The Apple, Bristol

Blackthorn _ left this review about The Apple

Located on an old barge moored up at the end of the popular King Street strip, this is very much a cider house as you might infer from it’s name, and in addition to the boat itself there is a good sized outdoor area on the quayside with plenty of picnic benches, which is a lovely spot in the summer when it has it’s own outside bar and tends to get very busy. Even on our mid-March visit there were a few hardy souls braving the weather, but we sensibly ventured inside.

It's all one single, open plan room, which is naturally fairly long and narrow. Dark, varnished wooden boards are on the floor along with more wood cladding on the ceiling interspersed with the iron girders of the ship’s hull, and further white wood panelling on the lower part of the walls with structural steelwork above which had been painted a suitably nautical shade of blue. Padded bench seating is down one side along with a number of sofas and low tables on the other. Overall it’s got quite a cosy ambience, even though it might perhaps be described as fairly basic. A pile of board games was on a table, and there were one or two pictures on the wall and a row of brass lined portholes down one side. A curved wooden bar counter is at the far end.

As mentioned, cider is very much the focus here with a chalkboard next to the bar listing the current selection which were arranged in order from sweet to dry. The choice on this occasion was Old Bristolian, Rich’s Sweet, Harry’s Corker, Iford, Wilkins Medium Sweet, Rich’s Medium, Somerset Sahara, Kingston Black, Tricky Wizard and U.F.O #5. A selection of Harry’s fruit ciders meanwhile included Elderflower, Blackcurrant, Orange & Pineapple, Rhubarb and Mango & Lime, along with Heck’s Perry. If your tipple is beer though, you might be out of luck – certainly nothing on tap, although I think there were a few cans lurking around behind the bar.

On 17^th March 2023 - rating: 8
[User has posted 1914 recommendations about 1829 pubs]