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Submitted on Thursday, 19^th December 2024
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The Hop Inn, Swindon

8 Devizes Road
Swindon
SN1 4BJ

Phone: 01793979226

Correct details

Served areas

Swindon Central

Reviews of The Hop Inn (Average Rating: 7½ of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Blackthorn _ left this review about The Hop Inn

A good sized pub located in the close vicinity of a number of other craft beer type establishments, it looks quite imposing from the outside presenting a large frontage to the road and including some interesting architectural details.

Internally it’s a little more conventional and has presumably been renovated at some point, although it’s a little lacking much in the way of character. It’s a reverse L-shape pub, extending some way back on the left, and this also led to a courtyard garden. The flooring is all some sort of wood strip, with a plain whitewashed ceiling, a couple of exposed brickwork pillars and a mixture of deep blue, mustard and pale green paintwork on the walls. There were also various pieces of artwork for sale and quite a few fairly lights strung around, although that may just have been seasonal decorations rather than a regular feature.

There was a very good choice of beers on tap which on this occasion consisted of Ramsbury Hop, Milestone Vixen, Atlantic Blue, New Bristol Brewery’s Cinder Toffee Stout, Wantsum 5 Gold Grains, Castle Rock Elsie Mo, Red Willow Vatted Heritage Pale and Arbor Pico Mountain. Ciders were equally well represented including a couple from Snail’s Bank as well as options from Ashover, Cranbourne Chase, Hallet’s and Woolly Pig all served from boxes racked up on the end of the bar, as well as a couple more keg options. Overall, whilst I didn’t take to the style of the pub that much, the excellent drink selection and jovial landlord who was happy to chat to you about the range and offer samples, rather made up for it.

On 23^rd December 2024 - rating: 7
[User has posted 2060 recommendations about 1962 pubs]

Quinno _ left this review about The Hop Inn

Another visit, another sub-GBG beer in Moonraker Crafty One - not really shifting and served in a knackered glass. Not a GBG pub in my opinion but the pump count means the branch will inevitably include it. I doubt I'd bother again.

April 2023
Struggled to recall this one from 2015 – it’s now got a new name! Inside is an L shaped interior with blue and mustard yellow walls along with scrubbed wood tables. Promised much with eight cask lines however this proved to be too many by at least a couple – tried the Dancing Duck (NBSS 2), Listers Mild (2) First Chop POD (the only one par, NBBS 3). Quantity over quality lottery at play – and this being a Saturday afternoon as well. Safer bets may be the craftykeg options. Effusive praise elsewhere and inevitably GBG’23 listed. Rated 6

July 2015 (as The Pig on the Hill)
A modern pub over two floors. Light and airy inside with white sofas, modern furnishing and sports TV. Aimed at the aspirant crowd. Three ales; Rev James Gold, Sharps Atlantic and a decent drop of Ramsbury Bitter. Slack Alice cider also on. Thought it was a fair stop. Rated 7

On 25^th September 2024 - rating: 5
[User has posted 5552 recommendations about 5533 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Komakino . left this review about The Hop Inn

Based on the below reviews I made a mental note to seek this out if near the area and when the time finally came it didn't disappoint. The large, open plan L-shaped room sees the bar against the left-hand wall and offered eight cask options with a smattering of keg, boxed real ciders and all manner of crafty bottles and cans in fridges beyond the bar. Spoilt for choice, I played it safe - kind of - opting for a Titanic Cherry Dark (a beer of theirs I'd not tried before), and for £4 I got what turned out to be a beer in fantastic shape served in a squat pint glass. Throw in an eclectic mix of punters (STFC fans, locals and hipsters in equal measure) and a great soundtrack (The The and Grace Jones) makes this a non-Arkell's and Waddies must-visit.

On 2^nd February 2022 - rating: 8
[User has posted 1077 recommendations about 1077 pubs]

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