William the Fourth, Leyton, E10

First visit to the impressive building forming the Brodies brewery tap. It was dark when we arrived so it was hard to see much of the exterior detail, but there is a fair amount to see once inside. Apart from the curiously-shaped bar in the main room, there are plenty of traditional pub features such as darts, bar billards, brewery mirrors, etc. Some 13 of the 20 handpumps scattered around the counter were in operation, with a vast array of beers ranging in strength from Summer Stout (very light at 2.8%) to Romanov Empress Stout (a whopping 12.1%). There are also five more (unused) handpumps in the smaller rear room. My pint was fine, and very cheap at £1.99, but there were issues with some of the beers tried by others - hopefully a one-off experience, or perhaps they are just trying to offer too big a range at any one time?

Since we were in the area, I was understandably keen to pop in to the Brodies brewery tap. And with a choice of a dozen or more of their beers at £1.99 a pint, I thought I couldn't go wrong. Oh dear! My pint came out the consistency of mud. On pointing this out, I was advised to 'let it settle'. Further enquiry indicated a replacement would not be available. On returning later, I had a better pint of a wheat beer, but this could itself be described as 'tired'. Those who have been more often than I say that this sort of quality is unusual. I do hope so: a reputation is far more easily lost than gained and I would like to think that James & Lizzie are on top of quality issues in their flagship pub. When I next find myself in E10, I will pop in and I really would like to find a few Brodies beers that have travelled from the back of the pub (where the brewery is) to the front (where the bar is) in rather better condition than on this visit.