The Jolly Butchers, Stoke Newington, N16

The Jolly Butchers seems to have gone downhill. Last time I came, there were 6 real ales. Nowadays there is only 1. This was Five Points XPA. The real cider range has also been reduced to two - Ascension Hide In The Sky & SeaCider Mango. At least the Ascension cider was a new one for me. The emphasis these days appears to be on craft beer and Indian food with a modern twist. Craft beers were 360° Sussex Haze & Dare To Dream, Deviant & Dandy Perky Blenders, Wheat Child of Mine & Precious Stones, By The Horns Hop Tour USA, 3AM Peach & Mango IPA & American Pale, Brick Peckham Session, Siren Soundwave, Electric Bear Bloom Landing, One Mile End Liquid & Salvation American Pale & Twisted Wheel Technicolour. The interior is still a large square room, with toilets down a set of stairs in one corner. The open kitchen is in the opposite corner. Entrance is through a set of curtains! The pub was busy as usual, but we did secure a table. There's not much standing room, as tables are packed in. This is still probably the best pub in Stoke Newington, but is no longer the destination for beer it once was, unless you prefer expensive craft beer to real ale.

A swift visit as the last pub of the evening means that my memories of The Jolly Butchers aren't as clear as they might be. It's an open plan, square interior with mismatched furniture featuring a fair bit of scrubbed pine. Food was popular on our Thursday evening visit but there certainly weren't any problems with just having a drink and it feels more pubby than restaurant. The beer selection was very good featuring Cloudwater Spring and Summer, which was excellent, Salvation Pale Ale, Burning Sky Aurora, Dockers Delight One Mile End, West Berkshire Brewery Screaming Eagle and Arbor & Mezzo Passo Basta Rosse. I'd happily return for a longer visit to try the ale range.

Sister pub to both the Southampton Arms and Cock Tavern,it retains elements of both these fine pubs but is also different .There is a mix of both real ale and real cider but not in the same volume,and reflecting the upmarket nature of the area,food features large from an open kitchen in one corner.The building itself is street corner Victorian,and the interior just a square open plan space with traditional square wooden tables,benches and chairs and less basic than the other pubs.The supporting columns are a main feature as is an unusual rear wallpaper design on the way to the downstairs loo. However top quality brewers will be featured on the handpumps,the selection was eclectic and my Arbor and Mezzo Passo collaboration brew called Basta Rosse was an interesting red ale. I would be quite happy to return,it was popular on my Thursday evening visit .