06/07/19 - Ignoring the Golden Rule of London Drinking in WC1

Good Beer Guide Ticks 395 and 396.

A couple of hours to spare in London, so I successfully navigate the Greater London Section of the Good Beer Guide to determine there are two pubs near Euston Station that have remained undiscovered.

Not sure how this could have happened.   I must, and will, try harder.

The Queens Head, 66 Acton Street, Windor and Eaton Guardsmen

A meandering walk, avoiding the chaos of HS2 developing Euston and the inner ring toad, by taking back streets and alleys.  Just off Grays Inn Road is the Queens Head on Acton Street.  Must be one of the only streets undocumented by Google Maps Street View, so on arrival, I am looking at it for the first time.

Any pub asking you to "Come in and Argue" is asking for trouble

Nice summers day - and I would have made the mistake of sitting outside - if I hadn't been seduced by the ox blood chesterfield sofa at the far end of this narrow, single roomed bar.   A perfect place to sit, complete the Times Fiendish Sudoko and eavesdrop.

Eavesdrop?  There's no one there!

Piano, mirrors, free lemon infused water jugs on the bar end.   Thankfully, a hipster comes in to give me something to report.   He's in media and is going to work on "a short" about the bar maid having her phone stolen and London's knife crime epidemic.

Back to the claim of best pub in London.   Well, the Guardsmen was thick and gloopy and I prefer to be able to see through my (non stout) pints.  I enjoyed the secret yard out the back with some fine art work.

Of course it isn't.   The best pub in London is Soho's Coach and Horses and remains so until I see what damage Fullers have done in the last month.

Must be a Good Beer Tick - an unasked for handle cup

Yard Art Work

The Skinners Arms, Judd Street, Sambrooks Lavender Hill

A Douglas Inn - something to Google

A short walk and its far too nice a day to sit inside a dark pub.   Besides, I would have missed the carnival of people returning from the Pride March, had I have stayed inside.

A fine pubby portal provides access to their wares.

Nice Entrance

I'm unaware of their beers on offer - so ask the bar man what sort of beer the Sambrooks Lavender Hill is.   Somehow, I expected more from a Good Beer Guide Entry than "Its an ale, innit".

He see's my confusion and does offer me a sample.  He's not giving much away, by producing a plastic cup that judging my its minuscule size, must have had a previous life in dispensing medicine.

This did little to influence my choice, I was more pressured by the thirsty punters tutting that I was holding them up.  It was a good choice and a pint deserving of bible inclusion.   Much better choice than the Siren's craft 6.5% breakfast stout that wouldn't have matched the nice day - although they did let me have it in their branded glassware.

Lavender Hill - a nice Pale Ale.   That's all the info I needed

So outside to watch the rainbow painted ones.

I'm out of practice.   Never sit outside London pubs unless you like hobo hassle.   The first one asks me for 10p.   When I give him the 70p from my change from a fiver for the Lavender Hill, he obviously tells all his hobo mates.

It's not very relaxing explaining to tramps that you have already donated for the day.

And that's the reason why the professionals are inside, regardless of the weather.