Sunday 9 January 2011

Christmas Crawl

A bit late on this report, but what a splendid day was had 29th December 2010. Closing the year with a few beers around the Capital has become a bit of a tradition, especially if we plan to go to a few different places! We concentrated on the Clerkenwell area, and dropped down towards Smithfield. Not a bad part of town.

We started the afternoon at the Betsey Trotwood. Lovely one roomed, corner pub. It does live music and such, but I quite liked the one bar set up, reminded me of a proper boozer. They missed a trick that day - they decided NOT to open the kitchen, and they could have done a dozen covers just whilst we sat and enoyed our first pint. Beer selection was a bit basic, but the Spitfire was well kept....and the organic pork pie rather tasty!

Not getting grub there, we moved onto the Crown Inn on Clerkenwell Green. Downstairs was busy (a lot of people who asked for lunch in the BT were spotted here!). It looked touch and go as to whether we could get seats, but then we found the upstairs room. What a great place. Food not bad, and the Black Horse Porter (White Horse Bewery) was superb! There were a few other guests on, and a range of international brews too...would definitely return.



Post lunch, we moved on to the Jerusalem Tavern, which was, sadly, closed. Shame, I fancied a pint of St. Peter's beer, and the pub looks a nice spot in a very quiet part of town. So we carried ever onwards towards Smithfield Market, and dropped in on the Fox and Anchor.

Passable pint in there...nice place, lots of little alcoves. My major gripes were that the barman tried to serve me a pre-pulled beer, and everyone in the front of the pub seemed to drink wine. I suspect it is a tad pretentious. Still a nice pint of Pere Ubu, and an interesting pint of Nethergate christmas offering.

Walking back towards Farringdon, we decided against the brushed metal and rather lagery feel of Smiths of Smithfield, and instead opted to go straight to Ye Olde Mitre. What a pub this is! Been several times, keep going back. It's like a secret bit of London. Great beer, never a wide choice, but well kept. Two pints of Seafarers in there, and round the corner to the Scotch Malt Whiskey Tasting Rooms for a night-cap before hitting the trains!

Top day.........now to start planning next/this years!!!!

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