Babel Beerhouse, Kings Cross, N1

This is a recent place, just north of the heart of the newly defined N1C postcode; I walk past here often enough, so thought that I’d pop in to see what on earth attracts people to such establishments. The lofty, mezzanine-endowed interior is highly industrial (see photos) with enough galvanised ductwork to give the Beaubourg a run for its money: grey terrazzo floor, modern normal-height or tall furniture with some opposed bench seating, modern light fittings, substantial unused open kitchen; with the six stainless steel brew tanks behind the bar, the place resembling somewhere a tech billionaire would come to get cryogenically frozen prior to revivification in the next millennium. Décor is minimal, save for some giant mural to the left of the bar which resembles a mashup from the likes of Miró, Mondrian, Picasso and Lichtenstein; customers were few in number – certainly when compared to other similar establishments in the vicinity – at the time of my Tuesday 9.09pm visit, or perhaps the venue is just too large; maybe they are put off by the loud noise generated by the venue’s air handling machinery. For a place this fashionable, there’s obviously no cask beer, with 16 keg taps dispensing things from brewers I’d never heard of, my something called Magic Rock Salty Kiss gooseberry gose coming home at £3.55 and tasting of nothing much more than watered down lemon juice, which I could have made at home for 20p. I’m glad I visited this place; it makes me all the more appreciative of the traditional pub and good old fashioned cask ale.