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Detail Pages
The Cambridge Blue, Cambridge
Cambridge
CB1 2LG
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Cambridge Blue
For over twenty five years this had been the "must visit" pub for beer in Cambridge. Note the use of the word "had" in the previous sentence as on my day in Cambridge this was the least attractive pub visited. I remember when this was a Nethergate pub in the days when they were a revered brewery and I also recall how they made the smaller bar on the right a No Smoking room long before the smoking ban was introduced.
On this occasion as I entered I was faced with a wall of fridges containing bottles as though I had walked into a supermarket or off licence.
Gone are the two bars as it's all one room and on an early Saturday evening it was rammed. It was far too busy to note down all the beers so I just went for the Burton Bridge Dam Dog (£3.60) which was in good nick.
To me it's been ruined and is a victim of its own success. It's gone from being a popular back street pub with great beers to a crowded madhouse. It's lucky that there are other better options nearby.
On 23rd December 2014
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Cambridge Blue
This is a well revered ale house, tucked away in a residential back street, but within easy reach of the station and city centre. The pub is set in a row of Victorian terraced housing and was originally known as the Dewdrop Inn before changing to it's present name which refers to the colour worn by Cambridge University's sporting teams and their famous rowing crew in particular. On entering the pub a huge statement of intent is laid out immediately before you, with a set of huge fridges packed full of exciting bottled beers dominating the entrance space. To the right is a reasonable sized seating area with limited access to the bar and décor similar to that seen in the main part of the pub which is to the left of the entrance. Here you will find the main bar running down the right with pews under the front windows and small tables with low stools opposite the bar. There are lots of brewery signs on display including a number from continental breweries on the ceiling. The room extends some way to the rear, into what looks like a relatively new extension. Long tables are arranged down the left side and standard tables and chairs fill in the gaps on the right created by a series of structural pillars. The room is bare boarded and a set of doors at the rear lead out to a very nice and surprisingly large garden which is part paving, part astro-turf and lined with several large trees. Picnic benches and modern metal chairs with tables under parasols comprise most of the seating options, although there is a nice little summerhouse in the far corner. Steps allow patrons to climb a low stone wall to the rear which seemingly leads into the adjacent cemetery and judging by the frequency with which it is used, I can only assume that this either acts as some sort of short-cut to the pub or that I spent the evening drinking with the undead.
On the bar, a strong cask line up comprising Moonshine Blueberry Ale, Redemption Fellowship Porter, Dark Star Hophead, Brew Co Citra, Black Hill Three Quarters, Great Heck Voodoo Mild, Langton Angler, FILO Gold, Woodfordes Wherry and Six Bells Cloud Nine. Thirty real ciders were also available as part of their ongoing cider festival and the staff were doing a good job at promoting these to any customer showing a bit of indecision at the bar. I opted for a beer from a brewery I'd not tried before - the Black Hill Three Quarters - but found it was pretty flat and not really up to much, which was a shame as this pub clearly knows how to keep good beer.
An interesting first visit to what appears to be something of an institution among the city's beer drinkers. The poor pint was unfortunate but I'm prepared to file that under bad luck and I would be very keen to return and spend a bit more time working through the ale range.
On 18th September 2014
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
paulof horsham left this review about The Cambridge Blue
Approaching the smart yet unexceptional exterior down a quiet back street, you get no impression of the wonders within the Cambridge Blue. That all changes as soon as you open the door: instead of a bar sporting handpumps and a few lager fonts, you're faced with a couple of fridges packed full of the world's best bottled beers. The actual bar is round to the left, offering a dozen or so quality ales and real ciders - Oakham had a couple of representatives when I visited.
Further back, the room has been much extended - it may lack great character, but they obviously need the room to accommodate lucky locals and awe-struck beer tourists. As if that were not enough, there's a sizeable garden beyond.
While Cambridge has many quality pubs, you could be forgiven for simply coming here and not moving on.
On 18th September 2012
- rating: 9
[User has posted 453 recommendations about 425 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Cambridge Blue
From the exterior this does appear to be a small mid terrace local,but the bank of fridges which greet your entry marks this out as a serious beer emporium.The interior splits into a right hand seating area,probably the most cosy part of the pub ,while to the left is the long bar sporting 14 handpumps,of which 12 were operational on my trip.Four handpumps are double clipped with real cider alternatives.
The building has been extended beyond the bar into a long seating area but with an impressive collection of pub trays attached to the walls,quite unusual.There is a large paved garden the full width of the building and extending a long way with many bench seats allowing an overflow area when the pub gets busy.
There are few original features in the interior ,the furniture is non descript but the ale choice truely outstanding.Oakham,Colchester,Abbeydale and Nethergate ales were well represented as well as produce from local microbrewers,you would need a long weekend to do full justice to what's on offer even before tackling the fridges.
The winner of local CAMRA awards,from a cursory glance at the outside you could never imagine the joys to behold within.An absolute must visit for any beer connoisseur.
On 15th September 2012
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Steve of N21 left this review about The Cambridge Blue
As you walk through the entrance of this terraced back street pub you know you have entered somewhere which is serious about beer when in front of you is the biggest set of fridges full of bottled beers you are likely to see outside of a specialist beer supermarket, and the last thing you would expect from the external view if you were not in the know. And then the impressive range of pumps await when you can tear yourself away from seeing what’s in the fridges.
Most of the traditional pub features have now gone in pursuit of fitting in the fridges and all the ales whilst still making enough room to accommodate the crowds that this Cambridge pub attracts.
The right hand side of the original building is small enough to be cosy, but the left hand side and large added extension are now quite open to accommodate vertical drinking.
The outside area is a big asset here with a large amount of trestle tables, half of them underneath large umbrellas. The top section on Astroturf is a nice spot if you can get it, especially the corner wooden shelter.
Good range of beers with a focus on independent breweries, especially local but some regional offerings as well including Oakham Inferno, Abbeydale Now Then, Colchester Red Diesel, Woodfordes Wherry, Ossett Big Red and Nethergate Dewdrop and my pint of Inferno was spot on.
A decent pub food menu as well, and both the meal we had were very good, although we did have to wait for them due to how busy the pub was on our lunchtime visit.
But you don’t mind that when the beer choice and quality is this good.
Deservedly Cambridge & District CAMRA Branch pub of the year for 2011.
On 2nd June 2012
- rating: 9
[User has posted 2110 recommendations about 1992 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Mark Davey left this review about The Cambridge Blue
Lively pub on a cold Monday in November. Killed a quick pint and left before the folk band got going. Loads of beer to choose from, you can't go wrong in here.
On 21st December 2011
- rating: 8
[User has posted 292 recommendations about 276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Cambridge Blue
Housed in a terraced building, this is one third of the holy trinity of pubs in Cambridge’s backstreets near the station. I think I counted 10 ales on the go along with an extensive menu of German, Belgian and US bottled beers, real ciders and a good selection of unusual keg products. My ales were in good nick and consumed in a marvellous beer-oriented atmosphere. The central bar has three drinking areas surrounding it with a conservatory to the left rear, leading out into a well-proportioned beer garden that backs onto a cemetery - a good one for Halloween. The pubs eccentricities include old tin advertising plates and a ban on mobile phones. One downside were the inadequately-proportioned toilets! A great stop and a no-brainer for a Cambridge visit.
On 10th October 2009
- rating: 9
[User has posted 5089 recommendations about 5072 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Tony Langley left this review about The Cambridge Blue
This has a very good selection of well kept real ales. There's always a crowd at the bar and often difficult to get served as quickly as one would wish.
On 1st November 2008
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 38 recommendations about 38 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Cambridge Blue
Superb. Eleven ales on yesterday, nearly all from small regional breweries, five or so on stillage in the back room. Friendly and welcoming, laid back atmosphere lunchtime, busier later in the evening with a large student presence. Plenty of seating, roaring fire, just excellent. Try the chilli pickled eggs.
On 27th January 2008
- rating: 9
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]