The Hollybush, St. Albans

Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Hollybush

The Hollybush is situated in the backstreets of Redbourn. It has rooms either side of a central bar. The one to the right stretches back a little further to the kitchen. The left-hand room has a door at the rear leading to an outdoor area. Back inside, there are bare boards. Dogs are allowed in. Quiet background music was playing during my visit. A back to school charity quiz night was being advertised.

At the bar, there are two banks of 3 handpulls. Both sides were clipped with Brakspear Gravity and the house Lantern Ale, also from Brakspear. The third handpull on each side was vacant. Shipyard American Pale Ale was on keg. The cider was Thatcher's Gold. I was planning to order the Lantern Ale but there was a glass over one of the two handpulls. I enquired as to its availability and was told by the barmaid that it was pouring cloudy but tasted alright and I was welcome to try it. It was indeed a little cloudy but wasn't in too bad a condition. It just wasn't my type of beer.

There were a dozen or more other customers and all seemed to be eating or just having finished their meals. Food is served 12-8 Tuesday to Saturday and breakfasts are served on a Saturday 10-11:30. Across the car park from the pub was a building labelled Old School Room. This is the pub's function room.

This is a nice village pub but I've yet to find a Brakspear beer that I like.

On 3^rd September 2026 - rating: 5
[User has posted 3596 recommendations about 3594 pubs]