Three Brass Monkeys, Weston Central, Weston Super Mare

A small JDW with a rather more pleasant atmosphere than many.  The bar is a regular rectangle, nothing extraordinary.  There is a small smoking area at the front, which was littered with detritus, both human and inanimate.  There was a table of 4 millinarily challenged morons whose voices had no volume control, but other than them the clientele seemed relatively ordinary.  Ales on draft were Ruddles, Abbott, Doombar, Zululand Pale Ale, Erik’s Midnight Sun, Liberation Pale Ale and Arcadia.  There were 5 boxed ciders as well.  The Midnight Sun I had was in excellent condition, a really good pint.  I’d actually be happy to come back here to see whether the beer quality is always this good

Not a wide frontage, but the rectangular bar stretches a long way back. However, this - and the low ceiling - means it's rather dark inside. Standard old-style 'spoons furniture and decor. So-so choice of real ales from eight of nine handpumps, but even the premium beers such as Sheriff Fatmam from Scragged Oak were going for just £2.05 on a Monday.

This is very much an old school Spoons with the dark blue and gold external signage and mostly wood interior. It's long and narrow with the bar on the right and fairly typical furnishings. It was fairly quiet on my Wednesday evening visit but there were a few tables with representatives of the daytime brigade who looked like they had been in all afternoon. The bar has two sets of hand pumps one of three which had the JDW Trio Of Doom and the rest had Abbot, Doom Bore, one unused, Moles Dark and Cotleigh Lemon Ale. I went for the Moles Dark (£2.15) but had to send it back as it was sour. It was replaced with the Cotleigh Lemon Ale which at least was drinkable. A JDW that can't even keep just two guest ales properly is pretty rubbish.