The Pocket, N1

Specialist alehouse, with a narrow frontage and not that much seating in the bar, by the front windows and beyond the counter, and a bit more in a small rear room at the back. Thankfully, on a Tuesday evening I found a perch for my pint on a shelf beside where the jazz trio would be playing later. Excellent selection of cask ales - including my Fresh Hop from Verdant using Harlequin (£5.29) and other 'green hop' beers from Kent Brewery and Five Points - from the eight handpumps. Also has ten craft keg taps at the front and six more handpulls offering a range of ciders on the bar-back.

A great ale house from the people who brought you The Southampton Arms ,there are elements repeated here noteably the Ale Cider Meat pubsign strap line ...it all feels very familiar.The tap room is long and thin with good wood panelling,a dark wooden floor,fitted bench seating to the front with small tables and stools,a drinking shelf opposite the elegantly curved servery with more seating in an oblong back section under a glass roof light. Above the picture rail there is a good collection of brewery ash trays,while the upright piano has a listing of when a pianist will be on.The high ceiling helps the vibe and even the Courage signage at the frontage has been exposed. Ale and keg beers are priced by ABV with keg at a premium,the bar snacks are the same meat and veg treats. On my inaugural visit there were 6 real cider pulls,10 indie keg beers and an ale selection of Redemption Big Chief,Vocation West Coast IPA (NBSS 4),Two flints Day Dream,Castle Rock Harvest Pale and Rambling Rangers ,Left Handed Giant Dark Mild,Thornbridge Low Line milk stout and Newbarns Smoky Brown .Thats a line up of high quality with a mix of styles and ABV's and worth making the effort to get here. I know I will visit a lot over the next few years,it's an outstanding pub for beer lovers and I will sample liberally next time I'm in.A must visit and not to be missed,not far from Highbury & Islington tube and rail station.