The Cellar, Chester

Firstly, it is not a cellar - it is dimly lit bar with flashing fairy lights. Painted white walls, wood cladding, very cacophonous and full of powdered locals at 2pm on Saturday. Chunky wood plank tables and silly small stools to sit on made for an uncomfortable stay. Five ales on with an eclectic selection but we defaulted to the excellent Hawkshead, and the resultant beer was close to perfect condition (NBSS 4.5). Despite the superb beer I struggled to enjoy this one much and I felt much more at home in the sister pub, the Cornerhouse. Maybe I caught it at a bad time.

Official site of The Cellar - www.thecellarchester.co.uk

Official site of The Cellar - www.thecellarchester.co.uk

Visited on Saturday night as a last stop before getting the train home. I spotted four or so hand pulls for cask ale and there seemed to be a decent selection on from what I remember. In the gents, the urinals are made of beer barrels. I had a Lemon Fool by Fyne Ales and my drinking accomplice went for Abyss, a lovely stout by Neptune. I'd be happy to go again.

Despite being "The Cellar", the pub is at street level, the cellar itself is a function room for gigs and the like. This is a sister pub to the Cornerhouse across the road. A fairly small room with the bar on a side wall, some folding doors to the street (closed on a chilly day), a stepped wooden floor, sofas in the window, otherwise seating at small rough hewn tables with tiny wooden benches fixed together with bolts. Stone clad columns, games on a shelf, European beer ads on an end wall; there are various gig photos above the bar. There's a TV on the wall but switched off on a Friday teatime. As for the main event, there were six on, Fyne Ales The Cardinal plus also Jarl, Marble Beers Pint, Deva Fusion Cannon (7%..£2.20 a half)plus also Oatimus Prime and Thornbridge St Petersburg. Nothing national or mainstream amongst that lot, you could lose a lot of time in here. Add in £1 off cask ales on Mondays and free bacon butties all day on Sundays there is much to like here. Indeed I did. A solid 8, leaning towards a rare 9 from me.

A pretty good selection of cask ales plus a wide range of foreign bottled lager some of which are very expensive. Good for a last drink before getting your train.