Northern Monk Refectory, Leeds

Set in a brick built former warehouse on the upper floor above the Brewery the taproom is quite typical in style to their Manchester taproom with an industrial feel with a modern twist. There are four handpumps, three beers were on along with a good selection of sixteen beers on tap including a number of guests. I found it quite busy on a Sunday afternoon visit.

Tap house set in the first floor of a former warehouse above the brewery, this has an appropriate quasi-industrial look with mostly canteen-style tables. Whilst it looks the part, the lack of furnishings means that it echoes badly when busy (as it naturally was on the Saturday evening when I visited). However, the eye is naturally drawn to the minimalist centrepiece of the bar-back with 16 plain numbered taps plus a couple of anonymous handpumps on the counter itself. These provide beers in a huge range of styles, and mostly at higher strengths, but after a good deal of dithering I went for the keg Eternal Session IPA (£4.40, and one of the cheaper and weaker offerings).

The Northern Monk refectory is based in a refurbished warehouse just outside the town centre. Having run across New World IPA a few years ago on keg and thoroughly enjoyed it, this place was something of a must visit. The brewery is downstairs with the refectory on the top floor. It's a fairly basic space with long tables and benches decorated with vintage fire apparatus and offering decent views of the city. It's well named as it lacks any trad. boozer features but it does have something of an acoustics problem. The low ceilings seem to create a sort of 'boom' which makes hearing conversation, even with those sat next to you, difficult. Perhaps my hearing's just going with age. It's also worth noting that there's a large outside area in front of the building with a well kept 'courtyard' and plenty of picnic tables for the alfresco pint. The staff here were superb: chatty, friendly and informative on the wide range of beers available and very keen to offer tasters so that we made the correct choices. Thai food is served all day and although we didn't eat the menu looked tempting. The beer is mainly keg with 16 taps behind the bar and all the beers, and one cider, listed on a board above the taps. The range of keg beers was wide in terms of styles, flavours and strengths with many experimental brews available which are only served here. Just the one cask ale on - Striding Edge, a lower strength pale ale which was packed full of flavour and almost made me weep that it was the only cask choice. If you want amazing beer and aren't overly interested in what your companions are saying then this is the place for you.