The Farmers Boy, Hertford

Very thorough review from Steve below which really doesn't need any embellishment.Unlike his visit ,I was in for a Sunday lunch which was fine if unremarkable.The owner goes to great lengths on the menu to justify his somewhat higher pricing by his avoidance of food service produce but my mash was suspiciously perfect in it's circular design.Service was strained . At the bar there was CW London Gold,GK IPA,St Austell Tribute (reversed) and TT Landlord (£3.40),clear but just on the turn,not so obvious to take back.However the pump clip was still showing two hours later once we had finished implying that either not many people buy ale here or that they are correct not to buy ale here. Agreed that the location is a major plus point but having never tried the pub despite living in the area for 20 years and having heard some good things said about it, I left disappointed and unsure whether I would give this pub a second chance.

The Farmers Boy is an attractive 150 year old village Inn with a wonderful setting on one corner of the large green that the village of Brickendon used to be named after, before the Green was dropped from the village name. But for us the village will always be known as Brickendon Green and has been used for family gatherings over the last 50 years, and during that time the Farmers boy has provided a solid watering hole. So it was very good yesterday for the latest gathering of the clans to find the Farmers Boy still functioning well as a village pub. Like many other fairly isolated village pubs it has had to move more towards dry sales than wet sales to keep going and now the large area to the right and behind the bar is now permanently set for dining and functions as a restaurant section. But fortunately there remains two traditional beamed and half wood panelled and floored areas around the bar just for drinking, including the smaller section to the left which houses a flat screen tele and looks like it was probably the small public bar in the days when this was a multi roomed pub. And then there is a very pleasant patio and garden area out the back of the pub and the green verges opposite the pub also have many bench tables for al-fresco drinking. The pub is now a free house and on the beer front the small bar section has three pumps and then there are four further ale pumps on the larger bar section. Four ales were available with GK IPA, TT Landlord, and St Austel’s Tribute being doubled up, and then the remaining pump had Old Seadog IPA from the Caledonian Brewery. The Tribute and Landlord were well kept pints on this very warm day , so no issues there. Have not eaten here as it is traditional for the women of the clan for the gathering on the green to pack enough picnic scoff to feed a small third world country. And as this is usually at the detriment of the beers, again yesterday the Farmers boy was well utilised for a pint and a check on how Murray was doing in the tennis. At least in years to come when people say can you recall where you were when the first British man since Fred Perry won Wimbledon, I will have no problem remembering I was in the Farmers Boy with a very passable pint of Landlord. As a place to eat I can’t pass judgement but as a pleasant village pub for a countryside pint, the Farmers Boy ticks all the boxes for me.