start again at The Harp, 47 Chandos Place WC2N 4HS (website) as, quite frankly, it is an excellent pub, can't be missed if in the area, although it does get very busy at times,  but we were there early, so no problem! 

As ever at The Harp, an excellent range of ales to chose from including, from Huddersfield brewery Mallinsons (website), Belma, a 4.0% single hopped ale, yes you've guessed it right, brewed with Belma hops (hopslist). 😉 Anyway, this was excellent, pale golden colour and, they say "blonde with notes of citrus, pineapple and strawberry" - whilst I say, yes, quite fruity, but very subtle, I got grapefruit, maybe tangerine too, but again, very subtle, with a lovely dry bitter finish. I already knew this would be my favourite ale of this trip, but then, Mallinsons consistently brew excellent pale ales, and I wasn't disappointed, great stuff, cheers! 😁

Once again, we turned left out of The Harp, then left again up Bedfordbury, walked to the end and turned right, this time missing The White Swan, instead virtually opposite that pub is The Round House, 1 Garrick Street WC2E 9BF (website). The Round House was built in the 1860s, catering for theatre goers and market traders, and originally traded as Petters Hotel until the name was changed to The Round House in 1943.

Here, we drank Fuller's Grand Slam, a 3.4% pale golden seasonal ale, celebrating the Rugby Union Six Nations Tournament, Fuller's (now Asahi) Griffin brewery (website) not being a million miles away from Twickenham Stadium, the home of England Rugby Union (website). Anyway, they say "citrus and pine" flavour, but I cannot find which hopes are used, although Amarillo, Cascade and Citra are among the likely choices. Whatever, this is a fruity, crisp, dry, and easy drinking pale ale with a gentle bitterness at the finish. 👍

We could see our next pub from the window of The Round House, a pub I've not been to for years! Anyway, we exited the Roundhouse, left onto Garrick Street and turned immediately first right, and straight in front of us, the Lamb & Flag, 33 Rose Street WC2E 9EB (website). A pub is first recorded here in 1772, with the 18th century building constructed on the same site of a house known to have been built by 1638, perhaps 10 years or so earlier when the street itself was built. This timber-framed, and Grade II Listed pub, was originally called the Cooper's Arms until the name was changed to the Lamb & Flag in 1833.

Here we drank an ale from Devon based Salcombe Brewery (website), their 4.2% Shingle Bay, a golden ale that I believe is brewed with New Zealand Pacific Gem hops (hopslist). They say "fruity aroma of blackberry and spiced fruit" which is again, very subtle, but suggested by the hops used. I found it to have a gentle citrus aroma and flavour, with a peppery dry bitter finish, and another easy drinking ale to quaff. 🍺

From the Lamb & Flag, we turned back on ourselves and right onto Garrick Street, shortly along to a 6 road junction, taking the third left/opposite Great Newport Street to Charing Cross Road and we turned right onto the main road. We carried along roughly northwards to Shaftesbury Avenue, where we turned left, and then first right onto Greek Street where we reached The Coach & Horses, 29 Greek Street, W1D 5DH (website). This Grade II Listed building dates back to 1840, and is claimed to be "Soho's Most Famous Pub" and historically a drinking establishment for writers, artists and poets; indeed, a friend reminded me soon after I posted this photograph on social media, that it was where folk from the satirical magazine Private Eye had their famous fortnightly lunches, cheers Stephen! 🍷🍸🍻

Here we drank, from Bermondsey in South East London, The Kernel Brewery (website) and their 4.0% Small Pale Ale, this one brewed with Columbus hops (hopslist); apparently they brew a variety of changing 'session' Small Pale Ales with different hops used, and different strengths. Anyway, the Columbus hop helps produce big citrus flavoured brews, and despite this being a bit trendy hazy, the hops did their job to ensure it was a pleasant ale indeed. 👌

I didn't realise it in the planning, but these 4 pubs all had something in common, in that they are all Fuller's pubs, indeed, I hadn't realised before how much Fuller's has encroached into the centre of London from their origins in West London. Also, rather surprisingly, I discovered that there was a 10% discount for CAMRA members at all 4 pubs, nice one, cheers folks! 😄