North Brewing Co Tap Leeds, Leeds

I certainly wouldn't make this a regular haunt, even if I lived in Leeds, but it was interesting to see this fairly ordinary room in the bottom corner of a large modern building being put to good use. Yes, the background music and chatter was a bit too loud and challenging for my ears; yes, most of the beers - in a long row of keg taps on the back wall - were not what I would ordinarily want to drink; but on the other hand, where else am I going to find a 9% smoked stout brewed in collaboration between North Brewing and Varvar Brew of Kyiv? So, an interesting experience, but if I'm going to repeat it, perhaps I should call in earlier in the day - they're open from 11 - when it is less busy and hopefully not as noisy.

This place feels more like a BrewDog than anything else. It is a single square room, with outdoor seating on the pavement at the front. There is a large selection of craft beers, but no real ales and only cider in cans. I went for the North/Good Things Brewing Co Barleywine, which surprisingly lacked flavour, despite being 10%. I much prefer the original North Bar the other side of the centre.

Many, many ales on tap, but all craft and too cold for my taste. High ceilings make this a noisy place.