The Pursuit of Hoppiness, Bridport

Very well described by others, below, and so far the best pub I’ve found in Bridport. Cask ales on were Rooster’s Heavy Roller, Black Iris Stab-in-the-Dark, Tommy Two-Peaks from Tiny Rebel and Swannay Summer Breeze. On keg were Bristol Beer Factory’s Infinity, Feta Magazine Cover and Utopian Fest Beer, plus the Fridge of Dreams with its variety of cans and bottles. It was friendly and lively, though we did think the prices were very high for the area.

Perfect little Micro pub - seems to concentrate more on cask than keg - which is unusual. 6 cask on and Oakham Green Devil in perfect form. Simple single roomer, high bench seating around the edge, several tables on the pavement outside.

Well positioned on the main road through the centre of Bridport, this is a smart little shop converted micropub. The pub has the usual compact single room layout, with a concrete floor covered in part by a few small rugs and mats, and walls painted in cream and purple to create a pleasant, contrasting colour scheme. Large shop-style front windows with pub branding, allow plenty of light into the room, but in the evening, muted lighting is used to good effect, helping to create a warm and cosy feeling space suited to longer sessions. The bar stands to the rear, opposite the entrance and has a fairly basic timber-fronted counter and a large window in the centre of the bar back, which looks though to the temperature controlled taproom where all the beers can be seen racked up, whilst a beer board to one side of the window explains what’s currently available. Seating comes in the form of raised benches serving high tables down the left and right-hand sides of the room, with a few bar stools in support and plenty of cushions to help you get comfy on these potentially uncomfortable perches. Décor is quite restrained, including a few smart mirrors, fairy lights draped around many of the walls and a very impressive collection of pump clips which cover all of the beams running across the ceiling. There was a good range of cask ales available on our recent visit, with the beer boards listing Brew York Calmer Chameleon, Dark Revolution Sola, Bristol Beer Factory Brew X, Squawk Crex, Brick Black Horse and Brew Shack Bill’s Bitter. I had a very good pint of the Sola and my Dad enjoyed his pint of Calmer Chameleon more than he enjoyed having to ask for it. There were a few cider options listed plus a decent selection of craft bottles and cans for those so inclined. The barman seemed very friendly and was fine with my 6-year-old nephew tagging along with us, sparing him from being dragged around the shops by his aunt! This felt like a warm and welcoming micropub of the sort that works well irrespective of whether there’s a good crowd in or not. I thought the beer range was particularly strong and a bit of a revelation for a town such as Bridport, making it a must-do place for anyone passing through.

This is Bridport's first micropub well situated on the main road through the centre of Bridport. I actually made two visits to this one, the first on the way to the JDW and the second on the way back. It's a fairly typical micropub in just about every way. It's a wide room about what you might expect in size with a laminate floor and rug, tall furniture, a few pavement tables and chairs outside, a tiny servery with six hand pumps and a cold room at the rear. The tables and benches are more Mr Bean than Tommy Walsh but that doesn't detract from the place. There is one single toilet and on my second visit there was a soundtrack playing quietly. Platters of smoked meat and cheese were advertised. There were five beers on although when I returned Thornbridge Polaris had filled the gap. The five were Wimbledon Blonde, Vibrant Forest Mosaic, Tiny Rebel Juicy, Cerne Abbas Watercress Warrior and Dorset Brewing Gyle 59. I went for the Vibrant Forest beer (£3.80) which was excellent. On my return I went for one of the five ciders on offer, Dorset Nectar Old Hairy Rocks (£3.60) which was a nice tasty dry cider. Sadly I missed the CAMRA discount. I thought this was another good micropub but some lower seating would be appreciated if only a few old casks with an upholstered wooden top.

Official site of The Pursuit of Hoppiness - hoppiness.co.uk