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Malt & Hops, Leith, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
EH6 6QU
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 8½ of 10) see review guidelines
Blackthorn _ left this review about Malt & Hops
A traditional looking green painted pub in a cobbled street overlooking the quay, it’s certainly in a prime spot and was attracting plenty of custom on our recent Friday evening visit. Fortunately one table was leaving just as we had arrived, but even that was only a small round table that rather felt it was just stuck in the middle of the floor.
It’s very traditional inside too with much wood panelling on the walls, embossed and painted paper on the ceiling interspersed with chunky old beams. Bunches of hops were hanging from most of the beams, along with plenty of beer mats and foreign bank notes as well as a good collection of jugs above the bar. The walls were liberally covered with old brewery mirrors and adverts, as well as a large oil painting of the quayside. A small stone fireplace was off to one side, although this was not in use on our visit, whilst the seating was predominantly fitted green banquette seating around the perimeter and small stools.
Beers on tap were Oakham’s Nectaron and JHB, Hawks Head Dry Stone stout, Tyneside Blonde, Gan Yam Single Hop Dark Mild, Moonwake Golden Promise, Fyne Ales Avalanche and Siren Mesmerist. After that lot, the cider choice was distinctly disappointing with just Stowford Press. Overall, I really liked it here, it was certainly in the top two of the pubs we tried in Leith despite the poor cider selection.
On 5th April 2024
- rating: 8
[User has posted 1951 recommendations about 1864 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about Malt & Hops
Nice traditional ale house style pub on the Water of Leith in the older part of town. An older building the decor is dominated by drink related stuff, pump clips, brewery and distillery mirrors etc and a forest of hop bines. Eight pulls of Scots and English beers plus a couple of T-Bars of standard and non-standard kegs. Well worth a visit.
On 18th February 2023
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3276 recommendations about 2982 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Malt & Hops
Very traditional-looking pub by the quayside, with a dark interior enlivened by plenty of breweriana and a very welcome real fire on a cold winter day. With seven of eight handpumps on the counter in use, we found an excellent range of real ales in different styles, mostly from smaller breweries from the Lake District and more locally. Hard to choose, but I went for the Goodhews Dry Stout (£4.50) which was first rate. Also had various interesting options on the keg taps, and mulled cider also offered during the festive season.
On 30th December 2021
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about Malt & Hops
Waterside ale pub with views across the dock. Interior is a straightforward but characterful room with a small snug area in the far right corner. Dark varnished wood from top to bottom, loads of breweriana, mirrors, hanging hop bines, some bottle green banquette seating and what looked like a proper coal fire. Eight pumps with beers from Hadrian (Tyneside Blonde an NBSS 4), Saltaire, Tryst, Fyne (Lismore, 3). Two by Two and Clearwater. Very quiet inside on a midweek afternoon and the barman didn’t really do much to create an atmosphere, fiddling about on his phone. I suspect it’s a great evening pub though. Bit of a Leith default and the location means it’s worth getting the bus out of the centre for.
On 15th November 2021
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5107 recommendations about 5090 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about Malt & Hops
A traditional-looking bar, just a few doors down from the pseudery of the Kings Wark, but it wouldn't surprise me to discover that the other pub is the more authentic of the two. Never mind, because this one works far better as a pub, to whit: eight hand pumps adorn the bar, the beers are from independent Scottish breweries like Swannay, Fyne, Tryst and Hadrian & Border (oops, Sassenachs and interlopers), with lager from the sainted Williams Brothers of Alloa, whom god preserve. I was regretting having wasted half of my allotted time in Leith at the other pub, but I'm sure Malt & Hops will still be here on my next visit, which will definitely be longer.
Date of visit: 19th March 2017
On 19th June 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3751 recommendations about 3486 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about Malt & Hops
Traditional pub serving 8 real ales and "craft keg".
On 9th December 2013
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Clive Thompson left this review about Malt & Hops
After making my way along from Ship to Shore and surrounding bars I had almost given up on finding a proper pub and was beginning to dread what might have happened to the Malt & Hops as a consequence of the new money that has moved into Leith. I need not have feared though, as in the the realms of proper pubs this is a King among paupers, and the sight of eight handpumps cheered me up no end. It's thankfully much as I remembered it from a few years ago. The 'library' is still there with its back catalogue of GBG's, there are pump clips on the walls, water jugs on the ceiling and the whole bar is festooned with hops interspersed with fairy lights. Atop the fireplace is a large oil painting that I recall my Kiwi mate insisting was Italian, probably a Canaletto, until I pointed out the Lothian bus making its way across the 'Ponte Vecchio' and that it was in fact a painting of the scene outside the pub. Two old copper lanterns still sit in the windows and an old sign announces that 'Motor Buses stop here 6, 9 and 34'. I'm not sure if the numbers are the same but most buses going to Ocean Terminal stop outside and you could do worse than stopping off for a pint in this wonderful unspoilt pub.
On 16th January 2010
- rating: 10
[User has posted 777 recommendations about 697 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
ROB Camra left this review about Malt & Hops
Marvellous little pub dating from 1749. A real survivor as it is surrouding by all the new developments in Leith. It's one small room with lots of very old pump clips decorating the walls plus brewery mirrors. It's not particularly tourist friendly, but once you've had a couple of rounds and the locals realise that you're not going to constantly witter on about Edinburgh Castle they can be quite friendly. I used to call in here when I worked and lived in Edinburgh and it hasn't changed that much. There's a much better range of ales on the bar though with Deuchars IPA as a regular and 4 changing guests on our visit. There's a very good range of malt whiskys on offer as well with the "Malt Of The Month", on our visit Isle Of Jura, being very good value. Ms CAMRA was very pleased as it's one of her favourites.
On 17th November 2009
- rating: 9
[User has posted 3224 recommendations about 3135 pubs]