Birdcage, E2

Facebook page of Birdcage - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of Birdcage - www.facebook.com

On 8th February 2018 - rating: 6 Situated on Tower Hamlets’ flower-powered Columbia Road, the Birdcage has been here since the mid-18th century though was probably rebuilt in the 19th and has since lost its raised parapets despite retaining attractive green glazed tiling as well as some decent Truman’s regalia to the front and rear. Now part of the Draft House chain and despite being a very cold night I didn’t experience a drafty house – does this company mean Draught House by any chance? Anyway, until recently this was a bit of a dodgy boozer but has been transformed into a family/hipster-orientated pub with an attractive interior, seemingly toned down quite a bit since some of the earlier reviews. Just how much of the original interior remains isn’t obvious, but the field panelled bar with pot shelf certainly looks authentic, though as mentioned, the bar back is of rather tedious glazed white tiles. Nevertheless, it does indeed feel more pubby than you’d expect, though the log burning stove being lit would have been a bonus. Furniture is mixed and conventional, the floor is bare boarded and I didn’t see any TVs; music was muted. There were paper menus on tables which I didn’t get to peruse though I don’t think that this is a gastropub in the true sense of the word. The barmaid was friendly and efficient though presided over just two ales: Sambrook’s American Red and Siren’s Six Nations’-influenced Ruck ‘n’ Maul at £2.10 a half, served in a wineglass. I wish I’d spotted the ABV as it weighed in at a rather weedy 3.5% making it a bit bland. With Friday and Saturday 1.00 am licences I could easily have spent some time in here as on balance this is a nice pub, making for a great triple when combined with The Royal Oak and Marksman, but a wider and more interesting selection of ales would result in a higher mark, as would a nice fire to keep out the Draft. --------------------------------------- Now taken over by BrewDog with all that entails, minus the industrial interior. Virtually all tables cluttered with glasses with a barmaid wafting around; the closing time of 10.00 pm was unwelcome. What was certainly unwelcome was the three vacant pumps, me going for some 'craft' beer at 6.5% which set me back £4.75 a half; despite the poor cask range (not to mention prices), the Royal Oak is next door.

Official site of Birdcage - www.brewdog.com

Official site of Birdcage - www.brewdog.com

A Draft House pub, presumed ex-Truman or Charrington via the external green tiling. Inside is dull, scruffy/dirty and an opened-out L shape. Three pumps with two ales on; Siren Undercurrent and Burning Sky Plateau (NBSS 2.5) plus a plethora of keg. The dopey barmaid didn't know what Untappd was, despite them having a listing (and us being there for a bottled beer it was claimed to have a few days before) and it being a, err, craft beer bar. A pub of few real positives as far as I’m concerned.

Nice traditional pub with real ales, on its own a bit but a nice find