Williams Ale & Cider House, Bishopsgate, E1

Official site of Williams Ale & Cider House - www.williamsspitalfields.com

Official site of Williams Ale & Cider House - www.williamsspitalfields.com

This pub is hidden away up a narrow street off Bishopsgate. The bar is split into two sections, with one side dedicated to beers and the other dedicated to ciders. The ciders are fairly mainstream ones, but it at least makes a pleasant change to find a bar in central London willing to stock a changing range of ciders. The pub is actually a Greene King outlet and the regular beer is their house beer Spitalfields Sellers Own. Guests were Southwark Bermondsey Best & Mango No. 5, Timothy Taylor Landlord, St Austell Tribute & Vale Black Beauty & Scarecrow. I tried both the Mango No. 5 and the Scarecrow and found both in good condition. Ciders were Lilley's Somerset Scrumpy Dry & Apples & Pears, Turner's Dry & Seacider Passion Fruit. The pub didn't have any features that I noted, which is probably why I don't recall it from my last visit here in 2015. Although, we did happen to sit next to 3 dartboards in a row at the rear. Apparently a CAMRA discount is offered. But we weren't made aware of this at the time.

I had high hopes for this place and there was a good choice of 10 keg beers. Unfortunately only 1 lonely handpull in operation with a handwritten badge saying "Solid Gold". Being the adventurous type I took a chance and it wasn't a bad pint. Very friendly service but I expected a bit more choice of cask ale. According to the barman they had struggled with deliveries due to the recent "petrol panic buying" and this seemed a good enough reason. I will certainly call in again when I am next in the area.