The Barrels, Hereford

Lovely popular pub with a fantastic buzzing atmosphere and plenty of staff behind the bar to serve from the front and back bars, so although busy, waiting was minimal. It is possible to walk round the pub through various rooms back to the front bar. There is a room on the side with pool table. Outside area fantastic and so difficult to find a seat in any of the areas under cover or outside in the sun. All the beer from Wye Valley, and all the beers tried were excellent.

One of the UK’s must visit pubs of course and tremendously popular with locals and beer tourists alike. A four room layout, one has a pool table the others are fairly similar sitting rooms with a counter in each of the front rooms and a popular patio out back. The front windows are very different with modern scenes in stained glass rather than boring old frosting. National kegs plus a range of Wye Valley beers in excellent condition as you would expect, there may also be occasional guest beers available judging by one of the blackboards above the counter. Not much to say about the décor, a few posters of Herefordshire heroes are well worth perusing otherwise it’s got bog standard pub décor. There’s a fairly comprehensive juke box and a wide mix of clientele, although the oldies stayed inside while the younger ones went outside. It may be heresy but I wouldn’t actually put it that far up the list of must visit pubs in the UK, having said that it’s definitely the best pub in Hereford.

Called in for some great Wye Valley Butty Bach and it was superb. Love this pub and agree with the descriptions below. There is a good feel to the place that welcomes you. Pool table in one of the rooms and there is a tv for sporting events. The beer here is the thing though, and it is certainly the flagship for it and deserves its 2011 Good Beer Guide entry. Lovely courtyard area large enough for both smokers and non smokers to enjoy.