Blue Blazer, Edinburgh

One that was highlighted by fellow PuG contributors as worth searching out whilst in Edinburgh and it did not disappoint. This two room corner bar has been a pub since at least 1893, and it does have a very traditional feel to it. With it’s wooden floors, high ceilings and old brewery window panels and dark wood internal fittings it certainly has an old school boozer feel to it. Which is very appropriate considering it is named after a local school uniform, and there is a tiled blue blazer inlaid on the floor. The internal space is quite small and I can well imagine it is very difficult to get a seat when busy. Fortunately not so crowded for my visit and I was able to get a seat in one of the booths at the back. As mentioned by others the pub specialises in beers from smaller Scottish and North of England brewers and alongside the house Deuchars IPA was Scottish Borders Brewery Game Bird, Orkney Brewery Dark Island, An Teallach Ale Company’s beinn dearg ale and Sonnet 43 Bourbon Milk Stout. The couple I tried were in excellent condition and I could have stayed a lot longer than I had time for.

A two room corner pub in Victorian plain-form. The counter along the back wall of the front bar has five pulls and two air founts, the beers are from small Scots breweries plus one from Caledonian, all on the 4.5% plus side, quality is spot on and there's a fair range of malts and a large collection of miniatures above the counter. Also above the bar back are three cut down barrels with a fourth in the centre of the floor acting as a table. The taproom is comfortable if care worn while the back bar is intimate with banquette seating and not as blue.

Compact, irregularly-shaped bar with a side room (hosting an open mic night when I visited). Traditional furniture and decor. Quite a young crowd in, but a relaxed atmosphere. Five of six handpumps and two traditional Scottish gas pressure taps working, offering a very choice of mostly local ales e.g. Houston Warlock (£3.60). Overall, well worth seeking out.