The Exchequer, Kirkcaldy

A traditional freehouse, it says on the board above the front window, but this is a traditional pub just like McDonalds is a traditional restaurant. (It's not.) This is like a Wetherspoons without the quality real ale and the low prices. In fact, of course, the quality of real ale depends to a large extent on throughput, and if your atmosphere, premises and above all prices discourage the drinking of real ale, it will likely no longer be good. Like here. My half of Loch Leven Warrior Queen, a beer I had in excellent condition last year at the brewery tap in Kinross, had some strange, stray flavours which may have been down to any one of a number of faults, but almost certainly nothing that happened at the brewery; and if by some freak chance it had gone wrong before leaving the brewery, then what was it doing on the bar in the first place? There are four hand pumps on the bar here, and three beers on, the others being Doom Bar and Deuchars. Maybe one of those beers would have been in better condition than the one I had. (But then again, maybe not.)

The Exchequer pages on the Great UK Pubs website - www.greatukpubs.co.uk

The Exchequer pages on the Great UK Pubs website - www.greatukpubs.co.uk