The Old Doctor Butlers Head, Moorgate, EC2

A dark-wooded Shepherd Neame pub located up an alley off Moorgate, I initially thought this was a Nicholson's pub; them being so beloved of such decor. It's a single room on two levels with two front entrances; the bar is to your left on entry and there's a raised area in the second half of the room beyond the bar. According to 'writing' printed onto a ceiling beam, this was founded in 1610 by Dr William Butler, Court Physician to James I. A victim of the Great Fire of London, it was rebuilt in the same year (1666) and "re-opened" by Shepherd Neame in 2002. Six handpumps offered 4 x SN brews (with one pump clip reversed and another pump unclipped) in the form of Spitfire, Whitstable Bay, Citra Smack and Master Brew. I managed to select an untried (to me) SN brew in the Citra Smack for £5.80, only be presented with a pint of vinegar. Exchanged without fuss, a replacement Master Brew was only so-so and a cursory glance around the busy, afterwork-crowded room saw no-one else on the ale. Sorry, but brewery-owned pubs should pride themselves on their beer quality: especially a smallish one like this boasting six handpumps. Me having to explain why my pint might not have been right to the four staff present made me feel like Homer Simpson talking to the two other guys guarding the bee in the glass jar.

You've gotta love finding these pubs tucked away down old alleyways. This one states that it was founded in 1610 by William Butler, the eponymous Dr. & physician to King James I, rebuilt 1666 after Great Fire and reopened by Shepherd Neame 2002. Enter to wood-floored standing bar area and find good range of 5 Sheps beers, incl Porter, but £3.10 for pint of Spitfire! Beyond this is a seating area adjacent to a sandwich counter servery. Comfortable chatty atmos, albeit 80% suits, obviously, two small plasmas with low-volume SkySportsNews. First floor restaurant and function rooms, apparently. Contrary to previous reviewers, I found the place to be not remotely busy at 13:30 Tues.