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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by Quinno _
Submitted on Thursday, 5th December 2024
With picture contributions to 5437 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (12 more images)
Detail Pages
The Witch's Brew, Southampton
Southampton
SO15 3FL
Served areas
Reviews of The Witch's Brew (Average Rating: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Quinno _ left this review about The Witch's Brew
Small and simple micro with plenty of occult-based paraphernalia. Odd layout with a random middle section that Tucker's Grave fans would mistake for a servery – the bar is at the far rear, the locals had to encourage me to keep going so I could find it! Five cask and seven ciders were available off stillage. Young barmaid was engaged enough to notice my first choice was kicking up so replaced it. Halves of Flowerpot Perridge (NBSS 3.5) and Exmoor Path Finder (3) attested to the GBG credentials. Southampton does like a micro, and I thought this was a decent DIY-type effort. 7.5
On 27th December 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5552 recommendations about 5533 pubs]
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Witch's Brew
This is a micropub that I've been meaning to visit for some time. It looked fairly empty as we drove by on the bus a little further up the Shirley Road, but returning on foot we did find one other customer present.
This small premises essentially comprises three rooms - the main front room, a more secluded room with no windows to the rear and the small bar itself at the very back. Rooms have various artefacts relating to witchcraft, which certainly act as points of interest.
There was no sign of the landlady mentioned in previous reviews. Instead we were served by a young female goth with plenty of piercings. Whilst she was friendly, service was extremely slow. I'm not sure what would have happened if a coach load had arrived! The other customer was a local CAMRA member who believed this to be the best pub in Southampton. However, it is the Park Inn a little further up the Shirley Road that officially holds that claim currently.
Pumpclips can be found on a wall to the side of the bar, with beers and ciders fetched from a cool room even further beyond. On cask, there was Flower Pots Cheriton Porter, Steam Town Stoke Pale & Wantsum Green Hop Fuggles, Fortitude & Ravening Wolf. Ciders were Lilley's Pina Colada, Rhubarb & Mango Ciders & Bee Sting Perry, Sandford Orchards Devon Red, Dorset Nectar Dabinett & Knights Malvern Gold. The Kernel Dry Stout was available on keg.
With this pub only opening late in the afternoon 5 days a week, I would have expected it to have been much busier on a Saturday evening. Another couple did walk in, but it left me wondering how they could sustain such a wide range of beers and ciders, given the lack of custom at such a peak time.
Nevertheless, with the drinks selection and the curious nature of this place, I would definitely stop again if passing.
On 4th November 2024
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3040 recommendations about 3038 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Witch's Brew
We had the pleasure of meeting the landlady on our visit, who was very friendly and welcoming. As Moby mentions below, she is an actual witch and she took great delight showing me her magical tattoo on her right forearm. Witch or not, she's obviously very popular with the locals. We sat in the back room near the bar and it wasn't long until we were all chatting away and enjoying a good beer. Six ales on stillage, so we went for the Langham Hip Hop, which was very quaffable. The front of the pub also had some alfresco drinking with some bench seating, enclosed by a low fence and a latched gate, to stop the owner's dog running straight into the road.
On 7th April 2019
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3646 recommendations about 3646 pubs]
View more reviews of The Witch's Brew (5)
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- Official site of The Witch's Brew - www.thewitchsbrewsouthampton.com
- Facebook - The Witchs Brew
- CAMRA WhatPub :: The Witch's Brew - whatpub.com
Southampton Central, 0.77 miles, 14 min walk (show)
St Denys, 2.15 miles, 41 min walk (show)
Pub Details
Pub details supplied by members of this site to the best of their knowledge. Please check with pub directly before making a special trip.
- Accommodation : No last updated 27 December 2024 by Quinno _
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 04 November 2024 by Blue Scrumpy
- Beer Festivals : No last updated 27 December 2024 by Quinno _
- Beer Garden : Yes - Streetside benches - last updated 27 December 2024 by Quinno _
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 27 December 2024 by Quinno _
- Car Park : No last updated 27 December 2024 by Quinno _
- Child Friendly : No last updated 27 December 2024 by Quinno _
- Darts : No last updated 04 November 2024 by Blue Scrumpy
- Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 27 December 2024 by Quinno _
- Function Room : No last updated 27 December 2024 by Quinno _
- Hot Food : No last updated 04 November 2024 by Blue Scrumpy
- Jukebox : No last updated 04 November 2024 by Blue Scrumpy
- Karaoke : No last updated 27 December 2024 by Quinno _
- Live Music : No last updated 27 December 2024 by Quinno _
- Live TV Sports : No last updated 27 December 2024 by Quinno _
- Micropub : Yes last updated 27 December 2024 by Quinno _
- Pinball : No last updated 27 December 2024 by Quinno _
- Pool Table : No last updated 27 December 2024 by Quinno _
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 27 December 2024 by Quinno _
- Real Cider : Yes last updated 03 November 2017 by Alan Hurdle
- Wheelchair Access : No last updated 27 December 2024 by Quinno _
- WiFi : No last updated 04 November 2024 by Blue Scrumpy
