Boyce's Barrel, Colne

I was here more than a year before Ray, and while he found the owner welcoming and chatty, my notes (recently discovered) tell me that he was "very bitter about experiences in the pub trade" - maybe he was just talking about why he had set up this micro. There were five hand pumps, with Exe Valley Darkest Devon, Mouselow Farm Mousehole Mild, Great Newsome Prickly Back Orchan, Three Daggers Blonde and Hadrian Border Hoppy Aussie. I went for the 3.4% mild from near Glossop, which was £3/pint. Date of visit: 29th April 2017

This is possibly the most pubby of the three micropubs. It's a rectangular room with mostly high furniture, a not too loud soundtrack playing, a wooden floor and bric-a-brac around the walls. The bar at the far end has six hand pumps which had a cider, Dancing Duck Back Sack and Quack, Dorking Brewery DB1, Three Castles Heritage, North Yorkshire Yorkshire Porter and Old Spot Tongue Tangler. I went for the Dancing Duck one (£3.00) which was in excellent nick. I only marginally preferred the Tapster's Promise although there was a better but more mainstream beer choice here.

Good selection of Rudgates Ales - five in total, two of which were 5.0% ABV. Monday shut, Saturday 1pm to 9pm, the rest 4pm to 9pm.