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The Devil's Taphouse, Stafford
Stafford
ST16 2EZ
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 6½ of 10) see review guidelines
Will Larter left this review about The Devil's Taphouse
My experience was very much like the previous reviewer's. There were two cask ales on the bar and I went for Ainsty's Bantam Best, a beer I'd had previously when in York, so knew that it could be good. The young lad behind the bar was really struggling with froth as he poured it, and when I tried the beer it was cloudy, with confused flavours (NBSS 1.5). I had a train to catch so didn't want the hassle of asking for a change of beer (the alternative didn't seem much better, from what I saw of the customers who were served after me) or refund. I reckon they should stick to keg'uns and cans. (They had a box of remaindered cans from the shop next door - out of date stuff at £1 each. I've had one at home after giving it a chance to settle and it was not bad at all.)
On 19th November 2023
- rating: 3
[User has posted 3740 recommendations about 3477 pubs]
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Devil's Taphouse
A shop conversion to a micro pub ,long and thin with the bar at the rear left and a jumble of furniture infront.It was pretty quiet for a Thursday evening and although the barman was a chatty fellow,the place lacked atmosphere.There was a selection of kegs but just two real ales on my trip in Yorkshire Heart IPA (NBSS 2,probably a poor brew) and Ossett Voodoo (NBSS 1,far too warm and left unfinished )
There is little point visiting a micro if the ale is poor quality,I will swerve this place in future.
On 30th June 2023
- rating: 5
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Delboy 20 left this review about Floodgate
Now called the Devil's Taphouse.
On 13th February 2022
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 1656 recommendations about 1556 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Just a quick pint, then I'm off left this review about Floodgate
Excellent micro-pub, and one of the closest watering holes to the station. Usual sort of arrangement inside this converted shop, with a narrow rectangular bar leading towards a compact counter in the back-left corner. Five well-chosen real ales the handpumps: Mallinson's Nelson Sauvignon (£3.20), The Hoard from Backyard, Flat Out from Anarchy, Redemption Big Chief IPA and ELB Quadrant.
On 2nd December 2018
- rating: 8
[User has posted 8117 recommendations about 8117 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Soup Dragon left this review about Floodgate Ale House
A tidy little micropub, albeit hard to notice. Grey, wood and brick exterior with a narrow interior of brick, plain wall and wood. Pump clips adorn one wall, a few ornaments another, while a canoe sits above the door to the bogs and a couple of old oars (read that carefully) hang about. Service is always fine, clientele mature. No TV or music. 5 handpulls and I have never had a bad drink here: Blue Monkey 99 Red Baboons and Neepsend Lubin Stout the other day. Always visit when in Stafford.
On 18th June 2018
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3067 recommendations about 3062 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
custodian 42 left this review about Floodgate Ale House
Good pub with a decent ale choice and well worth the visit. Only trouble was the front windows had been boarded up so it did not look open.
On 2nd January 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 1693 recommendations about 1691 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about Floodgate Ale House
Slightly industrial looking with the bare concrete ceilings and suspended cable trays, powering a bank of ceiling fans and black pendant hanging lights. The right hand wall was exposed brick which was building a collection of pump clips. The bar area was constructed from plywood which included all the shelving and the walls were painted pale blue. Five ales on handpump and all costing £3 a pint regardless of high ABV. We went for the Abbeydale Carousel and an exceptionally good IPA from Leek, named Corkes Cask. Their three other beers were, North York Brewing Co Rocket Fuel, Sarah Hughes Surprise and Backyard Coaltown coffee stout
On 30th August 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Beer Monkey left this review about Floodgate Ale House
Visited the Floodgate Ale House for my third visit on 27 Aug 16. A much needed addition to the real ale drinking scene in Stafford, this is a single long and narrow room with the bar at the far end away from the entrance. There are 5 changing handpulls, ciders, wines, spirits and bar snacks. I had a pint of Mallinson's Brewing Co (Huddersfield) Centennial Pale Blonde 3.9% and a pint of Milestone Brewing Co (Newark) Will Scarlet Golden Blonde 3.6% and both were a very nice drinks, and at £3.00 represented good value.
When I got there it was fairly quiet, but it soon got fairly busy and I had two couples sat to my right and then two couples sat to my left, all of whom were very chatty and pleasant company instead of reading the Bosworth and Hinckley CAMRA magazine.
A great venue devoid of the usual Stafford misfits who frequent other venues, therefore making it a very comfortable stay. My only criticism which loses a mark is the fact that the place is always steamy which, on a humid day is unpleasant. Having said that, the company on this visit had great fun extolling the pros and cons of the word 'moist'. Funny how men love the word, whereas some women hate it.
For those on a pub crawl, heading over the road to the Sun Inn, then the short walk to No.7 Market Square (sister pub to Floodgate), then around the corner to Ye Old Rose & Crown, then a 5-10min walk to the Greyhound opposite the prison.
On 27th August 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 3 recommendations about 3 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about Floodgate Ale House
Stafford's first micropub conveniently set just around the corner from the JDW Picture House and a short walk to the Titanic Sun.
It's a fairly typical sort of place consisting of a small rectangular room with a laminate floor, mixed high and low tables & chairs and a small bar at the rear. Unusually they also advertise live music and stock whisky & fruit wines. I would assume the music is acoustic and that the whisky isn't just Bells & Teachers!
The bar has five hand pumps which surprisingly had beers on all of which I have seen and even tried elsewhere. They were Dark Star Partridge, Dancing Duck Dark Drake, Castle Rock Screech Owl, Weetwood Eastgate and Bewdley Worcestershire Way. I went for the Dark Drake which was excellent.
The same people now have a second one called 7 Market Square which I didn't have time to get to but provides an excellent excuse to return to Stafford.
This is another good micropub and well worth a look.
On 10th July 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]