The Silverback Alehouse, Bournemouth

Almost 5 years since our last visit, we returned to Winton to visit the 2 excellent micropubs on the main drag here. This time on a Saturday evening, the Silverback had a much livelier atmosphere and a better range of ciders than the Micro Moose down the road. This micropub has a layout typical of the genre, with bench tables and a bar to the right-hand rear, with a cold room behind that. Table service was being offered, with service at the bar if you so desired. Staff were quite friendly and jolly. The 5 ales on here were Bespoke Leatherbritches, Cerne Abbas Tiger Tom Ruby Mild, Plain Ales Shake Dem Bones, Wantsum Poppy & Brew Shack 8 Grain Porter. Whilst we were there, Monkey Brew House Sea Wall also came on. Ciders were Thistly Cross Whisky Cask, Pulp Mango & Lime Cider, Taunton Cider Company First Press Original Medium & Snail's Bank Rhubarb Cider.

The Silverback is a micropub that only opened in the summer of 2016. Inside it's a typical rectangular room with the cold room at the rear and just high tables, chairs and benches along the walls. One of the beers had gone when I arrived so there were just three available Lincoln Green Marion & Gin And Beer It and Bartram's Coal Porter. I went for the Gin And Beer It (£3.60 after CAMRA discount) which was excellent. A small but complimentary amount of snacks was provided which was a nice touch. My only disappointment with it was that they had sold out of Naga Chilli Pork Scratchings but apart from that it was excellent.