The Bricklayers Arms, Putney, SW15

Closed yesterday for 'emergency repairs'? Check before travelling. 22 January 2008 Still hit & miss re selection on offer, just Landlord, Golden Best & RamTam today, no guests. Landlord was very good, but £3! 8 November 2007 Yesterday's visit was much more like it for beer choice - 4 TTs, incl RamTam, plus Downton Mad Hare & Brewster's Belle de Jour (although I wasn't keen on the latter). Also listed in the gents (but oddly nowhere else in the pub) was the forthcoming range of guests – incl 4 from RCH brewery, 2 from Butts Organic, as well as Daleside Porter & Museum White Shield. Sounds good to me; rating rectified to a comfortable 8. 1 November 2007 A very good pub but disappointing beer selection on my last two visits, with last week only 3 and yesterday only 2 pumps in action from a possible 10 (Landlord & ‘Pumpkin' ale); hardly a justification of Camra's London 'pub of the year'!

Not having been to Putney for well over twenty years it is unsurprising that I hadn't visited this famous pub as it was originally a Watney's house. According to an old SW London beer guide there is a rumour that the Great Train Robbery was planned here. There's not much to say about the building that hasn't already been said. It's a typical small wooden floored ale house with twelve handpumps. On my Thursday lunchtime visit nine were in use with three Dark Star, two Hobson's, Downton Chocolate Orange Delight, Mayfield Priory, Milton Tiki and Mulberry Duck Gold Sparkle. I went for the Downton beer (£3.80) which despite sounding like an item of confectionery was not at all sweet for the strength. Places like this are always worth a visit and I would definitely return.

I've not been here for a few years, but I enjoyed my return just as much as I'd expected. 12 hand pumps: 1 for cider, 1 turned and the rest dominated by Oakham and Dark Star. I tried more than one and all were in great nick (I'd have preferred the Inferno to have been a degree or two cooler on a hot afternoon, but it didn't stay long in the glass even so). This is very much an ale-drinkers haven so, if you're expecting Fosters, Carling and the like, you're going to be disappointed (or pleasantly surprised, perhaps). The taps serve up beers from Freedom and Meantime, including their own lagers. As mentioned in recent reviews below, The Bricklayers wasn't as busy as I'm sure the management would have wished, but it filled up throughout my stay and all the tables outside became occupied, with reservations noted on some inside as well. Still one of London's best on the strength of this call, and I can see no reason not to make a return visit in the near future.