Craft Beer Co, Hammersmith, W6

A little modern beer and wine bar in the retail centre under the bus station, next to the District/Piccadilly Line eastern entrance. It is brightly coloured, with arty flooring and tiles, and benefits from a patio area outside. The six handpumps offered 4 ales from Lakedown, Siren and Pillars, plus a couple of ciders and a selection of craft taps. Perfectly pleasant in a modern way and certainly handy for transport.

Set in a shopping centre concourse it's a modernish bar with six handpumps and some 20 craft taps,there were just two cask beers on, £60 Volk's ESB and Moor Tachbrook Bitter, I went with a couple of halves from the keg selection, Gravity Well Cosmic Dust and Bini Brew Under The Manhole Cover. Rather quiet on my visit and not one of CBC's better efforts.

Situated in the bowels of Hammersmith Broadway shopping centre, I came here about 10 years ago when it was the disappointing Yardbird. A return last Friday at a whisker before 10.00pm, to find an interior that has been toned down a bit since CBC first turfed up. There’s a tessellated wood parakeet floor with slats of different shades, then sea green tiles with raised circular motifs; also on display are large protruding honeycomb mirrors; visible on their website, the overall effect reminded me of the TARDIS from the 1970s; an excellent 1980s soundtrack played and what few customers were in evidence, were mixed. Apart from the 20 keg taps, alongside two Seaciders, there was a very disappointing – for CBC – cask choice of an unused pump, then just Iron Pier Bitter and Newbarns Schmonus, a 4.5% pale at a wincing £6.15 a pint, though really quite decent, served by a friendly barman. This isn’t a great experience by CBC standards, chosen only as a place for a final pint, knowing that Hammersmith’s surface pubs would be heaving.

Burrowed somewhere within the shopping centre that sits beneath the bus station and above the Piccadilly & District Lines, I wandered in what I hoped was the right direction and was pleased to find this pub. Internally, it's a curious pink and green colour scheme, somewhat like what I'd imagine it to be like in an ice cream. Having said that, there's air con, which was extremely welcome on a hot afternoon. Also welcome was the sight of 6 handpumps, all badged up with premier league small breweries like Vibrant Forest & Brew York. And the ale's properly chilled and served in tip-top condition. Premier league prices, too, with my 4% session IPA coming in at £5.95. 2 banks of keg fonts offer 16 interesting beers from across the styles. The barman was on good form, so I'd recommend this Craft Beer Co outlet.

This branch of Craft Beer Co appears to have gone downhill since my last visit in March, 2020 just before the country locked down and before I joined Pubs Galore. It's a modern-looking bar with funky tiling, which gives it a cold feel. There is an entrance from the shopping centre and another from outside near the Hammersmith A4 flyover. If you like you're craft beers and have plenty of cash, this place is likely to suit you. However, real ale has now been reduced to one. I do quite enjoy Siren Broken Dream, but it was also the same beer that was sat alone on my last visit to the Hatton Garden branch.