The Merchant House, Southsea

A corner pub/craft bar, stripped out inside and split leveled with the addition of downstairs seating not investigated, a decent "hip" feel about the place. 8 keg taps on the back wall with another couple on the counter alongside 4 handpumps offering the cask ale selection of which I tried the Elusive Spectrum which was good, the Sunday roast was also very good and welcome mid afternoon.

A bit of a cliched hipster bar in former shop premises. There is a main bar on the ground floor and alternative seating in the basement. The latter is rather quieter and is the better place to sit and eat if that’s what you want to do. The décor is largely faux-Bohemian, the ambiance was convivial, though I felt a bit out of place among the hipsters and their designer dogoids. Food appeared to be mainly overpriced burgers and what was described as ‘street food’ - which I took to mean road-kill. Beer was poured into odd looking glasses which would have served better as zabaglioni dishes, but it was in decent condition based on my sample size of 1 – Vibrant Forest PUPA, Thornbridge Cortudo, Irving Intrepid and 8 craft beers. I had the Intrepid which was very good. Six different gins were also on offer. It’s actually not bad, and I’d be happy to come back in for a beer next time I’m passing.

A craft ale establishment in a former shop unit, one step above a micropub. The fair-sized interior is all very spartan, with bare brickwork and plain tables and chairs laid out in what presumably were two shops, plus further seating downstairs. Four quite interesting and changing ales on handpump, together with various craft beers in keg, bottle or tins. 'Tap takeovers' fairly often. Food only served at certain times, mainly weekends.