The Pestle & Mortar, Hinckley

Hinckley's Pestle & Mortar is a micro pub - you know the score. Ales, key kegs and ciders are listed on a decorative board behind the bar, though with as many "coming soon" as there are on right now (at least for my recent visit). The beer, one of which on 2 pumps is Bass, is hand-pumped rather than fetched from the cool room, which is I what usually see in these establishments. Service is friendly and prices are cheap (£3.60 a pint!). Internally, the long thin room has the usual skip's assortment of seating, around 2/3's occupied late afternoon. Good place.

Popular micropub which has won the local CAMRA branch's Cider Pub of the Year award for 8 consecutive years and its not hard to see why. It comprises a large, single room. The front section has walls painted yellow and maroon, whilst the rear has striped painted wooden panels. I noted a signed England rugby shirt on the wall and there are many pumpclips scattered around too. Being Christmas, a couple of Santas were parachuting from the ceiling down to the bar. Toilets at the rear are a decent size, which is often a criticism of micropubs. A sign on the gents had a picture of King Charles with a request not to do Charlie in the toilets! I don't think I've seen so many links between the royal family and toilets in pubs across the country, as I have in Hinckley. The highlight for me was the cider range. Apparently, they can stock up to 22 ciders. On this occasion, there were exactly half of that number - Purbeck Vix on the Beach, Katy Perry & Bushey Berry, Lilley's Pineapple Cider, Rhubarb Cider & Raspberry Mojito, Broadoak Purple Haze, Snail's Bank Dry Another Way, Celtic Marches Alice, Gwynt y Ddraig Ancient Warrior & Noddy's Nether Cerne Stumbler. Healey's Rattler & Hawkstone Hedgerow were the keg ciders. Bass is a regular cask ale here. Guests were Church End What The Fox's Hat & Stout Coffin & Milestone Donner & Blitzen. All are served from unclipped handpulls. Craft beers were Titanic Stout & Plum Porter & Beavertown Neck Oil & Gamma Ray. Beers and ciders are listed on boards above the bar. There was quite a friendly and lively atmosphere here on New Year's Eve. Music was playing, but did not intrude on the hubbub of conversation. Well worth a visit if in Hinckley.

An old school micropub,beloved by the local CAMRA branch which will tell you a lot about the clientele.It's a former chemists,long and thin with two square tables in either window,some well designed small high tables and stools opposite the long bar and then a back area with traditional chairs and tables. The landlady does not suffer fools gladly and can be very sharp which does influence the atmosphere.Her policy of all real ale at £3 is commendable but does lead to the sourcing of cheap barrels ,many with low ABV which will impact on choice. The ale is drawn down from stillage but served via a handpump which helps,and the guests on my trip were Bespoke Beware the Bear,Brampton MILD (strong and a regular),GK Scrum Down (?),Nelson's Jack the Knife and Brewster Hop a Doodle Doo (NBSS 2.5,boring malty brew).Bass is a regular and the fact that it was selling well tells you a lot about the guests.Worryingly the best draught seller on my visit was Veltins lager. The landlady is keen on ciders and offers a huge range grouped under sweet,medium or dry and this maybe the real USP here. I moved on after a single pint,there are better options elswewhere in town despite it's GBG listing.

Official site of The Pestle & Mortar - thepestlehinckley.co.uk