Hoptimist, Bedlington

The former Box Wood Tap is a micropub, now known as Barry's Beer Co. There are a couple of small rooms, with the bar against the left-hand wall of the left-hand room. It was busy on my Wednesday evening visit and it took a while to get served, but the owner (Barry?) was fairly efficient and served everybody in the correct order. The house beer is called Barry's Session IPA and is from Two By Two. A second real ale was Great North Eastern Rivet Catcher. Craft beers also appear to be popular, with Two By Two Table Beer, Harpoon Juicer, Hammerton Tint & Full Circle Oat Cream Looper. I just about managed to grab a table, such were the number of people in. There were quite a few dogs too. A fairly average micropub this one with nothing much to shout about. But it's clearly a popular place amongst the locals.