The Cross Keys, Chester

A strange boiled cabbage smell hit me when I entered the pub, which seemed difficult to explain when I realised the pub was not serving food! That aside, it was smaller than it looked from the outside but very traditional feeling with dark wood and stained glass leaded windows, a shelf full of old bits and pieces at ceiling height, all creating that 'proper pub' vibe. At the bar, six hand pulls, all Joules ales - Chocolate Corker, Shrophsire Hop, Beer Club Brew No 2, Pale Ale, Slumbering Monk and Pure Blonde. The Chocolate Corker stout was pleasant enough. Been after trying this place for years, finally done it, nice to have experienced it and it was my first time (as far as I recall) sampling a Joules ale - so a few boxes ticked there.

Proper pub on the corner of Lower Bridge St and Duke St, a single room split into separate areas by floor level and furniture. Six pumps, four with Joules and two with varieties of Old Rosie, the pale is a classic bitter very much in the mould of Bass and was spot on. Everything in the pub structure is wood or glass or metal or leather apart from the bloody cushions! The windows are leaded and stained commissioned by the Brewery in 2011 when they bought the pub. Wood panelling, mirrors and a shelf of pubby nic-nac’s dominate the decor. There is piped music and a small tv to spoil the ambiance but otherwise an outstanding pub with class beer— disclaimer I like Joules beers. Upstairs is a space called “The Slaughtered Lamb” available for hire.

Owned by Joules, this is a pub man's pub. The interior has plenty of inserted/contrived Victoriana - lots of leaded windows, varnished wood panelling, frosted mirrors and some well-placed knick-knacks. Sadly the mute and subtitled sports TV was off-putting and dented the otherwise pleasant atmosphere. A friendly barman presided over six ale pumps, five from Joules and a guest of Slumbering Monk. Sadly the ale quality was poor – the Winter Warmer had hit spring (NBSS 2), Pale was a pale shadow of what it should be (NBSS 2.5) and the Slumbering Monk had definitely been slumbering in the pipes for a while (NBSS 2.5). I’d be prepared to give this place another go as I really like the pub itself and Joules pubs are usually pretty reliable, but they need to get a grip on the cellar of this one. Could and should have been a 9.