Commonhall St Social, Chester

As described previously but no cask beer sold according to the barman I spoke to and I didn’t see any taps on the back wall. A basic bare brick corridor with a counter down one side, five assorted but interesting keg beers on three t-bars. Toilets upstairs, sports screen, constant music - 70’s-80’s USA stuff with a sprinkling of mixed earlier stuff on my visit. Mix of mainly uncomfortable seating with style over comfort being the watchword here. There are steps at the back that apparently lead to a back yard.

Official site of Commonhall St Social - www.commonhall.co.uk

Official site of Commonhall St Social - www.commonhall.co.uk

My first visit here to test the cask/keg reviews. I ordered a Tiny Rebel drink. A Real Ale I usually like. It was cold and gassy and one of their keg versions. I asked the barman if they do cask and he pointed to two taps at the back of the bar. I had the Hook Norton which was good. The other was Big Hand. The cask was £2.30 for two thirds and the keg was £4.30 for two thirds (£6.45/pint!). Cask v Keg, No Contest! About the pub, high beamed apex, bare brick walls, I quite liked it. But a choice of £2/pint in the last pub and here, again, No Contest.

This has become the Commonhall St Social since the last review in 2013; I didn't notice any weighing scales so presumably that connection has now gone. Disappointingly there did not appear to be any cask ale, not even any blank handpumps, but a stout by Wild Beer on keg looked an interesting option. Unfortunately that was not available though the chap behind the bar said they have something else by the same brewery on that tap - this was Pogo, a pale ale with some passionfruit flavour coming through - and having accepted the offer of a taster I asked for a half. Unfortunately the beers here are only served in schooners (2/3 pint) so that is what I ended up with, at a cost of £4.30 or £4.40. If you scale that up, a pint would have cost £6.45 or so, and I don't think it was worth that (just my opinion). There are a selection of games and stuff near the stairs. Toilets are upstairs, gents were clean and fresh but quite small.