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Detail Pages
The Barrels, Berwick-Upon-Tweed
Berwick-Upon-Tweed
TD15 1ES
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Blue Scrumpy left this review about The Barrels
Located at the town end of the Old Bridge, the Barrels Ale House has the feel of a traditional old boozer, where conversation is king. There are a couple of rooms at ground level, with the notable inclusion of a dentist's chair at the bar. Downstairs is a separate bar used for live music events.
The ale choice was not the most adventurous - Robinson's Trooper & Dizzy Blonde, Exmoor Ale & Cheviot Harbour Wall. So, I plumped for the Addlestone's Cider, which I'd not seen for quite a while.
I quite liked the lively atmosphere in this pub, which is clearly one of the best in Berwick.
On 13th May 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2452 recommendations about 2451 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Barrels
A pleasant curved building. The interior has two rooms, the character of which has survived despite previous openings-out. Straight into the main bar on entering look left to see a delightful curved lounge via a pair of archways. Plenty of things to see which means the horrid artex wall is covered in hundreds of framed prints and not that noticeable. Note the interesting ceiling in the main bar with a painted compass surrounding a Deep South style fan. Also to be seen is a barber's pole, some hanging wooden fish, a pair of wooden skis and some Berwick Rangers scarves. Seating is mainly leatherette button back banquettes. Very dim and rather chilly inside, well-beyond atmospheric and into gloominess. Five pumps with three cask on; Exmoor Wild Cat, Osset White Rat and Cheviot Harbour Wall (NBSS 3 but a very alkaline taste, which I assumed was the brewery). Monday nights are never the best time to catch a pub at its best (there were only four other punters in) but I struggled to really warm to this one. Maybe if I’d have been there on a Wednesday instead? Mind you, the Curfew and Atelier were both healthily busy the same evening…
On 10th November 2021
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Graham Coombs left this review about The Barrels
A cosy drinking house with lots of pictures and sundry junk round the rooms adding to the atmosphere. On pump were Cheviot Harbour Wall, Ossett Silver Rat, TT Golden and Butcombe Rare Breed. A very nice pub.
On 15th August 2021
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3339 recommendations about 3276 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Ian Young left this review about The Barrels Ale House
One of my favourite pubs in Britain. We go up from Newcastle upon Tyne for a pub crawl about twice a year and there's always a warm welcome awaiting. some great beers on draft and almost everyone in the pub will talk to you. Love it
On 7th July 2020
- rating: 9
[User has posted 8 recommendations about 8 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Barrels Ale House
A good traditional pub, that attracts likewise ale drinkers. Five ales on handpump on our visit. We found a good couple of beers in here, one of which was First Chop Brewing Hop, which was a good session ale at 4.1%. The pub consisted of two rooms, the main bar area and an equally sized lounge leading off this, over on the left hand side of the bar. The pub had a good atmosphere and I noticed they have live Jazz at weekends in the basement, which can be found from a staircase near the front entrance.
On 10th July 2015
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Barrels Ale House
The pub was surrounded by scaffolding and swathed in the sort of blue mesh fabric that responsible builders put up these days - fortunately whatever work was going on was confined to the exterior. Once inside there's a relatively peaceful scene, but then the oddness hits you: as well as being a pub with good beer, plenty of character and a friendly atmosphere, this is a pub that relishes eccentricity.
Looking around, I could see one or two items of normal furniture, but most of the stools were based on small barrels, there were shelves made from sections of barrel attached to the bar (for leaning on, or for depositing your beer while expostulating), two stools by the bar seemed to be home-made, to a Heath Robinson design, and then there's the dentist's chair...
On the walls, clocks compete for space with equally ancient radio sets, a pair of skis and a telephone; a puppet rides across the ceiling astride a marlin, in the company of a trout and a pike; obscure and irrelevant notices, some in French; photos of artists and others of yesteryear, including Mohammed Ali with Elvis Presley in the same photograph; an optician's sign, consisting of an over-large pair of cartoon spectacles with bulbous eyes in place, which had been adapted to show the way to the cellar space which is used for live music. Obscure blues music from a CD player provided the aural background as I made my way to the bar, which was partially obscured by a small crowd of enthusiastic drinkers.
On the bar are five hand pumps - on my visit these included Orkney Dark Island from the far north of Scotland, a Shepherd Neame beer from the other end of the country, and offerings from three rather more local brewers: Hadrian Borders, Jarrow and Tempest of Kelso. In addition, there was a BrewDog keg font and another from Williams Brothers of Alloa, one of my favourite breweries. I tried the Dark Island, which was very good, before leaving to visit a couple of other pubs in the town. On my return an hour or so later the same rather repetitious blues legend (or someone sounding very like him) was still playing - this is probably the only reason I could find for not awarding a 10 to this excellent pub.
A change of music, to some lesser-known tracks of the Rolling Stones, was very welcome, and I indulged in a Williams Bros lager/IPA crossover called Caesar Augustus, which was up to their usual standard - interesting without being in-your-face about it - once it stopped being too cold to drink, and finished off the evening with the Hadrian Borders Flodden 500. This pub is not just recommended - it's essential. I'm already trying to think of an excuse for another visit to Berwick.
On 12th May 2013
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3745 recommendations about 3482 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Barrels Ale House
Compact but comfortable ale house, with lots of memorabilia on the walls. Limited seating in the bar, but there is also a side room and steps down to a basement space (not open). Some excellent beers available from the five handpumps, including High House Farm's Matfen Magic (£1.50 half) and Anarchy Brew's 7.2% Sublime Chaos Breakfast Stout (£1.80 half), plus Williams Bros lager on tap. Overall, this was just what I was looking for on my brief visit to Berwick, and is thoroughly recommended.
On 3rd February 2013
- rating: 9
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Gill Smith left this review about The Barrels Ale House
Went to Berwick to visit the 2010 Good Beer Guide pubs there, and found this one to be a quirky locals pub in the old part of Berwick. It has a few rooms and they are interesting to look round. Hosts music events in a downstairs bar. There's a dentist chair at the side of the bar. The beers were varied, and the Brewdog Alphadog we tried was fine.
On 13th August 2010
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1339 recommendations about 1222 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Kenny Muir left this review about Barrels
great pub.good service,staff very friendly.Great entertainment
On 13th July 2009
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3 recommendations about 3 pubs]