The Blue Boar, Wantage

Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Blue Boar

After just having left the fabulously old-fashioned Royal Oak, the Blue Boar was like chalk and cheese. It's presumably a fairly old pub, but has been modernised inside to appeal to a much younger and trendier crowd than the Royal Oak.

The floor is tiled, whilst the walls are painted colours such as a dark green/blue in the bar area, a mustard colour off to the right-hand side and crimson behind the bar itself. There was a TV which was off, with music playing instead. A door on the left-hand side was signing the way to a beer garden.

The friendly barman had a couple of cask ales on offer - Timothy Taylor Landlord & Vale ABC New Leaf. We also spotted 4 bag-in-the-box ciders at one end of the bar - Temple Hendre Huffcap & Winnals Longdon Perry & Somerset Redstreak, Newton Court Organic Farmhouse Scrumpy & Snail's Bank Peach Melba. Craft beers were dominant with Polly's Duration, Sureshot In 1975 No One Died, Beak DDH Pale & Deya Bucket Listener all on.

My wife being the awkward customer she is declined a taster of the perry, only to declare it far too dry when a half was served. I was amazed that the barman offered to change it for her.

It sounds like this pub has improved a lot since Quinno's visit 8 years ago. These days, it can be found in the Good Beer Guide. Disappointing after the Royal Oak. But in the grand scheme of things, this is still an above par pub.

On 2^nd March 2025 - rating: 6
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