West End Girls (West End pubs and beers really)

Saturday 14th January. A few hours to spare today, so a quick trip to the West End of London.

Heres the video of the song that inspired the title of this blog entry.

Information received showed that the Old Coffee House was having a mini beer festival promising 6 new Brodies beers. East end beers in a west end pub sounded a good idea especially as it had been on my list of of pubs to visit. Located on Beak St just off Regent St near one end of Carnaby St, its a fairly small pub but the 6 hanpumps provided a warm welcome. I was also quite surprised to to see a number of fellow beer enthusiasts I know there from York, St Albans, Pitsea, Southampton, Woking and Horsham.
All beers were priced at £1.60 a half or £2.99 a pint, hardly west end prices.

I had a half of five beers there from Brodies::
 Stepney Green Steam 4.2%
 Columbus for Breakfast 6.6% believed to be Collaboration with Kernel
 Brodies Brick 6.8% believed to be Collaboration with Redemption
 Awesomestow IPA 7.1%
 Summer Saison 8% Collaboration with Windsor & Eton

All 5 were very good and different styles. Columbus for Breakfast was a black IPA for instance. I don't know what a saison beer should taste like but the Summer Saison was enjoyable.

Outside

Inside

Inside

The six handpumps

Inside

Above the bar

Inside

Pub sign

One end of Carnaby St

I then went for a quick half of Red Squirrel West Coast Stout in the Harp.I didn't note the other beers available and i think there were 8 handpumps available. Its a tiny pub just off Trafalgar Square and the current CAMRA National Pub of the Year. Always busy with a fine selection of Independent brewery beers and one or two pump clips above the bar for decoration.

Outside

A few pump clips

and some more

Not much room.

Paintings on the wall

Finally I visited a pub just down the road from the Harp. The Porterhouse has a selection of beers from the Porterhouse brewery of Dublin. Its an intriguing multi levelled pub, quite dark inside and difficult to photograph well. You'll have to visit it yourself to see what its really like.  I went here a few years ago but this was only my second visit. Only 2 handpumps here. One had a Purity Brewery beer on and the other was their own TSB. The rest of the beers are served on keg but are unpasteurised. They do a sample tray which is 3 thirds for £4. So I had 3 lagers, 3 ales and then 3 dark beers to finish. A sensible way to taste all their different beers:
Lagers -Chiller 4.2%, temple brau 4.3%, Hersbrucker 5.0%
Ales - TSB 3.7%, Porterhouse Red 4.4%, An Brain Blasta 7.0%
Dark Beers - Plain porter 4.3%, Oyster Stout 4.8%, Wrasslers XXXX Stout 5.0%

Outside

beer taps

and some more

3 lagers

3 ales

I did meet all the family there

And finally a photo of the National Portrait Gallery. I didn't go in but its a nice shot.

Another new London brewery and 2 new pubs

Wednesday 9th November saw the launch of London's latest brewery. Tap East is located in the bar of the same name in the Westfield shopping centre in Stratford. Nearest station is Stratford International (now also on the Docklands Light Railway so I got a new bit of line and a new station visit). Their first brew was called Extra Stout at 6.6% but to me tasted nearer a barley wine. Very pleasant drink though. I also had 2 other excellent ales: St Peters (website) Hop Harvest 4.0% and Arbor (website) Powerhouse Porter 4.0%. 6 handpumps available so you should find something you like there.

Tap East viewed from outside

Some happy beer tickers or scoopers and a pen tester

Bar

Bar

Brewery

Then I went to Canonbury station for the Snooty Fox. Located almost opposite the station, walk left as you exit the station. I had an excellent pint of Windsor and Eton's Knight of the Garter. Also on was Sambrook Wandle and Truman's Runner brewed at Nethergate and St Austell' Tribute.

Outside of Snooty Fox

 

Bar

I believe the Snooty Fox only sells real ales from independent brewerys.  It also has a vinyl jukebox with lots of 60's and 70's music. Very dark inside mind you, which doesn't appeal to me, but the beer was good and it was only a short visit.