The Barley Mow, Bristol

Like Rex, this was also my first visit to a Bristol pub and it seemed an appropriate starting point given that it is now the flagship pub for the city's Bristol Beer Factory Brewery. The pub looks like a traditional back street boozer on approach, but a recent refurbishment has created a smart, modern alehouse that straddles the line between classic pub and craft beer bar, creating something where customers favouring either style of pub will feel comfortable. The layout is fairly straightforward, with an angular servery on the rear wall roughly opposite the entrance and two decent seating areas either side. The room is bare boarded and has a smart dual colour scheme. Seating is a mix of standard chairs and fixed benches and the décor includes lots of small framed pictures, deer antlers and a few displays of small trinkets in little shelving units. A large stack of board games was piled up next to the entrance and there are a number of blackboards dotted around the place listing various food and drink options. The servery boasted a large Bristol Beer Factory mirror on the bar back ("A taste of independence"), from which a long row of beer taps emerge. The cask options on this visit were Moor Revival. Wild Beer Fresh, Sunny Republic Shark Head, Bristol Beer Factory Seven, Wiper and True Milk Shake, XT 6 and Otley Amarillo. This was complimented by a large range of small batch keg beers, a strong bottled beer range and several real ciders. I thought I should try the sole Bristol Beer Factory cask offering, and was pleased to find it in good shape. The bar staff were friendly and knowledgeable about their products, with one barman talking us through the cider production process I really liked this place and felt that quite a bit of thought had gone into the way the pub presented itself. It certainly impressed me more than the more overt craft beer bars on King Street for example. The pub is arguably a bit out of the way if you're based in the city centre, but you'll be well rewarded for making the walk out here.

This was my first ever visit to a Bristol pub, and I reckon it was a great one to start with. It's definitely worth the effort of worming your way through the backstreets behind Temple Meads Station, but luckily I was with someone who knew where he was going. As BF says, it's a small, and a bit minimalist pub, but there were a few odds and ends about the place, like butterflies on display in glass cases, a bagatelle board, and some prints on the walls. Eight handpumps on the go is a good thing to welcome one into a pub, and all were dispensing less usually seen ales. The Sunny Republic Shark Head was in excellent shape, and at £3.40 a pint as I recall. I'm not likely to get to this neck of the woods any time soon, but if I lived anywhere near I would certainly want to visit again.

Not the sort of place that you are likely to find by chance, but this pub is certainly worth seeking out. Sympathetically refurbished by the Bristol Beer Factory, it looks quite modern whilst retaining a traditional feel. Good atmosphere too. Eight real ales on handpump, with a range of styles including the unfined Moor Revival (£3.40). Also offers a good selection of craft keg beers, with the 12% Siren Tickle Monster Triple IPA causing much discussion (although nobody was seen trying it at £4.00 for a 1/3rd...).

A decent traditional pub in a quiet residential part of Bristol, attracting both drinkers and lunch time visitors. This a respectable pub and their range of beers catered for a broad range of tastes. We went for the Moor Revival, the Otley Amarillo was unfortunately flat and after a few swirls around my glass, this didn't help. The barmaid did exchange it for the Sunny Republic Shark Head.

Not much to add after BF's review below ,but will reiterate this is an unspoilt traditional pub with the bonus of a very good beer range. Certainly a pub worth returning to.

Not far from Temple Meads,and worth the stroll to see what's on offer from the 8 handpumps and 10 keg beer selection.The interior is quite small,minimalist with a wooden floor and canteen type furniture,yet modern and inviting.The array of keg tap in the bar back is similar to the arrangement in many of the London craft beer outlets,and the amount of bottled beer in the fridges was impressive and listed on a board by the bar.Food is also served ,yet only one table was set for dining and most folk were just drinking on my crawl visit.A weekly pub quiz is advertised.There is a small courtyard out the back,partly covered. The real ale choice on my visit was Wiper & True Milk Shake,BBF Seven,Sunny Republic Shark Head,Wild Beer Fresh,Moor Revival ,XT6 and Otley Amarillo (£3.40,not that crisp) while a handpump was devoted to a real cider.Given the ale range and the commitment to stocking interesting beers in all their forms ,this GBG listed pub is well worth including on any ale tour of the city.