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Detail Pages
The Euston Tap East Lodge, NW1
NW1
NW1 2EF
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7 of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Euston Tap East Lodge
ORIGINAL REVIEW October 2016.
My first trip to this reincarnation of the former Cider Tap.Although the same exterior shape as the lodge opposite,there are differences.At both sides,full height glass windows have replaced bricked up arches which gives a lot of natural light to the interior,and views outside.To the right side there is a high fitted bench seat in brown leather ,with three high tables and a few bar stools can be arranged to create a place for a group to sit and sup.To the left is a large vertical drinking space and the lack of large fridges of bottled beers creates a less cluttered feel.The walls are decorated with fine blue glazed tiles,while the bar top is in copper.Up the spiral staircase the first floor also benefits from three half moon windows at floor level,the blue tiling continues and there are two L shaped fitted benches and some wooden tables and chairs,giving more limited seating than over the road,but a less austere and claustrophobic feel.There are ladies and gents cubicles,also featuring blue tiles,modern and clean.Outside there is very little seating,while inside it was certainly much quieter than the other side,with just one somewhat disinterested barmaid on duty.
There are 8 cask and 12 keg options.On my trip the cask was from Moor Confidence,Kirkstall Drop Hammer,Thornbridge Pollards,Howling Hop Pale,Arbor Amber,Oakham JHB,a Weird Beard and Anspach & Hobday collaboration called 7th Church of the Apocalyptic Lawnmower and Magic Rock Hire Wire (very fine,£4.80).A wide range of styles and strength with some avant- garde panache.I didn't note the keg options and failed to note if this includes keg cider.
The East Lodge may just end up the quieter cousin to the other side,there is no differentiation at this stage to the real ale offering,and it's just as high quality as over the road.I will be back to see how things settle in.
UPDATE
The East Lodge is now known as the "Bitburger Tap" which may have originally been an Oktober Fest '22 idea but will be retained until March 2023.Just four of their keg lagers offered in a Weiss,Helles,Radler and Pils but it was very quiet while the West Lodge was humming.Not sure how long this diversion will last but a proper downgrade from me.
On 28th November 2022
- rating: 6
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Euston Tap East Lodge
No longer a cider house, this is the sister pub/building to the original Euston Tap. Similar to the other one in terms of layout but is a bit lighter and brighter. I liked the bar back, good use of the space with the blue and white glazed tiles. Only the two cask lines in here with only one dispensing on my visit, but it was in close-to-perfect shape. Barely any customers, and a couple that did come in promptly got their drink and shuffled off over the way. Weird – is it really some sort of force of habit that stops people utilising this one and treating it as overspill area? So not as good as its elder sibling right now, but worth having a look-in. Rated 7
January 2014 [as the Cider Lodge]
The twin sister to the Euston Tap over the way; this one does apples. The easterly of the two Portland stone gate houses of the scandalously-demolished Victorian station means that it is an immediately quirky little place. Layout is similar to the Euston Tap, a small square ground floor with bar and a wrought-iron spiral staircase leading up to an upstairs room. The upper room here is a lot smaller and less comfortable than the ET meaning that the (mostly uncomfortable) seating is at a premium. Not immediately clear at the bar what was on (chalked up on a blackboard that’s hard to make out due to a combination of poor wiping of previous chalk and the dark gloomy illumination) and there’s also no guide to the styles on offer. So my request for ‘something medium sweet’ got me a Stargazer (at £1.80 half) which was kegged but quite pleasant nonetheless. The interior smelt very strongly of farmyard, which I guess is the smell of cider spilt everywhere and not being cleaned properly. As a venue it’s fair enough though the welcome for the general know-nothing could be better. I get the feeling that there’s a lack of real enthusiasm to inform people about cider which is a shame given the paucity of good apple pubs, the niche this place occupies and the reputation of the operating group. A 7 for the range but a 6 for the venue.
On 19th October 2018
- rating: 7
[User has posted 5099 recommendations about 5082 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Delboy 20 left this review about The Euston Tap East Lodge
Another one that was on my hit list. Just as good as it's twin over the road. Well worth a visit.
On 11th October 2018
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1656 recommendations about 1556 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
hondo . left this review about The Euston Tap East Lodge
Used to be a cider bar but now has a more balanced selection 8 keg,4 real ales and 6 ciders on during my visit. Similar interior to the Euston Tap minus the large fridges.
On 20th October 2017
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 2883 recommendations about 2820 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about The Euston Tap East Lodge
Mirror image externally to the original Euston Tap in the other original station gatehouse across the way, although the bar area is arranged differently inside. Limited seating, but there is a narrow spiral staircase leading to an upper room. Small outside area with high tables. Excellent choice of eight cask and 14 keg beers and ciders, with the Siren Undercurrent being in excellent form on my latest visit.
On 7th October 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Euston Tap East Lodge
Obviously much the same as it's twin over the road but providing different beer but reduced choice on my visit, 4 cask, 12 keg and 4 Cider, enough to be going on with.My Magic Rock Inhaler was excellent and comparatively good value for central London at £4.20 a pint.
I was interested to learn that a WW2 shooting gallery running between the two taps under the road now serves as a joint cellar. I prefer the original Tap over the road but this is good.
On 1st October 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Malden man left this review about The Euston Tap East Lodge
Very similar to the original Euston Tap in the twin lodge across the road although the bar servery is larger and occupies what could be usable drinking space. Still there is a bit of reasonable seating at L-shaped leather banquettes plus a ledge on the other side. There is a quarry tiled floor and some nice blue glazed tiling, the ceiling is best described as "distressed". In similar style to over the road, a spiral stair leads up to a bit more seating and the toilet. Eight cask ales on plus a range of keg options, the casks were Hammerton Pentonville plus N1, Kelham Island Tiger Cub, Tiny Rebel Billabong, Allendale Wagtail Bitter, Bristol Beer Factory Seven, Electric Bear Laid Back and Hawkshead ITI.
I liked the place as I do the other one but I couldn't spend a session here, not enough space and easily full to the point of being uncomfortable. Time it right though and you'll be sure of a decent pint.
On 7th June 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1708 recommendations about 1681 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
john gray left this review about The Euston Tap East Lodge
Nicer interior than the other side of the road.Better toilets as well.Lots of beers but not from northern breweries as predicted.Still better than that battery acid they used to sell.
On 11th March 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1023 recommendations about 1009 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Pub SignMan left this review about The Euston Tap East Lodge
I always thought the Cider Tap filled a gap in the market, but presumably the demand for such a bar wasn't enough to sustain it, so the East Lodge has now been converted to mirror that of the West Lodge, offering a similar range of real ales and craft keg in an almost identical premises. The homely, almost pub-like qualities of the Cider Tap have been forsaken for the usual craft beer bar cliches, with a sizeable square servery filing up most of the ground floor space, although unlike the original bar,enough room has been left to one side for a row of tables and chairs, with a drinking ledge along the opposite walls and a few bar stools along the counter. The room has been fitted with blue and white glazed tiles that look pretty good and there is the usual row of taps along the bar back, from which all of the beers are dispensed. The familiar spiral staircase from the West Lodge has been replicated here, leading up to a well appointed first floor seating area and toilets which are a major improvement on those in the original bar. A heavy metal soundtrack was playing in the background, seemingly for the enjoyment of the Metallica shirt-wearing barman, rather than the few customers present.
Large backboards either side of the bar list the full beer range and I counted twelve keg beers and eight cask ales. The cask range included beers from Harbour, Thornbridge, Weird Beard, Magic Rock, Moor and Howling Hops. I tried the Thornbridge Pollards, a silky smooth stout which was decent value at £3.80.
There's not all that much to distinguish this place from its twin over the road, so this bar now feels like an overspill area, rather than a pub in its own right. There were initial suggestions that the East Lodge would focus on beers from the North of England, but that has obviously not come to fruition, which is a shame as a point of differentiation would work well here. Having said all that, it's still part of one of London's top beer exhibition pubs and merits a visit whenever passing through Euston.
Original Review as 'Cider Tap': 16th February 2016
Set in the Eastern Lodge at the entrance to Euston Station, this is the younger, cider-drinking sister pub to the well established Euston Tap. The building is pretty much the mirror image of that utilised by the Euston Tap, but in many ways it has been laid out in a more practical fashion and generates a better sense of being in a pub than its beery brother. The servery has been positioned against the right hand wall, which immediately frees up much more space than afforded by the island servery over the road. The bar has quite a rustic feel, with proper, traditional looking wooden counter and bar back, a run of handpulls and some vintage taps on the back wall for serving the sparkling ciders. Seating is mainly in the form of high stools, either along the bar or serving a number of small protruding shelves. A spiral staircase takes you up to a first floor seating area, but the pub was quiet on a rainy Saturday afternoon, so I didn’t get round to taking a look – I assume it will be a dedicated seating area much in the same mould as that seen over the road. There are also plenty of high tables and stools outside and the fact that this side of the station entrance isn’t on a main pedestrian thoroughfare suggests that you’re more likely to avoid the disturbances and annoyances that are associated with pavement drinking.
A large board on the rear wall was incredibly useful in helping me decide which of the 15 cider (and one beer – Bernard Lager) options to plump for. The ciders are split into sparkling (served via tap from the bar back) and still (served on handpull) and the board gives a few other hints as to what sort of flavour profile you might expect. The lone barman was also very helpful and polite, guiding countless customers through the various options, offering tasters and generally being the fount of all cider knowledge. I ended up with something called Seacider – a still and alarmingly cloudy concoction that I was pleased to find was very much to my taste. The other half tried a sparkling raspberry flavoured cider which she also really enjoyed.
This place claims to be London’s only dedicated cider pub and for that alone it merits a place on your radar. I thought this was a good little bar which has hit on an interesting USP and delivers good product and service. I enjoyed a visit here more than I expected to and feel it is a good asset in London’s wider pub scene.
On 22nd January 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3114 recommendations about 3114 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Moby Duck left this review about The Euston Tap East Lodge
Unfortunately this has been closed between Christmas and new year,so I had to make do with its twin over the road,I shall have to wait till next time.
On 31st December 2016
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1872 recommendations about 1845 pubs]