2 - Blackfriars to Euston Pubs - from Holborn

Starting where I finished with my last blog at the Princess Louise, 208 High Holborn WC1V 7EP (website). This Grade II Listed pub was built in 1872 and named after Queen Victoria's sixth child, with the fabulous interior redesigned in 1891, it really is worth visiting for that alone, and not just for the loos! 😉 It's a Samuel Smith (from Yorkshire - website) pub, so everything they sell is Sam Smiths basically, wine, spirits, crisps, oh yes, and beers... 🍺

And what do you drink if you're an ale drinker? Their 4.0% Old Brewery Bitter, and yes, it's drinkable, and apparently brewed with traditional English Fuggle (hopslist) and East Kent Golding (hopslist) hops. Go to their own page for their opinion, me? Personally, I'd describe it as slightly malty, not very bitter, unchallenging, and easy to drink, as previously suggested.

From the Princess Louise go back to the Holborn junction and turn left up Southampton Row, then third right at Theobalds Road, then immediately left up Old Gloucester Street to Queens Square, and at the corner is The Queens Larder, 1 Queen Square WC1N 3AR (website), and yes, you are in Bloomsbury! A Grade II Listed building, early 18th century, and pub since 1710, named after George III's Queen Charlotte, who assisted with his care as the king stayed with, and was treated by, his physician Dr Willis in Queen Square (named after Queen Anne). 👑

There were 3 handpumps, 2 I remember included Fuller's (website) London Pride (4.1%), which when in form is pretty good, but it does need to be sold quickly as it doesn't last too long in opened casks (cellar experience there folks!). Brewed with English hops Target (hopslist), Northdown (hopslist), Challenger (hopslist) and East Kent Golding (hopslist), and I'd describe it as a slightly malty and bitter traditional session bitter, easy to drink. There was also Timothy Taylor's (website) Landlord (4.3%) from Yorkshire. Landlord is a pale-ish amber Bitter, brewed with Whitbread Golding (hopslist), Savinjski/Styrian Golding (hopslist) and Fuggle (hopslist) hops, producing a slightly fruity citrus flavour. Another pretty easy to drink bitter. 😁

A few doors away is The Swan, 7 Cosmo Place WC1N 3AP, a Greene King pub (website), originally from the 18th century, but rebuilt in 1931. Unsurprisingly the usual Greene King ales available, but I enjoyed the 4.3%  Timothy Taylor's Landlord, described above, cheers! 🍺

Carry along Cosmo Place to Southampton Row, turn right and walk up to Euston Road and turn right (the easiest route, but you can meander through back streets, and more complicated), along on the right, across from St Pancras Station is The Euston Flyer, 83-87 Euston Road NW1 2RA (website). A much newer building converted into a pub about 30 years ago. This is owned by Fuller's of Chiswick, West London (website), where we met friends from Sheffield via St Pancras Station, and B came down from Manchester this time, so across from Euston Station.

Here, we were all disappointed with the beers, Pride for Paul and Ian, whilst I drank their 4.2% Golden Hour, brewed with Harlequin hops (British Hops). As I said, for a Fuller's house it was disappointing indeed, so I'll pass on how they describe it: "golden ale, the hops delivering tropical citrus notes with a touch of candied fruit." This was actually our first port of call on the day as we walked in the opposite direction towards Holborn, but that didn't fit with my Blackfriars to Euston theme, and we talked B out of drinking here when she arrived! 😞

For you, dear reader, I'd suggest alternatively drinking around the corner at the Skinners Arms, 114 Judd Street WC1H 9NT (website), with 6 cask ales and 4 crafty keg beers. Historic too, and I shall have to go there myself in the not too distant future, cheers folks! 👍

Don't forget though, that there are many things that can go wrong drinking alcohol, be aware of limits and potential physical, social, and legal factors. The drinkaware website offers advice, tools to help, where to get support and 'facts' you may not be aware of. Stay safe folks! 👌  

5 Pubs Visited in London, 1 New to Me!

You'll realise by the gradually darkening photographs this visit was late afternoon/early evening, except for the last pub. First stop, The Albert, 52 Victoria Street SW1H 0NP (website), once a Taylor-Walker house, now Greene King. The pub is a Grade II listed building, built 1845-52, just over the other side of Victoria Street from the notorious Devil's Acre (Londonist), and originally called 'The Blue Coat Boy' until Artillery Brewery took it over, rebuilt it and named it The Albert in 1867 in honour of Queen Victoria's consort, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, following his death in 1861. Now I have to own up to not taking note of the beers we drank, obviously not great or I'd have taken notes, but I hadn't been in the pub for years, probably not this millennium, and it's a lovely old building that avoided bomb destruction luckily during World War 2!👌

These first 3 pubs are all close to St James's Park tube station, near where I worked many years ago, near the old Westminster Hospital, on the edge of the Devil's Acre! I only learnt about the Devil's Acre many years later when referenced in a novel, but I have investigated since. Next was a Nicholson's pub The Feathers, 18-20 Broadway SW1H 0BH (website), the pub being in existence since at least 1745, and rebuilt in 'the Flemish style' towards the end of the 19th century. This was the pub that I had never visited before, so new to me, and a it is a very fine building, both the exterior and interior, so I wasn't disappointed, nor by the ale...

I did drink an ale I haven't had for a while now, from Midlands brewery Purity Brewing Co (website), and their 4.2% Mad Goose Pale Ale, brewed with Pilgrim, Centennial, Chinook and Cascade hops, quintessential hops for an APA style beer! As you would expect, it's pale golden in colour, and look at those hops (!), it has a hint of citrus in the aroma, but much more citrus to the taste, with a nice clean, dry bitter finish, nice one! 👍

Then, literally around the corner and along a bit, another pub I haven't visited for years, still a Young's house, the Buckingham Arms, 62 Petty France SW1H 9EU (website). Originally licenced as the Black Horse in the 18th century, and also rebuilt towards the end of the 19th century and re-named the Buckingham in honour of the Duke of Buckingham in 1901. The pub used to have a second entrance which meant you could walk through the pub from end to end (confirmed by bar steward, so not a false memory), with a narrow bar to your side; the second entrance/exit was removed, presumably along with the interior refurbishment in 2009.

The usual 2 Young's ales were available, the Special and Ordinary, plus 4 guest ales, including 2 from Twickenham Brewery (website) including their very often sold in Young's houses, the 4.4% Naked Ladies, named after statues in York House Gardens in Twickenham. So I drank a pint of this hoppy, pale golden bitter, brewed with Herkules, Celeia and Chinook hops, it has a subtle citrus aroma, a slightly malty taste at the start, and with some citrus flavours coming through as the ale goes down, and a lovely refreshing dry bitter finish, another nice one! 👍

Then we jumped on a District Line train from St James's Park to Hammersmith and visited another Nicholson's pub, The Swan, 46 Hammersmith Broadway W6 0DZ (website). The Swan was re-built by the architect Frederick MIller in 'the Free Jacobean' style as a hotel in 1901 on the site of an old coaching inn, the 'Old Swan', the first and last stop to the west of London. It has an imposing exterior and breath taking interior, and is a Grade II listed building.

As usual for a Nicholson's pub there are half a dozen or so ales on offer, and we went for one from the East Anglian brewery Adnams (website), that was their Ghost Ship (4.5%). This is a pale sharp refreshing ale, brewed with Citra hops, consequently, as you would expect, it has a subtle citrus flavour and a nice refreshing dry bitter finish, and in my opinion Adnams best ale. 👍

I more recently visited (Saturday) The Victoria, 10a Strathearn Place, W2 2NH (website). This is a fine Grade II listed Fuller's pub (Fuller's website) built in the 1830s, named after Queen Victoria as it was opened on the same day as her accession to the throne, and she visited the pub after the opening of the rebuilt nearby Paddington Railway Station in 1854. Slight damage during World War 2, it has a grand exterior and wonderful interior, well worth visiting if nearby.

I didn't take a photograph, so this image is from Fuller's own website, but I did drink, and a few pints of only this, believe it or not, their 3.8% Oliver's Island. Brewed with Goldings, Hallertau Tradition, and Liberty hops, this is a pale golden session bitter, with gentle grapefruit and tropical fruit flavours, and a refreshing dry bitter finish, not bad Fuller's!

And we had something to eat here, sharing their "Hummus & spiced lamb to share with pine nuts, corianders & pomegranate, served with grilled flatbread" and it was pretty tasty, if the 'hummus' a wee bit thin, and they could have provided a few more flatbread pieces. 😉

Cheers folks! 👍