The Old Post Office, Rochdale

A very neat and lively micropub that is Rochdale's first. Loads of brewery stuff around the walls and ceiling. Very busy on my Friday, early evening visit. A couple of regulars moved so I could get to the bar and I ended up chatting to them. Five handpumps on the bar with a regular ale rebadged for them by Paul at Pictish along with 4 changing guests. My pint of choice was Tiny Rebel Juicy, which was so good I had a second one. A very friendly and comfortable bar, I'll be back here soon.

You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to work out what this micro-pub once was, but in case of doubt they did manage to salvage the old cantilever sign and put it up inside. Anyway, it now has a semi-rustic interior with plain wooden and mostly bare-brick or timber-plank clad walls plus a bit of breweriana to liven things up a bit. Mind you, it's more about good beer and community spirit anyway, and it seems to have plenty of both. Five real ales on handpump, including the 'house' (Pictish) Old Postie (£2.90, less 30p Camra discount) plus a small cask of the Ratsputin Imperial Russian Stout from Rat (i.e. Ossett) on the counter.