Real Ale Pub Crawl around York

As we had not had a real ale trip since September, The Mrs and I decided to book a night away somewhere fairly nearby on the 21^st December. A Christmas Good Beer Guide mission, as we tend to stay in on said festive eve to avoid the crowds. And where better than the capital of our fair county? I have been round York for a stag do I organised a few years ago, and Pip and I went around in 2011 for my birthday. But as it is a historic city that we both love we thought it most appropriate for a Yuletide getaway, and we agreed it would be a much deserved write up.

After catching a train, slightly delayed due to southern floods, we checked into the conveniently located Jorvik hotel. After walking around the Christmas market and the boutiques that York is famous for (or should be at least), we decided to start the nights drinking in the Blue Bell as it was the nearest ale house. This tiny pub features on the National Pub register and you can see why once inside. The space consists of a front and back room with the bar wedged in the middle and a corridor down the left hand side. The original wood panelling remains as do many fixtures and fittings. Considering its diminutive size the Blue Bell has an impressively stocked bar with 10 hand pumps, three of them dispensing beer from our very own Bradfield Brewery. Timothy Taylors Landlord (which was to become a very familiar sight throughout the evening) was present and Goose Island Brewery supply a house beer; Blue Bell Ale. I was tempted by the award winning Rudgate Mild but was certain we’d see it again, so we had Franklin (4.3%) by Roosters. A word of warning though, do not enter in a large group; I’d recommend a limit of 4. There are permanent bright orange signs that proclaim a private party is under way, but this is an effort to keep out excessive numbers of tourists given the limited space. The landlady didn’t blanch when we walked in but I caught some looks from the locals that I read as ‘Damn, you weren’t fooled by the signs”!

Our next stop before we got food was just down the road although larger than the last place there seemed to be less space in Guy Fawkes. It was only 5:20 yet there was pretty much standing room only, perhaps a popular starting point for a night out. More of a town bar that sells real ale rather than a traditional pub, 2 of the 6 hand pumps were off but 5 of those are usually guest beers which is admirable enough. A small room is to the left and contains the bar with a larger room to the right, but it still feels smaller than it looks from the outside. Wooden floors are a token nod to its past and the lighting was low for atmosphere. The bar was not actually too busy though and we managed to squeeze on the end of a bench seat near the door. The Blue Bell was a hard act to follow in terms of memorable places but it is worth popping in the Guy Fawkes, perhaps just not on a pay day.

For our next stop we headed south west to the city walls so we could work our way back in. The Phoenix is right next to the city wall wall and is a delightful establishment with a very immodest way about it. The bar room at the front only has a handful of tables and all were occupied, so after purchasing our drinks we decided to explore further. There is an alcove next to the bar on the way to the back room, which itself is quite extensive being the entire width of the building. There are far more tables and even a piano, dart board and billiards table. At least that’s what it looked like from a distance. It began to fill up gradually but there was a good mix of age groups which soon generated an agreeable atmosphere, helped by candles and photos of jazz musicians on the walls. There are 5 beers on offer but the Phoenix is not a fan of pale ales, at least not on that night. So it was the perfect time to try Rudgate’s Ruby Mild (4.4%) which I really enjoyed, while Pip had Wold Top Best Bitter (3.7%). The obligatory Landlord was present and it was becoming evident that Copper Dragon was prevalent in the city too.

The Masons Arms is not in the Good Beer Guide but we felt obliged to pop in for a half of Black Sheep as their logo adorned the building, and we had so far been ignoring the popular beer for the very fact it is. Perhaps more of an eatery that has a healthy local drinking trade, the interior was what you might imagine the drawing room of a well off Victorian gentleman to be like. The bar sits in the middle of the pub with a separate dining room off to the left, and a bar area to the right. As with pervious establishments, coal fires were roaring quietly under generous mantelpieces, and the food portions drew a number of envious glances. A Bass clock above the fireplace and a Stones mirror over the front door hints at the heritage amid the plush wooden panelling. 4 hand pumps offered the aforementioned Yorkshire ale along with 3 guest beers but all at a dearer price than we had been used to up until that point.

Back to the plan, we carried on to our original next stop the Swan. A former Tetley’s house it is slightly reminiscent of one of its Sheffield kin; the White Lion, but with more carpets and a brighter interior. Entering in the front door you pass a front room and then reach the small bar which faces sideways. It was busy but well staffed and we just managed to get a corner bench seat in the back room. Wood panelling to dado height gave way to red and white walls, and for the first time that night the fire was not lit. The bar touches both rooms through a doorway and a hatch and although small it is not as tiny as the Fat Cat’s! This pub squeezes plenty of character into its limited corner site and you could happily spend a night there once seated. The clientele erred towards older drinkers but with 8 hand pumps dispensing 6 beers and 2 real ciders there’s something for everyone. I was delighted to see a Dr Morton Christmas special; Reindeer Repellent (4.2%) which I had a pint of and Pip opted for a half of Saltaire Blonde (4.0%).

Just around the corner is the Slip Inn a modestly sized local with a respectable 5 beers on sale. It was much quieter than the Swan but I imagine the regulars keep it ticking over nicely. There was more life in the back room where we did not venture, and a dart board is supplied along with a good snack range. There is definitely an air about it which harks back 30 or so years ago, but either way it does exactly what it says, you can slip in(n) for a good pint without any trouble. I sampled Wold Gold (4.8%) from Wold Top and Pip drank Boltmaker (4.0%), the newly rechristened Best Bitter from Timothy Taylor.

I remembered Brigantes Bar and Brassiere from our last visit but it was much busier this time round. A rather strange ale haunt; it looks and feels like an upmarket and trendy restaurant (and probably is to be fair) but flaunts its beer credentials at every opportunity. Pump clips and beer themed posters litter the walls and there are cosy booths to sit in. We were relegated right to the back with one chair between us for a while until the other could grab a stool. Don’t be put off by its busyness though, it makes for a great atmosphere and with 10 real ales it is one of the best stocked Good Beer Guide entries in York. Had it not been so busy we might have stayed for a second drink, but we were contented with Santa Paws (3.9%) from Ilkley Brewery.

Our next stop is a wonderful pub that is beginning to feel like a home away from home for me, having visited it twice before. Recently extended, The Maltings is the first pub encountered when walking from the train station into the city centre, and it certainly deserves its prominence. However, having said that, we found the beer range that night to be quite limiting, as we were forced to choose Franklin (4.3%) by Roosters which we had earlier. Still, it did not detract from the fact that this is a pub teeming with all the qualities you want to find on a real ale crawl. It feels like you could walk up to the bar and spit on the floor. You don’t of course, you just select one of the six beers on offer and try to secure a seat, of which there are not many. But that is all part of the attraction, if it was any more down to earth it would be six feet under. Low lit in a seductive red with a wooden decor, it exudes a confidence that is wholly justified. A must visit if you are in York on a night out.

We were nearing the end of our tour but had yet to visit an outlet by York Brewery despite having passed a couple. So we decided on the Three Legged Mare given its entry in the Good Beer Guide. A stark contrast to our last stop being brightly lit, we managed to get a seat in the corner of the front room. A larger, lower lit, seating area is towards the back with the bar in the middle on the right. Only 5 of the 9 hand pumps were in operation though which might explain the lack of pale ales. I was happy enough with Three Kings (4.5%) by York Brewery and Pip had half of Miss Lapland (4.2%) from Batemans.  Being that this is the only York Brewery outlet currently in the GBG you would expect the bar manager to be on top of the stock, unless it was planned that way for a reason. Although I can’t imagine you’d clean the lines first thing Saturday morning. It was fairly busy at 10:45pm with a mixed clientele that erred towards the younger end. It possesses a nice atmosphere and we would certainly return again in the future.

There were a couple more pubs on the list but we decided it would be rude not to stop for a cocktail in the Evil Eye Lounge. It became clear the next morning that going there after all that beer was not really a good idea! Still, when in Rome. York is a wonderful city, by day and night, and has an excellent ale scene with a good selection from breweries across Yorkshire and beyond. If you haven’t been yet we recommend you book it in your diary for a trip this year.