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Shoulder of Mutton, Wantage
Wantage
OX12 8AX
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Shoulder of Mutton
First visit since Pete’s departure and I have to admit the interior felt very bare and stripped-back as his décor has not been replaced. A few less ales than before but a good selection of styles and strengths nonetheless and my Oakham was fine. Still doing well but not quite the top dog it was.
November 2013
What was once an excellent little corner local has now become a quality drinking emporium (note the outsized Kitchener 'ale HQ' recruiting poster hung outside the pub). Taken over by Peter Fowler (he of Pitstop - now Betjemin - brewery), the pub has had a brightening-up internally (but the snug thankfully remains unmolested) with a lick of paint, new seat covers and various homely touches such as the fresh flowers on every table. Hearty, home-cooked from fresh vegetarian food is now served (ironic, given the pub’s moniker) which is top quality (he was on Masterchef in 1993!). The welcome is first-class and there’s plenty of enthusiastic chat to be had with the landlord about the range and styles of beer on offer (10 in all; a combination of local and regional ales, across a variety of strengths and styles). I did wonder initially whether a small pub in a rather cut-off town could support so many ales and have made a heroically selfless point of trying as many as possible. Each one of the ten I’ve had so far (including Dark Star Imperial Stout!) was either very good or excellent. For the fruit-drinkers there are a good collection of proper ciders and perries, ten in total. Prices are sensible and I could easily spend all day in here especially as there is a selection of board games too. Also goes to lengths to be lady-friendly and there’s been a pretty mixed crowd on both occasions. The pub has since gone on to make the last 16 of CAMRA’s National Pub of the Year competition; that’s how good it is. If you like excellent ales, ciders and a warm welcome, this is the pub for you. A clear 10 based on my last two visits. Superb. Rated 10
February 2008
Brilliant, a Gene Hunt timewarp pub. Apart from the (thankfully switched off) flat screen TV, nothing about the inside looks to have been updated since the miners strike, including the punters. Two bars (smaller on left), a screened snug-type room and a bar area that interconnects all three. There’s a decent, very well kept, choice of local ales (two Butts brewery and Loddon on last Sunday). Had some good banter with the locals by the bar (got told I was a 'troublemaker' for ordering a lemonade for Mrs Quinno) plus a pub dog and proper fire all made for a good hours worth of drinking. Apparently the place used to be even more heritage (CAMRA heritage standard, apparently), until Greene King fiddled with the interior. Thankfully, there's enough been saved to keep the basic old style pub atmosphere alive. Oddly, there’s also an old bone shaker computer that has internet access for the punters – unique! I won't claim that this pub will suit everyone but it’s recommended if you like your experience old-skool. Rating 8.
On 22nd April 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5107 recommendations about 5090 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Mark Davey left this review about Shoulder of Mutton
I suspect that this place has changed little since Quinno's report of 11/13, however, it was very quiet on a Saturday lunch with just 4 locals and our party of 5. Nice selection of ale on tap with about 8 hand pulls. unfortunately I was driving so limited myself to a pint and a half, both of which were excellent. I understand that the current landlord is leaving, I hope this fact doesn't lead to the demise of the Shoulder of Mutton.
On 7th May 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 292 recommendations about 276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about The Shoulder of Mutton
The Shoulder of Mutton appears to have blossomed over the last year or two and is now an excellent destination which I'd make a fair detour to visit.
It's a solid brick building close to the Market Place. To the left is a small bar with open fireplace and only room for two tables, both scrubbed pine, and recently upholstered benches around the wall. To the right is a larger room which still has small snug area in the middle, again with scrubbed pine tables. Towards the exit at the back is a small seating area next to the bar. It seems to retain a traditional layout but has been updated with freshly upholstered benches, cushions, scrubbed pine tables and fresh flowers on each table. This works though and makes it feel light and welcoming.
The welcome itself was certainly friendly and it's very easy to engage in beer related conversation with the knowledgable staff and locals. These people really seem to know how to run a pub and are as enthusiastic about getting the pub and the beer right as the customers are about drinking it.
There's a row of ten handpumps across the back of the bar, which stretches across the rear of the pub running into both rooms. On these were: Dark Star Summer Meltdown, XT 5 American Amber, Vale Decathlon and Sail Away, Shotover Windy, Windsor and Eton Guardsmen, Butts Traditional, Fullers London Porter, Loddon Oarsome and Betjeman Wantage Hills. An excellent selection across strengths and styles and including a number of local ales.
If that weren't enough there was also a beer festival on with 12 barrels housed in a room at the back which included beers from Oakham, Blue Monkey, Saltaire and Dark Star. All in all one of the finest selections of beers I've ever seen and all that I tried was in good nick.
Generally beer is charged at £3.30 a pint but with loyalty cards offering one free pint for every 8 drunk. On my visit, due to the beer festival I suspect, all beer was charged at £2.80 a pint without any loyalty card system. Either way it's good value in this part of the world.
A great pub with an excellent range of ales run by enthusiasts.
On 5th September 2012
- rating: 10
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Shoulder of Mutton
A smallish traditional pub with an interesting, old fashioned layout. There is a small bar to the left, a larger room to the right and a little snug in the centre, each with a little bit of counter. T bars adorn the two larger bars while the three handpumps lurk on the bar back, these had Sharps Doombar and two beers from Butts including a really excellent Barbus Barbus. Décor is lino tiles, red plush covered benches, leatherette upholstered chairs at red Formica topped tables, although the woodwork is in trendy grey. There are open fires and pictures of the pub darts teams in the 1980s and 90s, the feel is of a good back street local although it is on one of the main roads leading out of the market place. IT does have big screens and the larger bar was set up for poker playing one night last week. A former Morlands house it now appears to be in the hands of a Pubco and is currently for let, I like it and hope it doesn't getting too modernised if sold on. One gripe I have is the nasty smell of Pot Pourri, personally I'd have preferred the stale beer and fags smell of old.
On 9th October 2010
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3276 recommendations about 2982 pubs]