The Cock Tavern, E8

A large, well reviewed street corner local from the Southampton Arms stable. I'll stick to the salient: The Maregade brewery now brews here, Howling Hops having shifted to a large and impressive industrial unit on the Hackney Riviera. Beers on were: Maregade Rye IPA, Pale and Chilli Milk Stout, Hammerton Pentonville, Otley 10 Oxymoron, Howling Hops Pale XX Pale No2 and Roosters Ragged Point with an Oakham Citra pump clip reversed due to a sub-standard barrel having been delivered. The Pale was opaque but tasted ok, the chilli milk stout was a drinkable all chilli affair and the Howling Hops Pale No2 was very good. Not quite the quality or selection that I'd anticipated given the pubs connections and history. Service was knowledgable and friendly and there was lots of beer chat and tastings amongst the regulars at the bar. Not quite as good as I'd hoped but well worth the visit.

The Truman's signage has been preserved on the flat squint end exterior although inside there is a bit of Wenlock brewery memorabilia, whether this is just decoration or suggestive of an earlier past I don't know. Nowadays we have an excellent free house, sister to the Southampton Arms in Kentish Town/Gospel Oak but with a brewery downstairs serving up Howling Hops beers. Of the mere 16 retro type handpumps, there were eight ales and eight ciders, only the one on this occasion from Howling Hop, Pale XX, plus Liverpool Organic Brewery Imperial Russian Stout and their Shipwreck IPA, Big Smoke Medicine Man (sublime), East something Ancho Cocoa Stout, Maregade Blonde Pale....might be a Howling brew....Siren Caribbean Chocolate Cake, Caveman Clovis Point Brown plus ciders from Newton's, Harry's, Olivers, something Rhubarb, Orchard, Burrow Hill. Lots going on here. Pork pies, sausage rolls and a range of differently flavoured pickled eggs being the snacks available. The pub itself is rather basic, boarded floor, simple small tables at stools and benches, some wood panelling, ceiling fans, Hackney Empire flyers on the walls. A piano sits against a side wall. Three extant doorways indicate the once multi room layout, the lobbied corner door has a pair of cockerels on top. A grand place for a decent pint, I found the staff and customers to be friendly genuine people, I'd say this is a must do should you have a need to be in Hackney and worth a journey too.