The Botanist, Chester

Official site of The Botanist - thebotanist.uk.com

Official site of The Botanist - thebotanist.uk.com

The cask ale mentioned in earlier reviews has now disappeared sadly, so you're left with a standard selection of keg as premium prices. Similar to the Potting Sheds with a plant based theme. There wasn't anything on the bar we wanted to drink and nowhere we fancied sitting/standing either, so we left it.

Similar in theme to their other outlets, with a gardening or horticultural flavour. Four boil in the bag beers on offer as well as the usual kegs. Actually not a bad place for a drink if you don't mind higher seating and fizzier beer than handpulled versions.

Visited Tuesday lunchtime and I was the only customer in. I had never noticed this place before, it is fairly well hidden down a small passageway between two shops, but there is an A board outside to announce its presence. I have never ventured into any of the Botanist bars before but having heard they have cask ales on, figured I would give it a try. The casks are at the back of the bar and take the form of what I assume to be fake wooden barrels, but unfortunately this makes it a bit difficult to see what was on offer - pump clips under your nose are much better in that respect. That said the chap at the bar asked what kind of style I was interested in trying so no doubt would have pointed me in the right direction, and nice that he seemed to have a bit of knowledge. I went for the Toxteth IPA by Mad Hatter at 6.5% - a half of this set me back £3 which is presumably due to a combination of the strength and the pricing at the venue itself. I noticed there was something on by RedWillow, but can't remember what the other two options were. The ale itself was fine, though served a bit on the cold side for cask. It's a pleasant looking place, distressed green wood all over and some rusty ironwork giving it a rustic yet contemporary feel. I couldn't help thinking the bar area looked like the lighting aisle at B&Q. Nice to have been and tried it, but probably no reason to rush back.