The Dispensary, Liverpool

I have been here once before, but it must have been quite a few years ago. Paid a re-visit on Friday early afternoon. Five of seven hand pulls in active service, with one of the remainder unclipped and the other having a reversed Ossett Butterley. I went for the Titanic Plum Porter at £2.44 for a half, and was in superb condition, being pulled through before being served. A chalk board to the left of the bar lists the ales. A nice old school traditional pub, conveniently just a five minute stagger from the nearby Roscoe Head. A bare boarded floor surrounds the bar with a few bench seats in the windows. To the left is a carpeted raised area with more comfortable cushioned bench seating to the corner, a fireplace, and small round tables with low stools. The windows have etched glass, with the raised section bearing the words 'Smoke Room', and there is coloured stained glass above. I was the only customer in shortly after midday. A couple of lads entered shortly after me, but they seemed to be just chatting with the bar staff, although one of them had a pint of tap water before disappearing. A couple of actual paying customers came in around 12:30. Golf was showing on the TV but muted in favour of music playing at a reasonable volume. There does appear to be an Irish rugby theme with pictures on the walls. Gents toilets are down a corridor at ground level, ladies are downstairs at basement level. Externally, there is a covered beer garden. I can't fault the ale selection and my Plum Porter was excellent. I shall be back!

I seem to have memories of being here once or twice before, but didn't write a review. Hazy memories, so another visit was called for. I find it a little underwhelming, the dark interior not being helped by much in the way of lights on a gloomy January afternoon, and the only member of staff having her head buried in a book and barely engaging with customers. Five hand pumps on the handsome but dark and gloomy bar counter, with Ossett White Rat and two of its relatives from Rat brewery. (Also Titanic Plum Porter and Oakham Citra, which seem to be regulars) I went for Drowned Rat, a 4.3% "pale, hoppy bitter" which tasted bland and underwhelming - possibly even gloomy - to my quite possibly jaundiced palate. Time to find another pub.