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Beer of the Week (w/e 27th April 2025) with Thuck Phat on the Pub Forum

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Submitted on Friday, 27^th December 2024
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The Guide Dog, Bevois Valley, Southampton

Pub added by elizabeth mcgraw

38 Earls Road
Southampton
SO14 6SF

Phone: 02380225642

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Served areas

Bevois Valley

Reviews of The Guide Dog (Average Rating: 9 of 10) Add Review see review guidelines

Quinno _ left this review about The Guide Dog

It was a bona fide classic 11 years ago and remains so, despite the change in stewardship a few years back. Passionate landlord showed me his widges and cask task spreadsheet. Amazing pints of Flowerpots Bitter (NBSS 4.5) as well as Titanic PP (4) and Steam Town Stokie (3.5). The best proper pub in Southampton by a mile – it’s like someone’s front room with a bar. One of Britain’s best.

September 2013
The pub I’d been most looking forward to and, maybe unusually, one that met and exceeded my already-high expectations. Tucked away up a side-street from the main road (though visible from it) it’s an unassuming building. The interior is a comfy single room almost akin to someone’s lounge. On entering it immediately felt like a welcoming place, with a friendly and engaging barman (who looked like Frank Lampard’s brother to me) and a number of affable locals. Nine pumps with seven on (Fullers Pride/ESB, Flowerpots x2, Plain Ales, Oakleaf and Dark Star). My extended stay involved working through a few of these and every beer was in great shape, no mean feat for a hot weekday afternoon. Also some interesting bottles in the fridge eg Brew Dog. Other pub features included daily papers, loads of UK-wide CAMRA mags, darts, free Wi-Fi and large TV (with horse racing on at customers request). Filled rolls behind the bar, £1.20 a go and cheesy-topped too. The crazy, almost Magic Eye, tiling in the gents isn’t one to encounter unwittingly. Interest was taken in my crawl route at the bar, with a few suggestions thrown in and a bit of guidance as to the best route. Frank Lampard's brother even popped out of the pub to point me in the right direction of the Rockstone, nothing too much trouble it seemed. An absolutely cracking pub and I’d make a point of going back to Southampton for a day because of this one. A rare but well-deserved 10 from me. Rated 10

On 22^nd April 2025 - rating: 10
[User has posted 5552 recommendations about 5533 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Bucking Fastard left this review about The Guide Dog

A small street corner pub in a rather run down part of Southampton,this is a real ale mecca.The front tap room is square with the bar to the right,some traditional furniture,a terrestrial flatscreen on mute and two large boards describing the ale range.There is a smaller,cosy back room which also leads to a veranda external seating area for about 10.
It was busy due to the Saints v Palace match and some of the 10 lines had run out leaving on my trip Dark Star APA,Burning Sky Plateau,Red Car Mr M's Porter,Steam Town Stoke Extra Pale and Flower Pots Bitter and Goodens Gold (Sessionable even at 4.8%,NBSS 4.5).Good to see a dark beer and some higher ABV's in the reduced range.
It's a friendly place and both sets of fans mixed well,all very calm.There are lots of crappy sports bar nearby if you want to be leery,and the fact the Guide Dog is tucked away helps.
I really must revisit and spend more time here,from what I could tell this is the must visit ale house in Southampton.It's a true gem.

On 2^nd May 2022 - rating: 9
[User has posted 2936 recommendations about 2936 pubs]

Please Note: This review is over a year old.

Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Guide Dog

The Guide Dog is a fairly small backstreet alehouse with friendly staff and a decent selection of beers.

This was another Southampton pub that I hadn't been to for several years. Back in 2014, I noted down 9 different real ales. These days they are down to 4. Flowerpots Goodens Gold & Pots Bitter & Steam Town Stoke Extra Pale are the regular beers. The guest beer was Red Cat Mr M's Porter.

A sign near the door requested that people without reserved tables order their beer from a hatch at the bar. It wasn't immediately clear where exactly this was. I managed to grab a seat at the bar and enjoyed both the porter and the pale.

Another pub where the ale range has diminished and also where it seems much quieter than it used to be on matchdays, where I recall customers spilling out onto the pavement at the front. But I still like this pub. The staff are really friendly and are quick to serve thirsty customers.

On 20^th February 2022 - rating: 7
[User has posted 3040 recommendations about 3038 pubs]

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