The Holt, Honiton

Overall my experience was much more positive than Blue Scrumpy’s but I shouldn’t say it was perfect.  Only two ales on, Otter Bitter and Amber, both in very good condition and most enjoyable.  We found the barmaid a tad hostile, she certainly didn’t make us feel welcome, though to be fair they were busy and only had tables for people who had booked, so even though we just wanted a beer, it felt we were being a burden rather than valued customers.  The food looked and smelled good, certainly a cut above what you might normally expect from tapas or pub grub.  Being able to see into the kitchen was interesting, though it was possible to see when things went wrong as well.  I’d be very happy to come back to eat or drink, obviously booking in future, and I’d risk including in a crawl despite the long waiting times for service.

This is the only pub in Honiton to have appeared in any of the last 5 Good Beer Guides (2017-2022). In fact it's appeared in all of them. As such, I was expecting something special. How wrong could I have been. As pub standards in Honiton go, this was poor and you've got to wonder if some kind of backhander is going on to get this in the Guide. Firstly, finding it open is a task in itself. The pub closes during the daytime and only opens 4 nights a week (recently increasing from 3 nights a week for a Wednesday tapas evening). I'd hung around in the area all day patiently waiting for it to open at 5pm as advertised on the door. But come 5pm, the doors were still closed. I eventually tried the door and it was actually open. Inside, the T-bars were still covered with a beer towel, indicating that they hadn't properly opened yet. Nevertheless, the open kitchen was in full swing, signifying where there priorities lie. Further evidence of the emphasis on food was provided by the real ale choice (or lack of it). Apparently the owners are part of the family who own Otter Brewery. So, I was expecting Otter beers. In the event, there was only Otter Bitter on cask. A couple did arrive for the tapas evening and another guy arrived seemingly to see the female chef. The ground floor bar was certainly cosy enough. Although the swearing barman didn't seem to fit the place's ethos. The aforementioned metal pole has been embellished with some kind of knitwear, perhaps to ward off any potential dancers. Diners are directed upstairs to a separate area. So, with diners upstairs and the other customer somewhere in the kitchen, it was back to just me in the bar listening to some fairly inane rap music that was playing. A pub that is good for food: possibly. A pub that merits inclusion in the Good Beer Guide and is worth visiting for its real ales: definitely not.

The home of the Otter Brewery tap. Five of their ales were clipped at the bar (though Head was, as it turned out, off from the previous night). My Amber was a touch warm (first of the day, should have been pulled through) but otherwise fine. Friendly service and the option of third pint taster trays available. A faux-rustic wine bar-ish interior - flagstone floor, chunky wood furnishings, coal range and a rather badly-positioned metal pole. At the rear is an open kitchen. Upstairs is a separate dining area. Tasteful wall prints for décor, as well as a decent collection of reading material. Not a bad little place but they need to make sure that for a brewery tap, all the ale is on and tip-top whether it’s just opening or just closing.