Since I couldn’t take any decent pictures of the pub where we found ourselves on Sunday, here is me drinking a pint there and vaguely protesting the impromptu documentation of said drinking.
Yesterday I visited a friend in hostipal in Euston and used it as a reason to check out Bree Louise, a pub I’ve read about on several beer blogs.
It’s a bit like being in some old bachelor’s living room. It’s the kind of place men feel comfortable letting it all hang out. The crowd was basically farting geezers (wish I was exaggerating) and laddish young men with teeshirts that read: “Drink till she’s cute” and “Let’s play carpenter. We get hammered and I nail you.” The bare white walls and grubby red carpet, coupled with the furniture that looked like cast-offs from a chain pub all added to the complete lack of anything resembling ambiance. It was one of those places that made me wonder why the hell I go out looking for beer in these alienating spaces. It must be the masochist in me.
There were several beers on gravity, but it was impossible to make heads or tails of them because in some instances the brewery wasn’t listed with the name. The overly eager bar-hand kept saying, “I’m ready when you are, what do you want?” I chose at random the Doombar and the Beartown something or other. When I finally ordered, he said, “That’s 4%– it’s going to go straight to your head!” Which was actually kind of cute. When we presented our CAMRA cards we got 50p off each, making the round £1 cheaper.
The beers were rather forgettable, except the Doombar which was tasty but seemed a bit flat and thin. Maybe it had gone off? We tried the Iceberg and the Atlantic IPA also but I took no notes.
They had a list of what casks would be tapped next. I can see how this would be ticker heaven, if all you cared about was beer and not where or how you were drinking it.
The sinister Mr. Malting guarding the half pints.
Impy Malting 
Glad it’s not just me who dislikes the place. Really, these dreadful pubs need to be called out for what they are.
Crap! – Does that mean I’m a ticker? I really enjoyed the beer however the interior didn’t do a great deal for me so I sat outside – problem solved!
Jeff – I read your assessment of the pub a while back and I’m not sure I agree entirely with your take on it, I reckon that the beer on offer and the splendid condition that it was in outweighs the barren Grandma’s living room woodchip interior.
I’m sure we’ve both had less palatable pints in nicer surroundings.
P.S Those half pint glasses look like pint glasses and they make Mr Malting look like some sort of beery giant!
Hi John– that is hilarious– the half pints really do look like pint glasses. Better not tell Mr. about the giant thing or he’ll aways be asking for those glasses.
I think I just had bad luck at the day I went to the Bree Louise. Icky crowd and the beer seemed a bit off. Just not that great. The poor guy working seemed overwhelmed and under trained and he was there alone.
I agree that the plants outside are lovely and it’s a pleasant little corner. I just wished I’d had a better experience there overall. M swore never to go back but I would give it just one more chance if others were dying to go, just to see if the beer was any better on a second visit.
Are you goth?? You would appear to very goth. I’m planning on doing a bit on my thing about goths and ale.
Take care, Wurst aka Whorst
John: “I’m sure we’ve both had less palatable pints in nicer surroundings.”
True. I’ll go for a G&T and the nicer surroundings, thanks!
Hey Wurst! I have been known to go to Whitby and wear black things with spiders and bats on them! I do enjoy dancing at clubs that play trad goth stuff, so the short answer is yes?
I am interested in this discussion of goths and ale…from my experience a lot of them know their stuff beer-wise (or they drink snakebite which is just kind of insane.)
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