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The Jolly Brewer, Lincoln
Lincoln
LN2 5AQ
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Jolly Brewer
This is a very unusual art-deco pub in an attractive looking building on the fringes of the city centre. You enter into the main bar area with the servery along the left-hand wall. The bar has a dark wood panelled counter, mirrored bar back and amazing stained-glass canopy in the art-deco style that predominates in this part of the pub. The room is bare boarded and has most of its seating along the right-hand wall, mostly in the form of plush vinyl covered padded stools serving tables with bright mosaic/collage images set under the table tops, whilst to the rear an upright piano and a load of DJ equipment hinted at the pub’s musical credentials. There is a nice little fireplace in the front left corner with an art-deco frieze above it. These period features can also be found in the front windows and in a large, colourful mural to the rear of the room, all combining to create quite an impressive ensemble and one of the more striking art-deco interiors I can recall. The room opens out to the rear right into a much blander space with a few more tables, including some that are served by rows of old foldable cinema seats. The walls are bare except for a guitar and tambourine that have been nailed to the side wall as a bit of an afterthought and we felt this area really let down the rest of the pub. A long, covered passage way with a drinking ledge down one side leads out to a good-sized beer garden which was hosting some sort of loud disco with a crowded dancefloor of the sort that we’ve become accustomed to seeing on news reports about local Covid spikes. A wristband was required to access the garden event, so perhaps some checks and precautions had been taken, but we didn’t get a particularly good vibe and stayed for just a quick pint.
There were three hand pumps in operation on your arrival, dispensing St Austell Trelawny, Adnams ghost Ship and Greene King Abbot Ale. My pint of Ghost Ship was in decent enough shape and the staff seemed friendly enough, well protected behind large screens running the length of the bar.
I really enjoyed this pub at first, marvelling at the fine glasswork and murals and supping a decent pint of cask ale, but parts of the pub seemed shabby and uncared for, whilst the drunken revellers from the garden event made it feel a little uncomfortable and perhaps unsafe even. I’d be happy to come back here in different circumstances but was in no rush to stay for a second pint on this particular visit.
On 21st September 2020
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Jolly Brewer
A pretty idiosyncratic place! Red and bright green colour scheme. Glitzy tables (see pics), cinema seats, art on the walls for sale – sounds potentially awful but has been done in a genuine enough way as to not feel contrived. Looks like the original long bar (as you enter) has been extended as the old wall and windows remain, presumably taking in a horseway to some former stables? Some salvaged bits of normality included an Art Deco stained glass bar gantry and tiled divider. Six pumps all on, mainly local micro brews - my Wellbeck Abbey Henrietta was a very nice drop. Inevitably draws the alt crowd, with the Rock soundtrack permeating and live music advertised. I couldn’t quite settle on my opinion of the place, but its leftfield feel and range of good quality ales means it should be sampled when crawling Lincoln. 7.5
On 17th December 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Soup Dragon left this review about Jolly Brewer
This is a terraced pub and live music venue, with a large beer patio area, part of which was being used as a stage area at my visit. The pub looks Victorian, with the upper stories in white render with green window sills and lintels. The ground frontage is in green, with a large window and an old horse passageway to the back.
The interior is an open plan room, split strangely to former a narrow area on the one side. The main room has the long serving bar to the left on entry. It is in light green and bright red, with a dark green ceiling and a wood floor. There is a brick fireplace, lots of art deco glass, strange art (some for sale) and a full wall picture of a lady. I didn't see a TV, the music was 80s at our visit and at a decent level. There is a dart board, an old video game and a table footy game. The Service was fine and the clietele is really mixed - at it was very busy!
Beer; usual tap stuff with Newby Wyke Roundel, Tom Wood's Bomber County, Dixie Marine's Red Rock, Brewster's Imp Athlete and Caythorpe Dark Gem MILD - I tried all and they were well kept.
A really good place. You cannot stop here for one. As the CAMRA says, a real cosmopolitan place.
On 28th June 2012
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3067 recommendations about 3062 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about Jolly Brewer
An interesting boozer well detailed by Mr Fastard.
The highlights for me were the very well laid out and tended garden which I'd imagine is very popular on sunny days. Also of note is that much of the artwork on display is for sale.
6 handpumps offering Tom Woods Lincoln Gold, Youngs Bitter and Idle Black Abbot as regulars with guests on our visit of Brentwood Porter, Caythorpe One Swallow and Copthorne Finest Hour. £ of these were labelled LocAle not including the Lincoln Gold which is brewed in north Lincolnshire and may not quite qualify. All that we tried was in good nick but nothing was outstanding.
Worth a visit if in Lincoln.
On 29th May 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about Jolly Brewer
Situated on the dual carriage way that is Broadgate,dont be put off by the modest exterior,there is much inside to wax lyrical about.You enter into a wooden floored room with the bar running along most of one side,a fireplace ,bench seating opposite the bar and an interesting backlit art deco frieze running above the bar.At the far end of this room is a small temporary bar and an alcove housing a table football machine ,while there is another room parallel to the bar room,with bench seating on both sides and a quieter feel.Opposite the corridor with the loos there is a drinking shelf running the full length while the paved garden area splits into different sections and levels,some covered which looked a very good option in fine weather.
As befits a GBG regular there is a wide choice of real ale although there is a concentration on micros in the area rather than award winning ales from further afield.Condition of my Idle Brewery and Tom Woods beers was good without these being the sort of pint you just can't put down.
There is a focus on music here with live performances advertised and the juke box issues forth some real classics even if it not fed with money.It's full of character and should be included in any ale tour of the city,for my money this is the best pub I have visited in "lower" Lincoln.
On 24th May 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2728 recommendations about 2728 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Jolly Brewer
This large music venue pub attracts a good mix of people of all ages, and you'll definitely see some characters in here. It was great to hear a bit of rock music in the background whilst having a drink. The walls are mostly painted green, with some art deco glass dotted around and lots of fun drawings. There's also a large beer garden, with more art deco glass, which was very impressive. Six ales on, I went for the Sleaford Brewery Pale Ale, which was cloudy and the main reason for this is they don't use finings to clear the beer, so don't panic, it's a good session ale.
On 8th April 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
John Coles left this review about Jolly Brewer
The only pub in Linoln that i realy feel at home in. Good jukebox, even better Live Bands, Good company, no Judgement on anyone, Each to there own!!!!
On 22nd September 2010
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1 recommendations about 1 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about Jolly Brewer
In every town or city there’s always one pub that attracts a really eclectic range of customers, this is Lincolns. Leather jackets, beanie hats, piercings, tattoos, dreadlocks and well dressed middle aged couples, they’re all here and all made equally welcome. One large floorboarded room with an unusual drinking corridor to the right. A real fire in the main room and an impressive variety of things on the wall. I especially like the cartoon drawings of all the staff over the fireplace. 6 handpumped beers on offer, TT Landlord plus changing guests. The pints I had were fine. They also have four, yes four, real ciders available. It’s not a pub for the faint hearted as it’s pretty raucous in a friendly sort of way, but it’s well worth a visit.
On 27th April 2010
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3224 recommendations about 3135 pubs]