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Disappointment of the week with Real Ale Ray
on the Pub Forum
Detail Pages
The Queen's Head, Chelmsford
Chelmsford
CM2 0AS
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Queen's Head
The Queen's Head is one of a number of backstreet pubs near the cricket ground.
The pub is run by Crouch Vale and has their Brewer's Gold & Essex Boys Best Bitter on as the regular beers. Yakima Gold & Ten Forty Six were also on. But I was disappointed not to find a dark beer.
My Yakima Gold tasted like vinegar. The barmaid was apologetic and did offer to replace it. But I didn't really fancy any of the others.
The traditional bar at the front opens up slightly to a brighter more modern feeling area towards the rear. But with just a handful of customers, it felt reasonably full.
On 13th October 2020
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Queen's Head
This is a surprisingly small back street boozer run by the local Crouch Vale Brewery. I initially walked past this pub, thinking it was shut, such was the uninviting external appearance, but upon consulting their opening times in the local CAMRA magazine, I turned round, gave the front door a push and lo and behold, I was in. The main bar is quite a cosy space which sees the servery to the left and a staple shaped room running around it. There are exposed floorboards throughout and the majority of the seating to the front and right comprises fixed banquettes and standards chairs. There is a nice, decorative tiled fireplace to the front left with a beer glass collection to one side and a set of framed aviation-themed cigarette cards on the other. A bookcase on the back wall houses a collection of paperbacks and the day's papers. The servery has a rather basic bar counter under a lovely stained glass canopy with some unusual colourful CAMRA plaques on the beam above, each detailing various Pub Of The Year awards the place has won. There is some decent wood panelling to the right, along with another attractive fireplace underneath a huge 'Mann, Grossman & Paulins Ales mirror. A TV screen was showing muted Sky Sports News, but no-one was really paying any attention to it, with most punters chatting loudly amongst themselves instead. The room opens out a fair bit beyond the bar into a brighter area with a lot of additional bench and chair seating plus a dartboard on the rear wall.
A board in the front right corner of the pub lists the full ale range which on this visit comprised Crouch Vale Brewers Gold, Essex Boys, Yakima Gold and Essex Blonde, Tiny Rebel Full Nelson, Acorn Barnsley Gold and Calvors Session IPA. Brewers Gold was a bit of an 'epiphany' beer for me back in the day, so I was keen to try it here and I got a very nice pint for a very reasonable £3.25, served to me by a rather frosty barmaid.
I've always been a big fan of Crouch Vale beers, so I'd long been wanting to visit this pub and it certainly didn't let me down on the ale front. I thought it was quite a nice, cosy pub and could imagine settling down to try a few more of their beers, but it was let down somewhat by the cold welcome I received, which didn't really make me feel like staying too long. Still, a very nice pub and one I'm sure I'll return to in the future.
On 27th September 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Queen's Head
This is a pleasant back street corner local which was once for some reason called Partner's. It is Crouch Vale Brewery's only tied house which makes it worthy of attention in itself. Inside it is a smallish wooden floored bar but an area stretches back towards the garden where there are more formal tables and chairs. Although this area looks like it is meant for dining this certainly isn't a gastro pub. The food is only served at lunchtimes and is hearty pub grub rather than a few morsels in the middle of a huge plate.
On my visit there was an assortment of dogs at the middle of the pub that were lying on the floor by a roaring fire.
Six beers were available, from Crouch Vale their Essex Boys Bitter, Brewers Gold & Anchor Street Porter and the others were Fat Cat Cougar, Dark Star Winter Meltdown & Milton Sparta. I felt obliged to go for the Brewer's Gold (£3.10) a beer I hadn't tried for years and which went down a treat. This is a good solid back street local that has been GBG listed more or less since Crouch Vale took it on.
On 18th January 2015
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Queen's Head
A good traditional pub and only 300 yards from the Essex county cricket ground. Friendly manager and staff alike, this pub is very well kept as well as their beers. Serves four ales from Crouch vale, which are always available and three guests. No keg beers on tap, has two hand crafted lagers. The deco is trad with oak panelling and lots of pictures and paintings. Has a good sized eating area and seating outside at the rear. Food was excellent with handcut chips. Beers tried Crouch Vale Essex Boys, Galena, Yakima Gold, Kent Brewery KGB and Farmers Ales Captain Ann.
On 17th June 2012
- rating: 10
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about The Queen's Head
This is the 4th pub of 6 we chose to visit from the 2011 Good Beer Guide on our visit of 23.12.10. It is Crouch Vale's only pub, and was a very friendly place to be, with a ood choice of their own ales and guests. We chose Branscombe Vale Mild, Dark Star American Pale Ale, and Crouch Vale Happy Santa, all superb beers. They are used by various clubs and societies for meetings, and is popular when there is a match at the nearby cricket club.
On 2nd January 2011
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Nigel Sheppard left this review about The Queen's Head
New staff now taken over the Queens and seem to making an effort to retain the selection and quality of beer. Still well worth a visit, however there is not much of a welcome.
On 23rd August 2009
- rating: 8
[User has posted 192 recommendations about 192 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
elizabeth mcgraw left this review about The Queen's Head
Sadly "silent Mike "has left this pub but the good news is he has taken over the Orange Tree a few yards down the road. He is going about his business and putting in a new cellar but is open and selling great beer as usual and when the cellar is finished he will have an even greater choice of ales for us to choose from.The staff have also moved there with him so smiles all round
On 15th July 2008
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 252 recommendations about 249 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john mcgraw left this review about The Queen's Head
This pub is now called The Queen's Head and is a brilliant Crouch Vale house.It is run by a very friendly landlord called 'Silent Mike' who infact is the dead opposite.There are usually 8 real ales on with two of them dark ones.If you are not sure of a beer ask Mike and he will give you his expert advise.This pub is a must for the real ale drinker and in my opinion is the best pub in Essex.Beer festival starting 21 sept.Footnote:Alas "Silent Mike" left on 19th Feb 08. Lucky enough he has only moved a hundred yards up the road to THE ORANGE TREE.See you all in there(and that includes you Nigel!!)
On 20th February 2008
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2044 recommendations about 2025 pubs]