Ref & Whistle, Skipton

Another Skipton micro that doesn't open when it says it does. 12:45 on a Thursday, closed, supposed to be open from 12 - 10 according to the sign on the door. Walked past later in the day, still closed. Not good enough.

A new name but no change otherwise, still decidedly woody and with four pulls, beers from Settle and Bradfield on this occasion. Still with bottles in the cellar space to the left. Two keg lagers and two fizzy ciders. Complimentary table snacks are sometimes dispensed. Pool table and toilets upstairs.

Facebook page of Styles Bar - www.facebook.com

Facebook page of Styles Bar - www.facebook.com

I stayed just outside Skipton a couple of weekends back and called in here on both nights. On the first occasion I had Oscars Dogfather, a very pleasant malty bitter, and decided to come back the next night in the hope of more of the same, but all three beers on the taps the first night (see photo - the fourth pump has a real cider clip on it, but the cider itself is in a boxed polypin on the bar back) had changed. So on the second occasion I had a half of Reedley Hallows Old Laund Bitter, which was so good I then had a pint of the same. This is a smallish shop conversion on a back street not far from the Early Doors micro, but whereas this one says it will close at 8.30 unless it's busy enough, and then stays open, the other one was already closed when I made my way home at 9. So after only three weeks of opening, a small crowd of regulars has made this their habitual home from home. This is not down to just the quality of the beer, as the owner also makes the effort of making cocktails for those who like that sort of thing. Perhaps not quite in the spirit of the micropub society, but it seems to be working here.

A single room micro with rear counter and glass front cellar to the left. There is more seating and the toilets upstairs. Four pulls, one with a cider the others from small local outfits Naylors, Oscars and Worsthorne. It also has spirits, a T-Bar of more unusual kegs and visible in the cellar a lot of Sam Smiths bottled beers. The interior is decidedly woody.