The Albion, Conwy

Imposing corner pub with a large three room interior. Fairly traditional in décor with a relatively intact 1920’s refurb with some 1970’s fiddlings – look out for a wood and brick archway and various interesting fittings, covered in detail below; this is a CAMRA National Inventory pub. Maybe lacked a little atmosphere on my visit due to tables being removed to maintain COVID space and awful yellow sticky tape over the floor. The pub is managed by three local brewers - Conwy, Purple Moose and Snowdon Craft so ale-wise it was 2x Purple Moose and 2x Conwy, my pint of Gold from the latter was an NBSS 3.5, usually a very tidy score but the lowest of the four establishments I tried that evening which I guess tells you something very positive about the beer scene in this historic little town. A bit stretched on the service front, one overworked and stressed barmaid trying to do the entire floorwalking thing. You should do this one.

Good Beer Guide 2019 Entry and winner of North Wales Pub of the Year 2016. Doesn't look much from the outside - some Ansells Branding and a tranditional "old man's pub". Inside is where the money has been spent - all soft wood furnishings and original tiling. Two roomed - with the a long bar in the bar room. Knowledgeable and friendly staff. Recommended.

Having spent two nights in Conwy I had two evening visits to this pub on the Thursday and Friday. I've known about this place for a few years so expectations were high and it didn't disappoint. It's well described below and on the Thursday I opted for the main bar and on the busier Friday the back room. Although this isn't a micropub it is run on similar lines with no music, TV screens, fruit machines or mainstream keg beers. The wines and spirits are also non-mainstream apart from possibly Courvoisier Brandy. The bar has ten hand pumps with two ciders, beers from the gang of four brewers who took it on and a couple of guests. On my visit guests were from the Conquest brewery and Derby. I had four different beers on my two visits Great Orme Chocoholic & Bad Bad Boy, Conquest ESB and Nant Cwrw Carw. The last one was £3.20 and the rest £3.30. All were in first class condition. I really liked this place and discovered at the end of the second night that the owners had also taken on the Bridge in Conwy, I already knew about the Australia in Porthmadog. This is good as it gives me an excuse to return!