The Pied Bull, Chester

Official site of The Pied Bull - www.piedbull.co.uk

Official site of The Pied Bull - www.piedbull.co.uk

Visited on a recent Saturday evening. Always a favourite of mine when in Chester due to the changing range of their own ales being available. Six hand pulls at the bar with three in active service at the time of my visit - offering two different Change-a-Bull ales plus Sensibull (one of their regular ales). The Ginger Bulls that I went for was pleasant with a subtle ginger kick rather than in-your-face spice, and slipped down rather nicely though was perhaps a bit on the warm side. Although there is a hotel attached, as far as I'm concerned this is a proper pub and feels like a pub, rather than any hotel bar I have experienced.

The Pied Bull is a comfortable and traditional pub and hotel that was reasonably busy compared to its peers during a recent Tuesday night visit. I counted six hand pumps that were drawing Pied Bulls own Change-a-Bull (x2), Taurus and Bull’s Hit alongside Snail Bank’s Gooseberry Fool and 4Ts Brewery’s IPA. A standard and premium keg range is also available as is a traditional pub food menu. This is one of the better pubs in this part of Chester and is worth a visit.

Claiming to be the longest continually licensed pub in Chester, this is a nice old building with quite a nice traditional-feeling interior (varnished wood floor, low oak beams, white rough walls) which has been kept tidy, to the point of being a little staid. The draw here is that they have a microbrewey (Pied Bull), so you can sample something local. Offers accommodation, and there’s the usual supernatural guff about the resident ghost. There’s a nice rear courtyard which on a cold evening probably wouldn’t attract any ghouls. Six ales on, with three of their own available (forgot to note the guests). Went for the Pied Bull Black IPA which was fine (NBSS 3). Another Chester pub that gets rammed during busy periods so time your visit well. 7.5

Adequately described already, hotel bar in ancient building, allegedly the oldest continually licensed premises in Chester. Serving its own microbrewery products plus a guest, a cider and usual kegs. There’s a beer garden out back as well. It is an hotel bar not a pub and tries to keep neds, numpties and other neer’do’wells out but not always successfully.

a very pleasant olde worlde pub/hotel with one of the best real ale selections in town. low beams galore and a nice traditional atmosphere. highly recommend especially at less busy times.