The Harp and The Lord Moon of the Mall

Making the most of the long Easter break I had the pleasure of meeting up a mate of mine from university, Dr Alex Beaton.  Meeting up with the Dr was cool because it reminded me how sociable visiting pubs was and how my little quest was allowing me to see friends who are not always that available. 

I lived with Alex for three years so we know each other pretty well, plus both being from London originally and both enjoying pubs and real ale I knew it was going to be a good evening.  We did the usual meet up at Charring Cross and went down to the Princess of Wales for a pint before deciding where to go first.  I never realised how often I go to the Princess of Wales before till I started this blog!   

On arrival Alex announced that he had brought with him two bottles of the home brew he had brewed.  My initial thought was I hope I liked it because I wouldn’t want to be rude and have to pretend to like it if it was no good.  But my fears were unfounded, the double fermented beer was really good.  Alex had been aiming for a dark winter warmer type beer and had well and truly succeeded.  The strength of the beer around 6%ABV was perfect for a cold winters evening.  The chocolate, molasses flavours with hints of raspberry and oranges finished off with a subtle bitterness made for a thoroughly drinkable pint and by far the best home brew I’d ever had.  It was as yet unnamed (Alex let me know if you have named it yet).  We drank the beer sitting in Trafalgar Square and moved on down into Whitechapel to the The Lord Moon of the Mall.  

Alex and his home brew

I’d been talking up this beer trip over the evening and telling Alex about some of the good pubs I’ve been to so far this year so I may have got his hopes up quite a bit.  As we approached the Lord Moon we started to notice subtle signs that set the alarm bells ringing.  The writing seemed familiar and we jokingly said ‘I hope its not a Weatherspoons’.  No signs outside advertised the Spoons brand but as we entered Alex spotted the J.D.W initials on the door frame.  I immediately received the justified comment from Alex ‘I’ve come all the way up to London to go to a fucking Weathersoons?’.  There was not much I could do other than apologies and get a round in.  The building which used to be a bank has been given the usual Spoons decoration.  I felt it was looking a bit tired when we were there, its a big space and with the few groups in there it felt pretty empty and lacking in atmosphere.  The usual Spoons smell of poor people and gravy pervades the pub.  

Lord Moon of the Mall

Turning our attention to the bar we looked over the list of beers on tap (the only saving grace).  At least Spoons pubs have a decent number of ales on tap.  The beer was decent and I stuck to my self made rule of having a minimum of two pints in each of the pubs on my list.  We spent most of the time discussing how bad Spoons pubs can be and how we did not feel the need for the ‘double up for £1.50’ signs plastered around the pub.  Needless to say we didn’t stay long and swiftly made an exit, I would not recommend this pub at all.  There are better pubs around and to prove it we took a five minute walk back over the otherside of Trafalgar Square to the The Harp.  

The Harp (not my pic)

The Harp is a pub I had been looking forward to visiting for a while and I’m glad we went there second on the day as it more than made up for the terrible Spoons.  The Harp is an outstanding central London pub.  It currently holds the very high accolade of CAMRA National Pub of the Year 2010\2011.  The accolade is well deserved, as soon as we entered we knew we were in for a good evening.  We had both been to the pub before a few years previously when the Harp was the London Cider Pub of the Year so we knew roughly what to expect, even those expectations were surpassed. Entering we found ourselves in a pub with a convivial relaxed atmosphere decorated with fine art and hand pump labels around the bar.  I like pubs where they use the handpump labels as decoration.  The other pub I know that does that is the Market Porter in Borough Market.  Pump labels are art in themselves and displayed together are interesting collages.  

The bar

The pub, on the evening we were there was perfect for what we were looking for, the eight ales on tap added to the experience and we wasted no time in getting stuck in.  There is not much point listing the beers they have as they have such a broad range with some regulars such as Sambrooks, Dark Star, Harveys and Twickenham Ales (plus I forgot to write them all down).  We got a seat at the small bench tables just past the bar and soaked up the atmosphere, whilst sampling all the beers they had on offer.  I recognised the bar man as having worked in The Chandos  just up the road he’s not moved far but has definitely gone up in the world.  All the staff in there were quick to serve and most importantly knowlegable about their products! 

This pub is the complete antithesis of the other pub we had been to and I would highly recommend this pub to anyone. This pub is perfect for anyone who loves good pubs, good beer, good conversation. Alex and I both very much enjoyed The Harp and will certainly be going back someday.

The Blackfriar and Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese

Thursday night before the long Easter weekend seemed like the ideal time to go pub hunting once again.  Workers of London would be out later than usual to celebrating the long weekend so the pubs would be full of people having fun. 

A short walk from work took me to the Brew Wharf at Borough Market where there were some work drinks happening.  I’d not been there before, on first impressions it looked a bit like a wine bar.  The people in there were all very smart like they were going for a day at the races.  Girls in full dresses and blokes all suited up.  The prices matched the expensive look of the place.  But I thought the overall feel of the place was nice.  It might not be so good on a cold winter day but on an unseasonally hot April day it was perfect as 90% of the pub is outside on a big patio.  Plus the beer was well kept and interesting.  They had two house beers which I always like to see.  I only tried the IPA and was not a huge fan of it as it was slightly too bitter and dry.  They made up for that by serving a good range of other specialty beers and lagers.  I had a pint of very expensive Brugge Zot and two good pints of Cotswold Dark Lager.  I know I had a lager.  Shocking... It was a really good pint and I’d happily drink it anytime.  One thing I am surprised about it how I didn’t see any of this when I was actually in the Cotswolds!  

Time to head on to hit some of the pubs on my list.  First up for the evening was the The Blackfriar about a 15 min walk over the millennium bridge from Borough Market.  Located on a busy road near to Blackfriars station the wedge shaped pub delivers a calming retreat once inside.  The Nicholsons owned pub is dressed in the usual Nicholsons style with lots of curly writing wood and brass hand pumps.  The marble frescos of the Blackfriar monks that adorn the walls give a sense of sobriety to the place.  Having lots of stone in a place can sometimes lead to a cold feeling but the marble is mostly a golden brown colour which gives a nice atmosphere.  The link to the history of the area is a nice touch and something that really adds to the pub experience.  The seating areas looked comfortable but we stood outside.   

The Blackfriar

Barman and some good ales

Inside the pub

Being a Nicholsons pub they had a good range of ales on tap from their list of 20 ales on their books.  I’d love to know how they chose the beers on their list.  That must be a great job choosing the ales.  On the day we were drinking Downton Honey Blonde and another good beer from the Butcombe Brewery Old Vic.  Both were well kept and lovely to drink.  A few times the tattooed long haired bar man was a bit short on his pouring but was happy to top up when asked.  My mate woody did not seem to be a huge fan of the pub.  As seems to be the case, my notes which at the time probably would have made perfect sense now are as clear as mud.  I should have noted down Woody’s opinion (if you read this let me know what you thought).  The only note I had from the day simply said ‘I wouldn’t kiss a sausage on the cheek’.  Anyway I liked the pub and would definitely go back.  I’d recommend it as a good pub for a session and it looks like it would be good in the winter too.  

Outside area

Ben, Dave and Woody

Short pints

Ed man Stott

As the clock was ticking both on the evening to get to another pub and for me to get through all the pubs on my list this year we took a walk along fleet street to the famous pub Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese.  The pub is a must visit pub for put interior enthusiasts and tourists alike.  Entering the pub via a narrow alley way off Fleet Street you see on the outside a list of 15 monarchs who’s reign has come and gone since the pub has been standing gives a sense of the age of the pub you are about to enter.  The second clue to the old traditions being upheld is the sawdust you’ll notice in the grate at the entrance and on the floor of the pub.  This certainly harks back to a bygone age when sawdust was used to soak up any spilt beer and any unfortunate bodily releases that can result from consuming too much beer and mead.  Going further into the pub its dark wooden panelling (standard for most Sam Smiths pubs) is wall to wall.  Various websites argue over the age of the panels I’ll go as far as saying some of it is old, very old!  The rooms are small on the ground floor with short bars with room for one barman only so it can be busy and crowded.  Even when busy it is a big enough pub to explore and stepping from one room out into the corridor you notice the noise drop away like the history is soaking up the noise.  There are a number of rooms in the pub and I may have even missed some myself, the biggest room where we ended up sitting in a booth is down stairs.  The room opens up into a bigger space unlike the small rooms upstairs and the decor is newer than above with tiled floor and newer panels.  The usual array of Sam Smiths produce is available, Sovereign bitter, Alpine Lager etc.  I’m not as much of a fan of Sam Smiths as when I was a student as I can afford better beer now.  I used to go to the Chandos by Charring Cross quite a bit but not been in ages as the beer is crap.  Me and Woody both discovered that Sam Smiths beer leaves you with a horrible hang over.  I find the Sovereign Bitter the most drinkable (but not nice) of the beers they have on tap despite its incredibly metallic aftertaste.  

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese

The Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese is a pub that should be visited.  It should be visited because it is old and keeps the sense of history alive well.  It should be visited for the experience of drinking in an interesting and historic location.  I am not trying to be deliberately controversial when I say this BUT I don’t think it is worth the fuss it seems to get.  My first visit to the pub some years ago was one of the most disappointing visits to a pub I’ve ever had.  I’d heard so much about ‘oh you must visit the Cheshire Cheese’ and arrived to find it to be just another dark Sam Smiths pub.  I’ve read the lack of natural light gives it a ‘gloomy charm’, that is some great estate agent spin right there.  Woody mentioned he didn’t like the fact he couldn’t tell if it was 10am or 10pm.  I’m not sure quite how the pub got the reputation it has other than from being very old.  I’m just saying it’s worth dropping by for a swift pint and a look around but don’t get your hopes up for a nice beer or an enjoyable session.    

The 'gloomy atmosphere'

Standard Sam Smiths

So two historic very old pub done in one evening.  My favourite of the two is definitely the Blackfriar I am looking forward to another visit there one day.  After all that beer a curry was needed and we wandered off in search of food.  A good night out.