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Poll for date of Halifax crawl. with ROBCamra
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Old Blackfriars, Aberdeen
Aberdeen
AB11 5BB
Old Blackfriars
Don't forget we can provide take away food
2:10 PM Nov 5th 2020 from Twitter for iPhone
Reviews of Old Blackfriars (Average Rating: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Old Blackfriars
Traditional-looking pub near the Mercat Cross, with a split-level interior featuring a small seating area inside the entrance which leads through to the larger bar at the lower level. Modernised furniture and decor throughout. Also has some tables out front. Three of five handpumps in use downstairs when I stopped by, with a 'house' beer, Windswept Aurora and Inveralmond Thrappledouser (£1.80, half).
On 16th October 2016
- rating: 7
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
I L left this review about Old Blackfriars
A good regular entry in the CAMRA good beer guide this multiple level pub is one of the better pubs in Aberdeen and worth seeking out just for it's character let alone a good range of ales. On each of our visits the ales we have had have been in good condition, this time the Orkney Dark Island was very good. A nice lively but not noisy atmosphere in here.
On 18th October 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 287 recommendations about 284 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Roger Button left this review about Old Blackfriars
The Blackfriars (the locals apparently don’t refer to the “Old”) is one of the city’s oldest pubs and was built on the site of a Monastry, hence the pub’s ecclesiastic name. The foundations of the old church can apparently still be found in the basement.
The pub is certainly one of the better “real pubs” in town, no pumping music, multi sport channels or disco lights here. The pub stretches across a couple of buildings on an incline and the interior is divided into an upper and lower bar reflecting the separate structures. The smaller upper bar at the Castlegate end has a tartan carpet, beamed ceiling and is simply furnished and quite cosy. The front section overlooking the square has paneled walls and some exposed brickwork and an old wooden door mounted on the wall (unfortunately with no explanation but may also have been part of the church or monastry). There is a small separate bar servicing the upper levelwith 4 hand pumps however the main bar is down a small flight of steps where a further 5 hand pumps await.
The larger lower bar is more open and contains a wonderful ornate ceiling, bare floors, brick fireplace and some antique looking pews. The pub is also noted for its stained glass windows. The atmosphere is quite relaxed with piped music and no TVs as afar as I could see. Outside is a roped off section on Castlegate that provides some open air seating in the historic square.
Whilst the pub is part of the Belhaven (Scottish arm of Greene King) Empire, there is a good selection of guest beers with Speckled Hen and Belhaven Heid The Ba & 80/- being from the GK range and Elgoods Feelgood Fresh, Marston Merriemaker, Inveralmond Ossian and Caledonian Deuchars making up the rest. To be honest, my pint wasn’t the best I had in town which was disappointing given its Good Beer Guide entry. They also maintain a stock of approximately 30 malt whiskies which doesn;’t seem particularly excessive given some of the other pubs in the area and whisky drinkers will probably choose to look further afield where some of the pubs stock up to 250. There are regular themed beer festivals with 15+ ales and various food and drink promotions that are clearly aimed at competing with the Wetherspoons opposite.
The Blackfriars is an essential part of any beer tourist’s trip to Aberdeen and it was really only the quality of the solitary ale I tried that was a major issue. I will give the place the benefit of the doubt and trust that it was merely a rogue pint.
On 3rd August 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1239 recommendations about 1233 pubs]
View more reviews of Old Blackfriars (4)
Aberdeen University Real Ale Society Pub Crawl by Aberdeen University Real Ale Society
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- Official site of Old Blackfriars - www.belhaven.co.uk
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- CAMRA WhatPub :: Old Blackfriars - whatpub.com
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 28 November 2017 by ROB Camra
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 28 November 2017 by ROB Camra
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 28 November 2017 by ROB Camra
- Car Park : No last updated 28 November 2017 by ROB Camra
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 28 November 2017 by ROB Camra
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 28 November 2017 by ROB Camra
- Live Music : Yes - Thursday & Friday - last updated 28 November 2017 by ROB Camra
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 28 November 2017 by ROB Camra
- Micropub : No last updated 28 November 2017 by ROB Camra
- Quiz Night : Yes - Tuesday - last updated 28 November 2017 by ROB Camra
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 28 November 2017 by ROB Camra
- Real Cider : No last updated 28 November 2017 by ROB Camra
- Wheelchair Access : Yes - To the upper level only - last updated 28 November 2017 by ROB Camra
- WiFi : Yes last updated 28 November 2017 by ROB Camra
