05/01/20 - Bristol - A Good Beer Guide Pub Crawl

Tonight's Theme

For reasons that will be revealed when we come to the Seven Stars, Bristol has long been on the radar for a pub exploration. With a Travelodge offer that was only slightly higher than the car parking charges, there was little excuse not to knock off as many of the ten Good Beer Guide pubs in the City. All this, when most of the country are concentrating on DryJanuary.

Number 1 Harbourside, Canons Road, Bristol Beer Factory Fortitude

At first, I wonder whether I will be allowed in.   Everyone else appears to have children.   Free range children.  As they are so free range, I could probably claim one of the errant dustbins lids as my own, should I be challenged.

This is a new pub in the quayside.   Big windows to allow a solo pub ticker to watch the world go by. An ultra efficient long bar, where people queue.

The modern pub experience

I made it for 4pm and the Sunday Lunch was promised for "as long as available".   I inquired and much to the chef's pleasure, must have had the last serving.

It was out of this world.   Easily the best roast I have had out for a long time.   In case you are concerned that the blog will take a future diversion to food orientated posts, the beer was also exceptional.

Nice Line Up

Go here if you are hungry.

The Famous Royal Navy Volunteer, King Street, Good Chemistry Brewing Time Lapse

The lady at the Travelodge check in insisted that I went to Ale House next door.  You can't say I didnt try.   Even spotting the Sam Smiths pumps did not force me to turn around.   The barman who wouldn't put his book down to serve me did.   Other punters laughed at his lack of professionalism.  At least he wasn't on his phone.

Classic Pub - Gone Crafty

So - next door I go for the 2nd GBG tick of the evening.   This is an ancient pub that has been thoroughly modernised.  Its massive.   The pumps don't have clips.   You have to navigate a beer board.  The punters beards are in the main, bigger than the bar staffs beards.

Pointless and horrible

I couldn't quite put my finger on why I didn't like it until I made use of the facilities.

Go here if you find piddling into converted metal barrels amusing.

Beer Emporium, King Street, St Bernardus 12

Everyone loves a cellar bar.   Especially one with a lift.   Its quite an architectural feat to create a vaulted ceiling, with the added benefit that the acoustics meant I could eavesdrop on every single conversation going on in the room.   This started off as more interesting than the Sunday Times but all those voices soon made me think I was going quite mad.

£8.80 - exactly half the cost of my Travelodge Room - where I had a bath, and 4 cups of tea

Go here if you have money to burn.

The Seven Stars, 1 Thomas Lane, Cheddar Ales Totty Pott

OK - revelation time.   The hairy bikers had a series called "Pubs that Built Britain".   They came to Bristol and did a reasonable job of explaining the history and not shying away from the slave trading.

They also came here.   I liked the look of it.   Who wouldn't.

Its got C17th Lady Pirates

DryJanuary has caused the only punters to be present to be two elderly gents and me.   It had the benefit that I could discreetly record it on video, in all its old school gorgeousness.

Having the Place to myself

Go here for a proper pub experience.

Christmas Steps, Twister Oak Spun Gold

Research not completed properly and I had failed to notice the Cornubia closes up at 6pm on a Sunday.   And this, after I had battled to find a way through and got as far as the fences claiming if you enter you will be eaten by dogs.   One for the next visit.

With the Christmas lights still up but not illuminated, I decide its still seasonal enough to visit the Christmas Steps - taking in some of Bristols more lovely landmarks on the way. 

Alas, the Steps themselves are more interesting than the pub.

Bottom of the Steps

Top of the Steps

The pub is a dark, multi level pub - where all the real ales are at the downstairs bar and all the staff are at the upstairs bar. 

The Steps contain a selection of independent shops, including a board game cafe (packed!) and a DVD rental shop.

Go here of you want to recreate the dance scene from the Joker.

The Gryphon, Colston Street, Paulaner Hell

This is something else.  No one can accuse CAMRA of not being all inclusive.   You would think it was diverse enough by being my first ever Thrash Metal Real Ale Bar but no.   The only real ale they sell are incredibly strong, incredibly dark real ales.

The signs were there.

Skeleton of a previous unsuspecting pub ticker who asked for a Pale Ale

It was dark.  Panterra (for surely it was them) were blasting.   At least the venue liked my Untappd check in where I stated I had popped in for a quiet pint.

Go here if you know what you like.

The Three Tuns, St Georges Road, St Austell Cornish

Believe it or not, blogfans, I actually walked past another tick for the Lime Kiln.   I'm not Alan Winfield.

This was close to my Travelodge and I'm a big fan of the beer from Bishops Castle.

9:30pm and there's an old boy propping up the bar and a barman who wants to close up but oh no - he's now got a rambling pub blogger to additionally serve.

I am greeted with "customers have increased 50%" and then have to contribute on topics as wide as why Bristol is the centre of the universe, how health and safety has gone mad if you can't give cub scouts beer and a frankly complex Madeline McCann conspiracy that I couldn't keep up with but felt I was better off just agreeing with.   He was very passionate about Madeline.   And the beery cubs, now I think about it.

Banksy is from Bristol, isn't he?

Come here if you are lonely and want to make friends.

Yep - Keep Bristol Weird.