Pubs Galore - the UK pub guide

The presence of this micropub and the established Llanerch Inn make Llandrindod Wells a bit of a destination town, beer-wise. Or at least they would if it wasn't so damned difficult to get to. However, here I was with the pub due to open at 4pm and my train due to leave at 16:59, which gave me enough time to do the Llanerch as well (see review). Once inside here there was a bit of a dilemma as there were two of the four beers on the bar that I rather liked the look of, and I still had to cycle to the station. I pondered the options: 9 Lives Dark or the appropriately named Fixed Wheel Mild Concussion 5.5%. (The brewer is apparently a cyclist himself, but it's almost as though he had my helmetless ride to the station in mind when naming this beer.) So I went for a half of each and I was glad I did because the Dark was good, but the Mild Concussion was superb.

This is a conversion of a shop in a quiet parade just outside the town centre, with the bar towards the back and some very comfortable upholstered and cushioned bench seating by the front window. The walls have art works on them, and the ceilings are adorned with pump clips. The pub is doing a good trade, according to a Radnorshire Camra official I spoke to in the Llanerch Inn, and it's clear to see why, with friendly service, comfortable surroundings and excellently kept ales.

Date of visit: 3rd August 2017

The Bay Horse is now one of the last remaining pubs in Bentley especially the new Village area with only a couple of social clubs and sports bar now that many such as The Drum Railway and the Druids have all closed. It is a large red brick building on the corner of the road just off Bentley’s main high street and close to the library. There are two parts to the pub the left hand side room that I did not enter that has a large bar, pool table and sports screens and the smaller square shaped room to the right that has all the same products but only a small corner serving area. This is a standard estate type pub that attracts a fairly rough crowd but is quite popular with the younger demographic as aside from the town centre is one of the remotely attractive places for them to go in the area. The pub is pretty shabby and old like most of Doncaster’s estate boozers with old carpets and tatty furnishings. The drinks selection was bland and boring as expected but was very reasonably priced with even the more “premium” lagers such as Kronembourg priced under £3! Amazingly the was also two hand pulls on the bar with one labelled as conditioning and one badged up with bay horse bitter! This turned out to be rebadged Caledonian Edinburgh Castle and was only £2.20 and was in really good condition, this was very surprising. I had opted to go in the local club for years and drink Keg Sam Smiths old brewery bitter (keg but very fresh from such high turnover) and although the pub is really not up to much the draw of cask ale really gives it points and means I would now consider giving it another go after I leave the club as it does have a late license on weekends (2:00 I believe).Overall it is a pretty rough place and had some of the worst karaoke had ever heard but a nice pint was good enough to award it a 6. I always find reviews are relative to the place and competition around them. Other probably would not give it this high but as the only place around to sell a decent cask ale I feel obliged t give it some credit, its not for the faint of heart though.

Flok is a sherry and wine house in the heart of Stevenson Square owned by the same person who has Folk and Wine and Wallop in West Didsbury.The ground floor interior is made of recycled wood and red leather banquettes with the tables fitted with flexi lamps.There was 5 casks on when I called in around 2pm on a Tuesday,3 cask beers a Spanish vermouth on draught and a cask cider which I ordered by mistake after leaving my glasses on the bus.The cider was apparently Hallets old aged limited edition cider at 5.65% which must admit was a fair drink but at £4.80p a pint it should be.

Now The Cinnamon Stick: a Middle Eastern restaurant. No real ales yet, but they're hoping to house two locAles, likely one each from Hook Norton and Wychwood.

Previously a florists and before that a fruit and veg shop. This latest edition to the micropub scene around Kirby only opened on the 27th July. The interior layout is one rectangular shaped room with the bar area over to the right as you enter. The style of this micro is urban and with an industrial looking pipe that comes out from the cellar and makes a right angle and is then fixed to the end of the bar. In fact, this piece of architecture hides the beer lines that connect up to the handpumps along the bar counter.
Three handpumps on our visit, with a choice of Blue Monkey Infinity, Titanic Plum Porter and a Festival ale by GK. I went for the Blue Monkey, which was in good shape. The pub is positioned right next to the pedestrian crossing that is constantly beeping, which I found irritating after a while.