Rat & Ratchet, Huddersfield

First time to visit what has been part of Huddersfield’s real ale scene for many year and regular winner of CAMRA awards. Just beyond the southern section of the ring road it’s an inviting stone building that stands out well against the blandness of the architecture of the new Kirklees College that dwarfs it from behind. As already reported below internally this no nonsense ale house now one space but with several adjoining different seating areas and the use of different floor types to the main bar area gives the impression of being a series of different connected areas. As well as a good use of large mirrors to give the impression of larger spaces, every wall surface is covered with music and different beer and brewery memorabilia. Other distractions are kept to a minimum with a pinball machine, a dart board, a wall mounted TV and a top notch rock jukebox. Twelve of the thirteen handpumps were in operation for our visit and as well as the Rat Brewery Rat attack, King Rat, White Rat, Nosferatu and Rata Nui there was Yorkshire Blonde and Silver King from the Ossett Brewery, Abbeydale Full English Breakfast Stout, Phoenix Monkeytown Mild, Roosters Eighty Eight, Dr Morton’s Mandarin Claw of Death and Bradford Odsal Top. The couple of Rat brews I tried were in good nick and as one of the posters stated on the wall, you are never more that 6ft from a Rat and that’s certainly very true here.

Very traditional - albeit partly opened-out, multi-space - pub that really looks the business. However, seems to have a bit of a problem about accommodating a group of visitors (if my first visit is anything to go by), despite not being overcrowded at the time. However, with all but one of the 13 handpumps in use - and five of their own beers (including Rat Attack, £1.38 half) available - the real ale selection is undoubtedly first class. Overall, the only place during a day in Huddersfield where we didn't feel particularly welcome, but I'm sure that I would enjoy it more another time so will no doubt return.

This is a classic old Northern pub which although now just a single room does retain separate areas. The entrance is tiled and has the wooden floored bar area on the left. Both the pinball machine and dart board mentioned below are still here. I counted twelve hand pumps here with an extra one for cider although a board lists many available ciders. Beers available included Rat White Rat, Lab Rat, King Rat & Ratsputin, a Fernandes / Rat collaboration Fraternity, Osset Silver King & Yorkshire Blonde, a Blue Bee beer, Elland Goldrush, Shiny New World and a North Cotswold mild that went off. I went for the Rat beers Lab Rat (£2.95), King Rat (£3.05) and Ratsputin (£3.45). All three were superb beers in immaculate condition. I did notice some "craft" kegs on the bar one of which was called "Rat Poison", I thought not long after arriving here that it doesn't get much better than this and it didn't. I reckon this one is the best of a very good bunch of Huddersfield pubs.