BrewDog Bristol Harbourside, Bristol

Recently opened just off Millennium Square, this is a large pub that was I think something of a sports shop or gym in a former life, so it’s good to see it being put to much better use. It takes up a good sized corner plot and there is a decent amount of outside seating with tables and chairs partitioned off from the pedestrianised walkway by very large pot plants. Internally it’s very industrial in style with concrete screed on the floor, aluminium cladding on the ceiling and large ventilation ducts and cable trays all in plane view. As long as you don’t look up or down though, the rest of the pub was pleasant enough with green paint on the walls, green glazed tiling on the bar counter, large windows on two sides to let in plenty of light and plenty of plastic foliage around, both on the walls and suspended from overhead. Lighting was a mixture of low hanging fluorescent type lights which weren’t particularly attractive, but there were some glass globes and wall lights as well. Seating was a mixture of high tables and stools, as well as bench style sofas segregated in to booths. A smaller area at the back was partitioned off with some racking which contained a selection of board games, beer magazines, a globe and more plastic pot plants, whilst a board on the wall had a selection of the company’s merchandise for sale. Staff seemed friendly and helpful, with plenty available to serve on my Friday evening visit, in fact some were even floor walking and taking orders at the table. Beers on tap were all keg rather than cask and served from an array of taps on the back wall. The choice was extensive and was divided in to sections such as Pale Ale & IPA, Sour & Fruit Based, Stouts & Dark, etc. The choice on this occasion consisted of Spellbound, Tony’s Hopolonely, Hazy Guava, Triple Hazy Jane, Almost Famous, Punk IPA, Planet Pale, Hazy Jane, Dead Pony Club, Elvis Juice, Vault City lemonade, Yonder Summa Puddin, 50 Cuts, Jet Black Heart and a number from Amundsen Brewery’s “Donut Series” – Red Velvet Cake, Dark Chocolate Donut, Black Forest Glaze and Chocolate Peanut Butter. The latter went down very well, although at £6.80 for a ½ you could well argue that it should. Ciders meanwhile were Dead’n’Berried and Urban Orchard, the latter of these going down very well too and that was a much more reasonable £5.75 per pint.

Official site of BrewDog Bristol Harbourside - www.brewdog.com

Official site of BrewDog Bristol Harbourside - www.brewdog.com