Holborn Whippet, Holborn, WC1

I was looking forward to my re-visit here after a couple of years,especially after reading Mr Fastards update below, unfortunately I did not experience the same quality in beer condition, my pint of Siren Craft Undercurrent had a musty/mouldy taint to the taste not bad enough to stop me drinking it but disappointing all the same,undeterred I had a half of Moor Nor Hop it had the same taint, it would seem the whole cellar was contaminated.On this showing its downgraded for me.

A fairly new bar opened by the same mob behind the Euston Tap (which was one of the early movers on the ‘craft’ pub scene in London). I visited quite late on during a fairly successful Friday crawl so the place was rammed and my memory is a little sketchy. Fairly uninspiring open-plan interior, though the numerous plate-glass windows serve to give it a bright and breezy feel. There’s a sizeable exterior area out front with patio heaters which we were forced to use due to the early Friday evening crush. All beer (that I could see) came from a brick font, hard to tell which was ale and which was not at point of sale, the blackboards didn't seem fully-laden with all the choices. A friendly and cheerful barmaid (given the stress level at the bar) served us and my Saltaire was in excellent condition. I also noted some proper ciders being available. I didn’t immediately warm to the place but the range and quality of beers will certainly mark a return visit for me before the end of the year.

Very busy bar after 5.00 pm.Part owned by Adnams so you will always find their seasonal beers on here.Find the beers on the board around the column quite confusing.Good bar but something missing to make it must visit when in the area.Very reasonable prices for the area.

The Holborn Whippet is a modernised pub with a large range of cask ale and cider available ‘from the brick’ which is a large column behind the bar. I found the barman to be very friendly, but the atmosphere generated from the transient late Saturday afternoon crowd wasn’t the best. To the right of the pub is a door with ‘public bar’ written on it, but it is more for effect as this place feels quite open plan. The left hand side has a couple of thick pillars that split it in half and there are high tables either side of these pillars. Food is served from a downstairs kitchen and the dishes I saw emerging from the stairs were mainly burger and chips. There are no televisions that I could see. But some music was playing very quietly in the background. Out the front there is some seating which was taken up by passers-by and people nursing halves. I had a Thornbridge brew that was ok, but I wouldn’t rush back here as I felt it lacked character.

A modern bar with an interesting range of cask and craft beers,dispensed through taps set into a central brick pier,the blackboard above the taps displaying the legend "Beers From The Brick" lists all the beers available along with strengths and rather helpfully in the case of the cask beers, tasting notes. Six cask beers available from one side of the pier, these not being dispensed via handpump but from the taps powered by I think compressed air,on the downside from my point of view all were poured through sparklers and all were far to cold,all beers I would imagine coming through the same cooling system, the suiting many of the keg beers available but not so for the cask.However on the upside my choice of Moor Beer's Nor Hop was excellent despite the temperature, the other cask beers available were,Hardknott Katalyst,Adnams Ghost Ship,Darkstar Hophead,Redemption Urban Dusk and Bristol Beer West Coast Red,prices ranged from £3.40 to £3.60.Not the sort of place I would spend too long in but well worth calling in for a couple of decent beers.

Quite hard to locate initially, since there is little in the way of exterior signage. Two rooms around a 'U'-shaped bar; one small, the other sub-divided by pillars but much larger. Modern furniture with very plain white paint and dark wood decor. Tiny open kitchen area and table football downstairs. Six cask ales (e.g. Allgates All Black, £3.40) and a good number of interesting-looking craft beers on keg. Only a flying visit, but there's certainly enough here for me to return before long.