The Wave Maiden, Southsea

The Wave Maiden is a thin dimly lit bar with open plan seating at the front and a bar in the left rear corner. I counted approximately five craft keg products which compliment the six real ales on stillage at the rear. Four of these ales were off during a recent Friday afternoon visit. I found the barman to be very friendly, but the lack of light, mood music and the pints I had necked were not a good combination. I was glad to move on.

Dark, narrow bar that you could mistake for a tattoo parlour when passing, but it turns out to be a bit more interesting inside than one might expect. The chalkboards are dominated by a long list of bottled beers in a wide range of styles (with prices reaching £16 for a 750 ml bottle of Hiver from the Unity Brew Co!). Seven craft keg beers are listed, and we found two cask ales (including a decent Urban Island Mosaic) available direct from the stillage at the rear of the bar.

A retail conversion leaving nothing for the pub traditionalist, specialising in artisanal cheese along with the beer. Had a half of something from a keg called Big Hug Brewing's Blond at a throbbing £2.60 a half; cold and not great.