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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat
on the Pub Forum
Image posted by peter ashworth
Submitted on Thursday, 30th June 2022
With picture contributions to 27173 other pubs
View all this pub's pictures (14 more images)
Detail Pages
Blacksmiths Arms, St Albans Central, St. Albans
St. Albans
AL1 3HG
Served areas
Reviews of Blacksmiths Arms (Average Rating: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Blacksmiths Arms
A mock tudor edifice and quite dominant by a busy roundabout,you enter into a large open plan space split into different sections.However the vastness of the interior means the pub has much less atmosphere than most other ,older town centre pubs.
There is a lower level seating area with leather bench seating,a flatscreen dominates one side of the L shaped interior,while the rear door leads to a vast beer garden,a major draw in good weather.
Overall it felt like a chain pub and the bar staff seemed unenthusiastic .There are 7 handpumps,but on my trip two were "available soon" leaving Doom Bar,Mighty Oak Here Come Summer,Windsor & Eton Guardsman and Oakham Inferno and Northern Pacific (not at the top of it's game).
There are also 6 wall mounted keg taps set in white tiling but serving some megabrewery owned former craft beer brews.
Worth a quick one on a real ale crawl,but lacking any charm to stay a while.
On 23rd August 2019
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2936 recommendations about 2936 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about Blacksmiths Arms
This modernised gastro pub has a bit of an off-putting location on a busy roundabout at the top of the main shopping street, but once inside, it feels like a nice sanctuary from the bustle outside. The pub looks rather attractive on approach thanks to bold flower boxes and hanging baskets which make it really stand out. You enter into a smart split-level room with bare boards through most of the space plus some rather funky tiled flooring around the bar area. A long, curved button backed banquette runs along the wall opposite the bar area with nice upholstered chairs adding to the comfy seating options here. Curved front windows give you a good ‘people-watching’ view out to the busy street beyond. To one side of the room there is a lower seating area centred around a small brick fireplace with a nice silhouette of a blacksmith and anvil above. The bar has a long tongue and groove counter which turns 90 degrees at the left hand end and runs back into a space dominated by high tables and stools. A couple of TV screens were showing some test cricket whilst a moody soundtrack played in the background. The walls have been decorated with a mix of old fashioned paintings, local photos and craft beer or blacksmith themed drawings. To the right of the bar, a door leads out to a large beer patio with lots of decent looking seating which was proving a popular suntrap on a hot Bank Holiday Monday.
There were five ales available on this visit – Oakham Citra and Bishop’s Farewell, Sharps Doom Bar, Greene King Abbot Ale and Farr Brewers Bitter with a couple of ciders taking up the remaining handpulls. I also counted six craft keg options from the likes of Camden and Brewdog. My pint of Citra was a bit steep at £4.10 but was at least in very good shape. I also decided to have some lunch here and enjoyed some simple, tasty pub grub, although again the prices might be seen as a little steep.
I really liked the feel of this pub which seemed quite warm and inviting despite its obvious modern makeover and food focus. There was a good atmosphere from a sizable crowd and the beer range and quality was sufficient enough to encourage return visits. Not quite in St Alban’s top league of pubs, but a very solid and satisfying visit nonetheless
On 7th November 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3350 recommendations about 3350 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Danny O'Revey left this review about Blacksmiths Arms
Nice, large pub on a road junction that has been opened up and modernised. Clean and well looked after.
Real ale here, kept ok
On 2nd August 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1542 recommendations about 1519 pubs]
View more reviews of Blacksmiths Arms (11)
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- Official site of Blacksmiths Arms - www.blacksmitharms.co.uk
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- CAMRA WhatPub :: Blacksmiths Arms - whatpub.com
St Albans Abbey, 0.88 miles, 16 min walk (show)
Park Street, 2.3 miles, 44 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 08 September 2015 by Quinno _
- Bar Billiards : No last updated 08 September 2015 by Quinno _
- Beer Festivals : Yes - April - last updated 29 July 2013 by Dave McNally
- Beer Garden : Yes last updated 08 September 2015 by Quinno _
- CAMRA Discount : No last updated 08 September 2015 by Quinno _
- Car Park : Yes last updated 08 September 2015 by Quinno _
- Child Friendly : Yes last updated 08 September 2015 by Quinno _
- Darts : No last updated 07 November 2017 by Pub SignMan
- Dog Friendly : Yes last updated 08 September 2015 by Quinno _
- Function Room : No - Yurt in garden can be hired - last updated 07 November 2017 by Pub SignMan
- Hot Food : Yes last updated 08 September 2015 by Quinno _
- Jukebox : No last updated 07 November 2017 by Pub SignMan
- Live Music : Yes last updated 08 September 2015 by Quinno _
- Live TV Sports : Yes last updated 08 September 2015 by Quinno _
- Micropub : No last updated 08 September 2015 by Quinno _
- Pinball : No last updated 08 September 2015 by Quinno _
- Pool Table : No last updated 07 November 2017 by Pub SignMan
- Real Ale : Yes last updated 08 September 2015 by Quinno _
- Real Cider : Yes last updated 08 September 2015 by Quinno _
- Wheelchair Access : Yes last updated 07 November 2017 by Pub SignMan
- WiFi : Yes last updated 08 September 2015 by Quinno _
