The Crafty Kernel, Shipley

A microbar among the shops near the market place-cum-bus station, and not far from the railway station too. But in itself I found it the least comfortable of the new pubs in Shipley and Saltaire, and I wasn't impressed with the beer offering either. Two were from Small World, a New Zealand pale and a 5.2% stout, plus one from Abbeydale and a 3.4% "light ale" from Eagles Crag. As in the nearby Hullabaloo I went for the stout, which again proved to be a poor choice as it was flat and flabby (NBSS 2) and not a good end to the day for me in Shipley. I might have hit this bar at a flat time too, as it looks the sort of place that might pick up in the evenings.

Facebook page of The Crafty Kernel - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of The Crafty Kernel - www.facebook.com

Square roomed conversion to a biggish micro pub, over large counter to the left, seating at tables and mostly machinist’s stools to the right, there are tall modern iterations of the same stools round the counter - fortunately it was quiet so no bar blockers on these arse magnets. Usual blackboard showing the beers. Staff are friendly and quite pleasant. White walls are enlivened with old ad’s, and Beryl Cookish cartoons, I like the stacked rhinos picture. The four cask beers are ever changing but Brass Castle, Anarchy, Abbeydale and Bellfield, were in evidence today, quality not bad. Two solos and a horseshoe of six bring up the kegs, nothing national or boring of course. There’s more seating and toilets upstairs with a ladies/accessible downstairs. Wines and spirits available too. Odd older clientele on my visit, handy for the bus station too.

New craft beer and wine bar. Eight keg lines, plus, four cask ales.