Stori, Bala

Blue Scrumpy left this review about Stori

Almost 20 years since my last visit to Bala, I returned to stay the night and try a few of the town's pubs. STORI is the town's current Good Beer Guide entry. With last orders called by 8:30pm on a Thursday evening, I made it my first stop.

This is more of a bottle shop with a small but popular taproom at the rear. However despite the Good Beer Guide entry, they had no cask ale. Perhaps they stock it in the summer when there are more visitors to the town? There was a real cider though (Gwynt y Ddraig Happy Daze). Craft beers on were Misfit Steal This Beer, Bluestone Bedrock, Tiny Rebel Neon Drift, Crafty Devil El Pistolero, Coach House Turbo & Hafod Landmark. Unless I'm mistaken, the range was all from Welsh breweries. I tried the El Pistolero which was enjoyable.

There are bare boards around the bar and in the shop area, where there is a tempting selection of bottled and canned beers, as well as spirits. The taproom to the rear has a tiled floor. Music was playing quietly.

The owner was very friendly and was quick to advise which other pubs I should visit. The White Lion Royal Hotel was temporarily closed (due to it being low season), I'd been to the Olde Bulls Head on my previous visit to the town and I was staying in Gwest'r Plas Coch. That left the Goat and Plas-yn-Dre. Unfortunately, the last pub also stops serving at 8:30pm. So, I was too late to service by the time I'd waited almost 20 minutes to see if the ATM at the local Spar might spit out my bank card, which it had swallowed without any warning!

Ultimately despite the lack of cask ale, I concluded that STORI is the best of a bad bunch of pubs and bars in Bala.

On 25^th January 2026 - rating: 6
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