Exeter Arms, Oakham

A row of buildings knocked through a bit overlooking the village green and duck pond, quite a bucolic location for a sunny Friday’s imbibing. Inside it’s a single room with low beams, stone walls and that sort of thing; scrubbed-up a bit (the bar is a bit modern) but nice enough, though the twigs with pink lights intertwined might enrage some. More traditional and enjoyable were a strip of old beer ads along the ceiling, featuring such long-defunct breweries as Gales and Ridleys. Three ales on; GK Abbot, Oakham JHB and Grainstore Red Kite, the latter of which drank very nicely and was accompanied by some teeth-chippingly good home made pork scratchings, replete with tufts of hair. No sign of the landlord’s homebrew mentioned in reviews below, sadly (is he still here?). A good one this, would have stayed longer if we hadn’t have had 50 other pubs to get ticked off. 7.5

Official site of Exeter Arms - www.exeterarmsbarrowden.co.uk

Official site of Exeter Arms - www.exeterarmsbarrowden.co.uk

A solid stone built pub overlooking the village green, duck pond and sheep pastures beyond all of which can be enjoyed from the front terrace. Inside it's a one room affair with a long bar running across the back of the building. There are distinct areas, to the left feels like the bar with a wall mounted tv, dart board and unlaid tables. To the far right are more tables and it feels more like an eating area. Food is offered and my lunchtime sandwich came with all the trimmings and was very good and decent value. The landlord brews the Barrowden beer offered here and is a welcoming and friendly cove. happy to chat about his beer and recommend according to what you fancy. Beers on when I visited were all from Barrowden: Bell Enders, 7 Ryders, Pilot, Beech, Own Gear and Hop Gear. Strengths ranged from 2.6% to 4.6% and styles from very pale to black although the landlord says that he tends to prefer hoppy beers and so feel that his brews tend that way. I tried the 7 Ryders and Hop Gear both of which were on decent shape and perfectly drinkable without being either overly hoppy or especially notable. I liked this pub, it's welcome, location and enterprise in brewing its own beer and I wish it every future success and would recommend a visit. I couldn't give it above 7 though as none of the beer that I tried was, although acceptable, really good.

The Exeter Arms is a decent looking stone built pub that is in a quiet rural village. There was one longish room inside that ran across the front of the pub this was quite nice and comfortable with cottage type seating. This pub is the home of the Barrowden brewery and the brewery is in a large stone barn at the back of the pub,there were six real ales on the bar five of these were from the Barrowden brewery i had a drink of Beech and this was a really nice drink the other beers from the brewery were Pilot this was only 2.6%, Own Gear,Hop Gear and Beviv there was also GK IPA. This was a very nice pub with nice local beer and we were quite happy having a drink in here.