“If in doubt, copy Pubmeister“. Except the moths thing, of course. If you want to skip the next post or two, just go straight to Duncan’s Capital craft crawl here.
On the Saturday after my triumphant return from the Howardian Hills, I had one of those now unproductive afternoons in London that happen once you’ve ticked all their GBG pubs.
But I had a gig at the Shacklewell Arms, a song in my heart from the 3rd Allo Darlin LP, and some craft beer emporiums to visit.
It’s an odd thing that while the City mostly sleeps at weekends, meaning I miss out on the Japanese Beer & Buns place Duncan raves about, the area from Liverpool Street to Hoxton is about as manic as London gets.
It’s no place to stop and linger with a camera, but I stop and linger to record the best bits, just for you. And to annoy North Londoners who were queueing for Tecnotronic-themed doughnuts.
No actual ticks, but at least one pub that might get in a future GBG, probably listed under N1 Doughnutville, the N1 Old St, then N1 Shoreditch to confuse us.
I’m already struggling to differentiate the Craft Beer Cos from the Casks from the Draft Houses and the Antics.
The distinguishing feature of the Crafts seems to be a house beer below £4 a well-known brand for £4.55,
that turns out to be coolish and foamy, if lacking the highest level of freshness,
a tightly packed bar with everyone standing up,
and enough Bass brewerania to ensure old blokes like me can’t dislike it too much.
There’s a lot more Rothaus and craft keg lager being drunk than cask, but I’m pleased to see it so busy. Their outlets in Limehouse and Angel weren’t as busy.
I popped to the “garden”, a polite term for smoking shelter.
Smoke apart, it’s quite pleasant, admiring the Worthington signs and N1 art.
But my presence is an annoyance to two doing something unspeakable* in the corner, so I sink my pint and head into Shoreditch, suddenly enbravened, but worried I still have three hours till my gig.
*Listening to tinny New Country, probably Ward Thomas.
retiredmartin 
Ha ha, was this last Saturday, I was in the Craft at 12.30 pm and had the Magic Rock Conjurer, clip turned in your picture. I have to say its not my favourite pub of theirs and struggle to warm to it.
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This was March 16th when England v Scotland was on. Weren’t many casks on. A bit small for me but probably pleasant earlier on week day.
NB looking closely I see they had Magic Rock Dark Arts, a Pig &, Porter, 2 Thornbridge and the house beer.
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Odd that they had the same beers on/off a week later, but then they do batch buy by the pallet load so must have a few of each kicking around.
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There’s signs “Bought from the Bass mirror factory in Bridgend” and the pre-1946 ‘Lloyd and Yorath’s Stout’ enamel sign is from Newport not thirty miles away.
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My favourite in Shoreditch, now that the Griffin has been ruined, is the Barley Mow. It might even be in the guide.
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Barley Mow is good, strangely doesn’t open till 2pm on a Saturday so I missed out last weekend.
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I remain puzzled by the need to have Bass memorabilia when they wouldn’t dream of having Bass on the bar.
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Some pubs have Brasso memorabilia. It must be the second word which is operative.
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Some beers these days taste like Brasso😉
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Have you drunk Brasso often, then, to be able to make the comparison?
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Oh yes, to wash down hairy pork scratchings.
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They’re not proper scratchings without bristles.
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Love it and it saves on tanning shops.
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You’ll be on the paraffin rosé, next!
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“unproductive afternoons in London that happen once you’ve ticked all their GBG pubs.” –I feel like you included this mainly to aggravate Simon (or has he also ticked them all?)
I told my wife there’s a place in London selling 4-packs of donuts for the equivalent of $21, and she laughed heartily. “What do they have on them,” she asked, “Foie gras”? 🙂
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Ha ! No, wasn’t laughing at Si, this year he’s doing rather well with London due to his Project Calippo or whatever.
It’s just that London is easy for me to complete by late Autumn, meaning I have a lot of essential journeys to the capital where I’m looking for new recommendations or revisiting old classics. Feel my pain.
Yes, £4 for doughnuts is just daft London (they charge $7 for a bowl of cornflakes in Brick Lane). But there are also bargains round her ($2 beigels).
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